This weekend we'll miss out on the first weekend of Chanukah because we're heading to Jordan. Tomorrow we hope to see Petra (nice video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwX3uI0fnDM). After Petra, we'll head back up to Amman and drink at Starbucks and eat cake at Sugar Daddy's Bakery. If we have time we'll also try to see some Roman ruins at Jerash.
Sometimes it still amazes me that Jordan is only a few hours away. But with border crossings it takes a wee bit longer to get there. Should be interesting.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Our little Babe
We had our 20 week doctor visit this morning. From what I had read, this was the best time (best chance) of seeing whether we're having a boy or a girl. Apparently it only gets harder to see as the time goes by. Well, we may just have to wait until that April day to find out. We didn't have a good look today either. Oh well, surprises are good too.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Mad Gab and Songs
Mad Gab
Hebrew class is suddenly difficult but that's not a bad thing. The first two weeks were mainly review for me but now we are in new territory. Homework tends to take me a while to finish because I read like I am six years old. Look at the word. Wonder what gibberish this is. Decide I am going try to sound it out. Make the noises. Say it out loud slowly and then try to pick up speed. I realized the other week that many words in Hebrew remind me of the game Mad Gab. I have to read it out loud to understand it. These are frequently adopted foreign words but the pronunciation is slightly different than our English equivalents and its not just saying the English word with a Hebrew accent. I have to work harder than that. (fyi, Hebrew is read right to left so really I should put the Hebrew words hugging the right side of the page but that also gives me font problems :)
וידאו = vee-day-oh......Video
מיונז = mah-yoh-nez.......Mayonnaise
שוקולד = shoh-koh-laud.....Chocolate
Here's a fun one:
קוקה קולה = koh-kah koh-lah.....Coca Cola
But these are the worst and they took me the longest:
אלקטרויקה = eh-leckt-row-nee-kah.....Electronics (said kind of like "electronia" but different syllables are emphasized)
קומוניקציה = koh-moo-nee-kahts-ee-ah.....Communication
פרופסור = this one looks like "pah-roh-phos-ur" without the vowels...so it is one of those lovely ones where the vowels have to be memorized (plus where the vowels are IN the word) when you first learn the word because you'll never see the complete vowels in Modern Hebrew. So really, its "pro-phes-ur".....Professor.
Songs
In class yesterday I learned an Israeli children's song. Shawn learned this one over the summer and now its my turn. Click on the title below for translation. I think the song was written to encourage self confidence.
Another random Hebrew bit is how to say you've immigrated. "Yosi made Aliah (Ali-AH) 10 years ago" is the same as "Yosi immigrated to Israel 10 years ago." I've only heard this from English conversations but I guess its the Hebrew word...now adopted into English! Or at least Israeli English.
Hebrew class is suddenly difficult but that's not a bad thing. The first two weeks were mainly review for me but now we are in new territory. Homework tends to take me a while to finish because I read like I am six years old. Look at the word. Wonder what gibberish this is. Decide I am going try to sound it out. Make the noises. Say it out loud slowly and then try to pick up speed. I realized the other week that many words in Hebrew remind me of the game Mad Gab. I have to read it out loud to understand it. These are frequently adopted foreign words but the pronunciation is slightly different than our English equivalents and its not just saying the English word with a Hebrew accent. I have to work harder than that. (fyi, Hebrew is read right to left so really I should put the Hebrew words hugging the right side of the page but that also gives me font problems :)
וידאו = vee-day-oh......Video
מיונז = mah-yoh-nez.......Mayonnaise
שוקולד = shoh-koh-laud.....Chocolate
Here's a fun one:
קוקה קולה = koh-kah koh-lah.....Coca Cola
But these are the worst and they took me the longest:
אלקטרויקה = eh-leckt-row-nee-kah.....Electronics (said kind of like "electronia" but different syllables are emphasized)
קומוניקציה = koh-moo-nee-kahts-ee-ah.....Communication
פרופסור = this one looks like "pah-roh-phos-ur" without the vowels...so it is one of those lovely ones where the vowels have to be memorized (plus where the vowels are IN the word) when you first learn the word because you'll never see the complete vowels in Modern Hebrew. So really, its "pro-phes-ur".....Professor.
Songs
In class yesterday I learned an Israeli children's song. Shawn learned this one over the summer and now its my turn. Click on the title below for translation. I think the song was written to encourage self confidence.
Another random Hebrew bit is how to say you've immigrated. "Yosi made Aliah (Ali-AH) 10 years ago" is the same as "Yosi immigrated to Israel 10 years ago." I've only heard this from English conversations but I guess its the Hebrew word...now adopted into English! Or at least Israeli English.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Negotiation
Several weeks ago I began the Negotiation Phase. I started to really miss the states and things familiar. I started rejecting most of the local food, too.
A few things I struggle with:
- No buses on Shabbat. Really inconvenient when I want to travel outside Jerusalem on our weekend.
- Shawn having class on Sunday. We knew the work week would be Sun-Thurs for the most part, but I really miss going to church on Sunday mornings with Shawn and having a Christian Sabbath.
- Kosher food. It just doesn't taste right and a lot of good hard cheeses are not kosher and therefore a pain to find.
- The price of everything except chemically grown veggies is expensive.
I am now starting to settle in to life here. Its still really hard sometimes and there are days when I am accosted with a memory of Chicago or I suddenly think I want to ride my bike to Glen Ellyn. I guess the humor in that is how I hated Chicago the first year (at the very least). But I started looking for positive things here and couldn't see any for a while! However, here are some good things to list:
- The children (all kinds!) here are so much fun to watch. On the bus to class, I get a good dose of Jewish religious children on their way to school and all dressed in the same style. I probably won't be brave enough to ask to take their pictures but I did find some photos that will give a good idea of what I see -- Kaparot Ceremony
- Bagels. Wonderful fluffy things for 4 shekalim each (about $1).
- Sharp cheddar can be found...at a price.
- We found a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm that delivers and our first shipment of clean veggies is coming next Wednesday. Let's hope its worth it!
- I can eat hummus again without gaging.
I hope to continue to add to the "like" list. And maybe some non-food items...
A few things I struggle with:
- No buses on Shabbat. Really inconvenient when I want to travel outside Jerusalem on our weekend.
- Shawn having class on Sunday. We knew the work week would be Sun-Thurs for the most part, but I really miss going to church on Sunday mornings with Shawn and having a Christian Sabbath.
- Kosher food. It just doesn't taste right and a lot of good hard cheeses are not kosher and therefore a pain to find.
- The price of everything except chemically grown veggies is expensive.
I am now starting to settle in to life here. Its still really hard sometimes and there are days when I am accosted with a memory of Chicago or I suddenly think I want to ride my bike to Glen Ellyn. I guess the humor in that is how I hated Chicago the first year (at the very least). But I started looking for positive things here and couldn't see any for a while! However, here are some good things to list:
- The children (all kinds!) here are so much fun to watch. On the bus to class, I get a good dose of Jewish religious children on their way to school and all dressed in the same style. I probably won't be brave enough to ask to take their pictures but I did find some photos that will give a good idea of what I see -- Kaparot Ceremony
- Bagels. Wonderful fluffy things for 4 shekalim each (about $1).
- Sharp cheddar can be found...at a price.
- We found a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm that delivers and our first shipment of clean veggies is coming next Wednesday. Let's hope its worth it!
- I can eat hummus again without gaging.
I hope to continue to add to the "like" list. And maybe some non-food items...
Sunday, November 1, 2009
RSS?
Have you heard the term "RSS" but you haven't been given instructions on how to start? Would you like to subscribe to my blog (or others) but you don't know how to do it?
I think a good place to start is this article by a blogger I follow:
How to Subscribe by RSS
Let me know what you think. You can also subscribe to particular web searches you use often.
I think a good place to start is this article by a blogger I follow:
How to Subscribe by RSS
Let me know what you think. You can also subscribe to particular web searches you use often.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
October 2009
School Break (for Sukkot) October 1-15th
Ok, so last July we booked cheap plane tickets for a Europe trip. We planned to see friends we'd made in the first Ulpan and make it a budget vacation. It would be great. Shawn could finally see the Continent! Well, I can tell you it was incredible to see the places we did and eat the food, we enjoyed seeing some friends, but we failed on the budget part. We certainly tried, as some pictures will testify, but I blame the dollar.
Too many pictures to post, but you may see them on Picasa:
Layover in Budapest
Germany
Rome
Baby Update
Whatever you do, don't go picking out gender specific clothes yet! We had an ultrasound last Friday and the little person was busy moving around and being modest. The doctor couldn't get a good look but he (and myself) suspect a girl. We did get to see an intricate spine and good heartbeat.
Ok, so last July we booked cheap plane tickets for a Europe trip. We planned to see friends we'd made in the first Ulpan and make it a budget vacation. It would be great. Shawn could finally see the Continent! Well, I can tell you it was incredible to see the places we did and eat the food, we enjoyed seeing some friends, but we failed on the budget part. We certainly tried, as some pictures will testify, but I blame the dollar.
Too many pictures to post, but you may see them on Picasa:
Layover in Budapest
Germany
Rome
Baby Update
Whatever you do, don't go picking out gender specific clothes yet! We had an ultrasound last Friday and the little person was busy moving around and being modest. The doctor couldn't get a good look but he (and myself) suspect a girl. We did get to see an intricate spine and good heartbeat.
Monday, September 21, 2009
What keeps Beth up at night and sleeping during the day
We hope to call Shawn "Abba" around the time of his birthday next April (13th).
Beth: Ima (eema)
Grandmother: Savta
Grandfather: Sabba
Uncle: Dod (rhymes with "code")
Aunt: Dodah (dode-dah)
Cousins: Ben/Bar Dodah (son of aunt), Bat Dodah (daughter of aunt)
Beth: Ima (eema)
Grandmother: Savta
Grandfather: Sabba
Uncle: Dod (rhymes with "code")
Aunt: Dodah (dode-dah)
Cousins: Ben/Bar Dodah (son of aunt), Bat Dodah (daughter of aunt)
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Ulpan post
I just have to link you to our friend's blog, Unending Mercies. Austin and Heather are here in Israel for basically the same reasons we are here. Austin just posted a good description of what his and Shawn's Ulpan has been like so far.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Tidbits
We've had a busy August and September (at least Shawn has) with Hebrew class. He has had a lot of homework and new vocab to work on memorizing. A few things we've done besides Hebrew:
This our friend David from California. Chances are he'll be here as long as we are here. The past couple of weeks we've been going to the same church service on Friday nights.
Shawn went with his class this last week, but I went these guys (plus their baby brother George and Mom Winona):
Samuel and Elly
Samuel learning to roll down hill.
These people have recently been made cheerful.
What's next? Shawn starts his fall classes on Oct. 18th and he'll have a good sized load including Akkadian, Literary Arabic, Biblical Hebrew, and continuing Modern Hebrew among others I can't remember at the moment. I'll start my intensive Modern Hebrew class on Oct. 19th and continue babysitting a few times a month.
- Visited with new friends
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| From Sept |
This our friend David from California. Chances are he'll be here as long as we are here. The past couple of weeks we've been going to the same church service on Friday nights.
- Went to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (the Gan Chiot)
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| From Zoo |
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Shawn went with his class this last week, but I went these guys (plus their baby brother George and Mom Winona):
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| From Zoo |
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| From Zoo |
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| From Zoo |
Samuel and Elly
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| From Zoo |
- Read signs in two languages, but here are some English ones
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| From Sept |
What's next? Shawn starts his fall classes on Oct. 18th and he'll have a good sized load including Akkadian, Literary Arabic, Biblical Hebrew, and continuing Modern Hebrew among others I can't remember at the moment. I'll start my intensive Modern Hebrew class on Oct. 19th and continue babysitting a few times a month.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Two Ein Gedi/Dead Sea trips
So now we are going to show you Ein Gedi pictures to entice you to come visit us here. Ein Gedi is maintained as an Israeli National Park and its a busy one. A cool spring on a hot desert day. Beth doesn't know of anything better. Apparently it was a popular place in biblical times as well. Song of Songs (Songs 1:14) mentions this place and its vineyards, and it was where David hid from Saul (see 1 Sam. 24).
It takes us a little over an hour to drive to Ein Gedi. We go straight east from the University and then after dropping around 3,000 feet from Jerusalem (2500 feet above sea level) we turn at the top of the Dead Sea (1385 below sea level) and head south along the Sea. There are many date trees and Ahava signs.
Dust swirling in the direction of Jericho (just north of the northern tip of the Dead Sea).
We paid our entrance fee to the park and we headed up to the trail to the springs. This first trip we were with a large group from the University.
We could see a few caves along the way. One of them Saul hid in to "cover his feet."
The first water fall on the trail.
Lots of people in the park that day.
Ibexes came down to the water as the day started to cool off. We think the park closes early in the evening for this very reason. Let the little guys have their springs in peace.
The second water fall is Beth's favorite.
More of the wildlife.
Check out the eyes!
After we left Ein Gedi, we went to the Dead Sea. This picture is us leaving the Ein Gedi park.
This is the beach closest to Ein Gedi. We think its cheaper than all the other beaches, but you do have to pay two sheklim to use the bathroom ($.50).
Jordan's hills on the other side of the Sea.
Wonderful salty stuff and bright sun. The Sea is receding a meter per year so the beaches change all the time and the Sea just gets saltier.
Can you see Beth with mud on her arms? Slimy.
Time to go back to the bus. Early sunset at the Dead Sea.
Looking east again.
Mediocre photos of the dates growing.
Our second time to Ein Gedi was on a Friday. The Israeli weekend is Friday/Saturday, so it was a hoping place to be. These are Eva's pictures because our batteries died.
From the top of the second water fall.
Our friends Andrew and Eva. Eva's back home now!
Taking the trail to the third water fall, David's Fall.
We split up after the David spring. The three boys took the trail up to the ruins of a temple while the three girls went back to the second spring to wait and enjoy the water.
This is looking toward Jordan from the plateau above Ein Gedi.
Ein Gedi way below....
The trail wasn't the widest Shawn had seen.
After climbing way up in the middle of the day, the boys jumped in the first pool they found. This one was like a perfect bathtub. It was a little slick, and a little hard to climb out of it.
Here is Andrew in the Dodim's Cave directly on top of David's Fall. Shawn looked hard for some three thousand year old poop, but he didn't find any.
Here is the ladder for climbing out of Dodim's Cave.
Temple from the Chalcolithic period (4th millennium BC). Someday Shawn is going to write a Wikipaedia article about this temple. He kept telling everybody what a great picture it was of ancient Near Eastern temple ideology because it was built on top of two different springs. Water was connected to the sustaining of life, and temples were an important part in making sure that the water never ran dry. This is the image Ezekiel is drawing on when he talks about the temple in his prophesy (Ezek 47)
Ein Gedi Kibbutz down below.
The best swimming hole Beth has ever been in.
So when are you going to schedule that flight?
It takes us a little over an hour to drive to Ein Gedi. We go straight east from the University and then after dropping around 3,000 feet from Jerusalem (2500 feet above sea level) we turn at the top of the Dead Sea (1385 below sea level) and head south along the Sea. There are many date trees and Ahava signs.
Dust swirling in the direction of Jericho (just north of the northern tip of the Dead Sea).
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
We paid our entrance fee to the park and we headed up to the trail to the springs. This first trip we were with a large group from the University.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
We could see a few caves along the way. One of them Saul hid in to "cover his feet."
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
The first water fall on the trail.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Lots of people in the park that day.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Ibexes came down to the water as the day started to cool off. We think the park closes early in the evening for this very reason. Let the little guys have their springs in peace.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
The second water fall is Beth's favorite.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
More of the wildlife.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Check out the eyes!
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
After we left Ein Gedi, we went to the Dead Sea. This picture is us leaving the Ein Gedi park.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
This is the beach closest to Ein Gedi. We think its cheaper than all the other beaches, but you do have to pay two sheklim to use the bathroom ($.50).
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Jordan's hills on the other side of the Sea.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Wonderful salty stuff and bright sun. The Sea is receding a meter per year so the beaches change all the time and the Sea just gets saltier.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Can you see Beth with mud on her arms? Slimy.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Time to go back to the bus. Early sunset at the Dead Sea.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Looking east again.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Mediocre photos of the dates growing.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Our second time to Ein Gedi was on a Friday. The Israeli weekend is Friday/Saturday, so it was a hoping place to be. These are Eva's pictures because our batteries died.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
From the top of the second water fall.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Our friends Andrew and Eva. Eva's back home now!
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Taking the trail to the third water fall, David's Fall.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
We split up after the David spring. The three boys took the trail up to the ruins of a temple while the three girls went back to the second spring to wait and enjoy the water.
This is looking toward Jordan from the plateau above Ein Gedi.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Ein Gedi way below....
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
The trail wasn't the widest Shawn had seen.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
After climbing way up in the middle of the day, the boys jumped in the first pool they found. This one was like a perfect bathtub. It was a little slick, and a little hard to climb out of it.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Here is Andrew in the Dodim's Cave directly on top of David's Fall. Shawn looked hard for some three thousand year old poop, but he didn't find any.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Here is the ladder for climbing out of Dodim's Cave.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Temple from the Chalcolithic period (4th millennium BC). Someday Shawn is going to write a Wikipaedia article about this temple. He kept telling everybody what a great picture it was of ancient Near Eastern temple ideology because it was built on top of two different springs. Water was connected to the sustaining of life, and temples were an important part in making sure that the water never ran dry. This is the image Ezekiel is drawing on when he talks about the temple in his prophesy (Ezek 47)
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
Ein Gedi Kibbutz down below.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
The best swimming hole Beth has ever been in.
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| From 09.07 Ein Gedi veYam HaMelech |
So when are you going to schedule that flight?
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