Passover break

A few updates. We just finished passover break yesterday. Shawn had over two weeks off! A lot happened   though: broken laptop, rented car, bought new laptop, traveled with car to Capernaum, Hazor, Megiddo, Akko, Mt. Gerizim for the Samaritan passover sacrifice, and Tel Arad to see another Israelite temple. Then after we took the car back, there was Easter, Si's birthday, and a trip to Bethlehem.

Shawn is gearing up for some presentations, papers and finals. I believe he has about 5 weeks left in this semester. Shawn will be taking the first summer session of Hebrew again this year so that has us leaving Jerusalem the last week of July. Coming soon! I'm starting to get rid of some things now because we will be housesitting our last few weeks here.

Please pray for us! Shawn has an extra long to do list (he has all year!) and we all have a lot of transition coming this summer. Also, we keep talking about where we are going to live this fall and we haven't made many plans. Applying for jobs, etc, but no good leads yet. For a while we were thinking seriously about moving to CA (and start to take classes and then apply at UCLA) but right now that doesn't look like the best option.

More photos to follow...at some point. :)

Good news and bad (sad) news

The good news is that Shawn passed the Hebrew exam he took last Friday! This was for the third level of Modern Hebrew. He is now taking the forth level.

The bad news is that the wonderful lady who is lending me many baby things (I babysat for her last summer) had to request to have her stroller back. The one they were using was working great for them and they had a second one, which I was using a little bit. However, a few days ago her two year old son fell at the daycare and broke his FEMUR! Poor boy and mom were at the hospital well into the night and the next day she realized that here they were - stuck at home with large cast for next few weeks - and he didn't fit in the stroller they were using! So, anyway, I gave their spare back to them and it works with his cast. What this made me realize though, is that I really needed to buy one of my own. The other night I did just that.

I told Shawn congrats on the test and out I went, fully confident he could manage anything that came his way for the evening. I went to three stores before deciding I liked this one, and I bought it on the spot. Four hundred sheks and a one year warranty, what more could I want? I did also buy some pjs and pants for the Babe (thanks to Lynn and the gang for the "gift card") and an extra bottle.

I made it home and everyone seemed happy and fed, but I soon found out it was a very hard night for them. Oh sadness. However, I am confident he met all obvious needs for her and sure they bonded some because of it. Plus, Shawn needed the practice. :)

Summer 2010

(ignore the bedhead)

 We're missing a picture of Shawn and Si on his first Father's day! Bummer.


This week marks Si's eight week birthday and the one year (actually 51 weeks) anniversary of our move to Jerusalem. That means that the one month "Jerusalem" Ulpan starts at the university today. Shawn is taking both the Jerusalem ulpan and the regular summer ulpan (the one that starts in August).

  Obviously, Shawn has a busy summer ahead of him! The Jerusalem ulpan schedule is Sun-Thurs from 0830 to 1330 (except for Sun starts at 0930). There is a Biblical Hebrew exam on Thursday and he also has a few papers to write. Here in Israel, class papers are actually due after the semester ends. Strange, and some professors are more relaxed about the deadline than others. Is it any wonder that there are folks with their papers unwritten...years later? Degrees. Who needs them. Well, Shawn does. 

To celebrate the *almost* end of semester for Shawn, we are going to shop at the Book Gallery for yet another Hebrew dictionary and eat Ethiopian tonight. Our friend Adam showed us this restaurant a couple of weeks ago. Its fairly cheap, tasty as all get out, and friendly!  The dishes come with a small bowl of whatever dish you ordered (a beef, chicken, or veggie choice) and served with a flat bread, that to me, looked gray. Adam explained that the bread "expands in your stomach" and he was right. You don't need that much to be full. This was my first experience with Ethiopian food. Is this pretty usual? Grace, what do you think? Gray sponge-y bread? 

We are also upon the dreaded Jerusalem summer. Today is a little unusual with the intensity of the heat, but we will be in the mid-90s and as high as 98. Its also really windy. I am not venturing out until at least 1700. By the way, did I ever tell you about how we talk about the time here? From what I understand, Europe and Israel write 0800, 1300, 1400, etc, but say eight in the morning, one in the afternoon, 2 in the afternoon. Correct me if I am wrong. 


Anyway! Time for another feeding!

eight weeks

Update: Way too windy for us girls to go out today. Shawn may enjoy his bookstore though!

Spring Semester

Shawn is already in the fourth week of his spring semester. While he is no longer taking Arabic due to a time conflict with a Hebrew class, his class load happens to be just as full (if not more) as last semester. Shawn's classes that continue from last semester:

Modern Hebrew
Second year Akkadian
Third year Biblical Hebrew
Jews and Late Babylonian Civilization

New this semester:

Cuneiform in Canaan
Humor in the Bible

Also, he's auditing an Iconography class as well as interning at the Bible Lands Museum library twice a week.  He's doing well so far! Though the university's library hours and holdings continue to disappoint, the professors and lectures do not.

In just two weeks we get a Passover (or Pesach as they say here) break - two weeks long! One of the nice things about this break is the timing. I reach the 37th week of pregnancy (considered full term at that point) just a few days before the break starts. But even if she doesn't come during the break, it will be a nice slow time for the both of us before she makes her appearance. Looking forward to it!

Old Favorites with a Twist

One of the things Beth and I have initially enjoyed, but ended up slightly disappointed is in some of our old favorites, with slightly new twists. For example, McDonalds is all over the world. But it is really hard not be able to order a bacon cheeseburger or a quarter-pounder with cheese. And they don't even have a Big Mac. However, there has been many a time when the desperately homesick need a quiet respite into the comforts of familiarity, or the almost familiar. One of those disappointments for us is that mickey-Dees isn't the ultra-cheap dollar menu Friday night date that it used to be for us. A basic combo meal is about twice the cost here. Truth be told, we didn't even go to McDonalds that often, we preferred Taco Bell, unfortunately the rest of the world hasn't yet discovered the joys of tortillas and refried beans. But if you look at this wonderful picture to the left you can see the first word I ever learned how to spell. When my oldest sister came back from school one day, she was showing my parents all the words she could write. And my parents were dutifully impressed as all good parents are. My other sister didn't want to be left out so she showed them the couple words that she knew. I on the other hand, being a wee lad of 3 or so, had to best them all, and proudly declared that I could write too. My parents were a little befuddled that I could write, but they said okay and passed the paper. I grabbed my yellow crayon, and drew two arches, and said "McDonalds". Yep. Me and the golden arches go way back.

Perhaps the biggest disappointments is corn tortilla chips. You may recognize this label:
If you can't read the Hebrew Alphabet (or for that matter don't have enough exposure to the modern script!) the label says "Doritos". But don't get your hopes up. This colored label is the only one that it is half way edible. The last word on this picture is טבעי and that means "natural" and these are only about a third natural. And there ain't nothin' natural about the other flavors! No cool ranch, no extra cheese, no spicy ranch... There is however one that is vaguely reminiscent of stale dollar store barbaque sauce, but only vaguely reminiscent.

The one stand by that you can go to everywhere is in a big red can. I read somewhere that it is the worlds most recognizable label:

And we often see it in this script too:



But why pass for any of these when you can get one of the local favorites:


And to read all about how wonderful Ugarit is, you should look at the Wikipaedia article, until I have time to write my own post. Here is the link.

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.

Ani Ohev Chocolat (I Love Chocolate)

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.

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.

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)

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.

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:

• Visited with new friends

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)

From Zoo

From Zoo

From Zoo

From Zoo

From Zoo

From Zoo

From Zoo

Shawn went with his class this last week, but I went these guys (plus their baby brother George and Mom Winona):

From Zoo

From Zoo

From Zoo

Samuel and Elly

From Zoo

Samuel learning to roll down hill.

• Read signs in two languages, but here are some English ones
  

From Sept

From Sept

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.

Distracted by Food and Markets

So I said that the Mount of Olives would be next, but I lied. I've decided to talk about food a little bit and share a couple of pictures from the market.

Zatar pyramid.


Nice toys. This shop was in the old city. Shawn learned a Hebrew saying the other day that was something like "eat more", "eat all that's on your plate...so you'll grow big for the Army."

And eat we have. We bought overripe figs this week. I didn't know what they were but the salesman opened one and gave it to us. It was amazingly wonderful. I was really surprised.

You eat the whole thing!

I have done a little cooking. Last night I made no bake cookies. This is the recipe that I have memorized because it has been such a regular treat in the last ten to fifteen years. I have to say though, I had never before tasted no bake cookies like the ones I made last night.

Dark and gooey!

The items that may have made the difference were the butter, cocoa, and vanilla. The package on the butter said it was dutch. The cocoa package I haven't read with a dictionary yet, but it smelled delicious.
Good vanilla. The vanilla was actually given to us by a very nice student was leaving after completing the same degree Shawn is going to be in. This gentleman and his roommate left us several dishes and pots and pans. We are very grateful and wish them the best as they BOTH start PhDs at Harvard this fall.

Shawn has a level test this Sunday. It will be a really tough one but its important that he pass because if he doesn't, he'll start from the beginning of the first level in the next Ulpan class that starts in August. Please keep him in your prayers!


Shawn, diligently memorizing vocab on the iPod Touch.