Only in Israel - Winter 2011-2012

This Winter I found some very uniquely Israeli things to photograph. Here they are, for your enjoyment.

Giant Soufganiot (Doughnut) Banners



Heaters with Nearly Bare Coils Advertized by Nearly Naked Babies on the Telephone?

Genuine Lime. Not Fake. Not Imitation. The Real Deal.

Man Socks and Woman Socks.

Oh, and Some Kids Socks. 

Cereal with Halva (sweet sesame seed paste) Cream. 

Only in Israel. 

Easing Back Into Blogging

Here I am, trying to get back into the swing of blogging.

A quick update:

School: I have one more exam and one more paper to finish. Then I will be finished!

Work: I am nearly finished with TAing the Israeli Politics course. Only two more exams to grade and hand in. Then I need to write the Moed Bet (retake) exam and be present when the students are taking it. Then grading. I have found grading to be very difficult because I get frustrated and bored.

Next semester I will TA two course for one of my very favorite professors. He even asked me if I would like to present a case study of social movements in the suffragette movement. Very exciting.

I have been doing research for the same professor to help him with his next big project.

I have been doing some editing work for some students at school. I find it rewarding and challenging work. It is something that I think I could enjoy as a full-time job, actually!

And soon I will need to find a full-time job like a grown-up.

Apartment: I found a new roommate to take E's room. We will call her E2. She is very lovely. She cooks and bakes and listens to fun music. Her fiance came to visit in December and he was also delightful! She and I have been going a little Pinterest crazy in sharing ideas for her forthcoming wedding.

Friends: Many of my friends moved back to their home countries after school finished in September. E, D, Sweet J and the International Man were among them. Some lovely friends remain, though Canadian A is moving back to her hometown soon. I have been making an effort to spend time with new friends, especially those that intend on staying in Israel.

The Boy: He and I are still together. Liking each other lots and trying to figure out the logistics of relationships. There are some challenges including my uncertainty about finding a job here that will support me adequately. I met his parents several months ago and they have been sweet to me. His father likes to share new wines with me and his mother likes to feed me.

Hobbies: I have taken to following fashion and style blogs more than before. I have a fairly limited wardrobe here, but I like to experiment a little. I really like home decor blogs as well, and have all sorts of grand plans that don't seem to come to much. In the spirit of blog-following here is a new video from Garance Dore - stylish, beautiful Frenchwoman.

More to come!

Wow! Inadvertent Blogging Break

I really didn't intend to break from the blog for that long. I just couldn't motivate myself to write. I have been a little down and listless and behind on lots of school and life tasks.

So, here is a whirl-wind update:

I am still in Israel, in the same apartment, in the same MA program.

I decided to take a fourth semester (why my program insists on calling our terms semesters when there are three of them, I have no idea) to finish my degree. I will be taking a couple of classes and TAing a BA level course about Israeli Politics. I am looking for another roommate because beloved E. has returned to America.

I have a boyfriend.


He is nice and likes me lots. We occasionally have disagreements, but we're trying just enjoy being with each other. It is truly an adventure.

I went to the UK with my parents, then they came to Israel for three weeks. 

A full account of the English family wedding and adventures will follow.

I have no idea what I am doing with my life. I just want to have fun.

My apologies.

I am sorry, dear readers that I have been neglecting this blog. Sometimes it is hard for me to pull myself out of my  stress and procrastination to post.

I have been working on school projects and been setting up meetings with professors. At this point, I need to be dialing up the networking to try to get jobs. I've made some decisions about the future and though my goals are a moving target, I think I am getting closer to knowing what appeals to me in this field.

Israel is lots of fun, but I need to travel around it a little more. The city I live in is nice, but it gets boring. I want to  experience different parts of the country and meet lots of people. I want to improve my Hebrew as well. I might even learn some Arabic. One of our professors speaks stunningly beautiful Arabic and it has made me realize how useful it would be to be able to communicate independently.

Next week I hope to go to Jerusalem for Tisha B'Av, the day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples.

I find it so moving to hear the reading of the Book of Lamentations overlooking the walls of the Old City. I have some disagreements with the politicization of the day by the Israeli religious right wing, but I feel that personally it is useful to have a particular day devoted to mourning for the difficulties of our people. Last year in Seattle I attended an event with the Burundi refugee community on this day to talk about memories and exile. They were so struck by the Jewish propensity to formally remember these kinds of days and hold on the culture.

Also, it has been scorchingly hot, even at night. It is hard to sleep when it is so hot!

Hmm... That's a little morose. Let's see how I can cheer this up. I am happy. That's pretty cheerful!

The Cutest Thing of the Week

Say it with me:

AW!!

via Desire to Inspire's hilarious "Pets on Furniture" feature.

Call to Readers!

Hello all!

I was wondering if you have any requests for blog posts.

Do you want more Israel posts? Fewer?

Fewer gratuitous outfit posts? More?

Something different?

Please, please, please let me know!

-YGirl

On getting used to things

I find it difficult to adjust sometimes.

Many changes are easy, they just roll off my back. I think it is because a lot of the sacrifices are accompanied by huge benefits.

The pay off for losing Trader Joe's and Whole Foods as grocery stores is going to the Shuk HaCarmel and meeting the farmers and shopkeepers.

By losing my favorite clothing stores, I have learned to shop carefully, with an eye for detail. I have also started crafting more and remixing my existing clothes in new ways. My new rule is that a new item of clothing must be worth taking back to the States in a suitcase AND that it must have at least five potential outfit possibilities.

Now that I have long (for me) hair, I am frustrated by the weight and heat-retention while enjoying the new updos and not having to wash it before leaving the house.

And the trade off for giving up some independence and solitude is the lovely companionship that comes from being with people. The trouble comes when I have to go back to the way I was after having togetherness. It hurts and I don't see a pay off.

Hair Envy

In high school I was an artificial redhead. A ginger. Really.

I took the plunge after many years of playing around with home hair dye. I had my whole head highlighted every six months or so, and had touch ups very two months in between. It was horrifically expensive and I thank my mother for indulging me for as long as she did.

I went back to my natural brunette ways when I was 19, just in time for my sister's bat mitzvah.

But now, my old love has reared its gorgeous, lustrous,  flame-haired head.

De Lune

Christina Hendricks via Lucky

from Garance Dore via A Cup of Jo

Awesome Doctor Experiences

E. and I both have a fairly well documented adoration of our doctor: the friendly and efficient Dr. Brian.
He has helped both of us with various ailments and complaints over our eight months in Israel so far. He's wonderful!

Today however, he terrified me by insisting that I need to go on Accutane.

Uhh, no thanks, buddy. Especially because sun exposure is strictly forbidden and I am living in a country that will not see clouds for another five months. So, yeah, no.

I called the insurance for an appointment with a dermatologist. Our first interaction was on the phone and not very satisfactory. She is Russian and speaks Russian and heavily accented Hebrew. I speak English and very poor Hebrew. I was apprehensive, but I am very pleased by my experience.

In the US I went to an awful dermatologist who didn't actually look at my face and tried to undermine my decision making at every turn. He also decided that I should go on the pill even though I said that I didn't want to (last time I tried that I ended up suffering from depression, hot flashes, and simultaneous ravenous hunger and nausea, so thanks but no thanks).

Dr. Helena told me straight away that she won't put me on Accutane because it is a last resort. She also said that she doesn't like putting women on the pill for their skin until they try other medicine. Our conversation was stilted due to my lack of vocabulary (i.e. not knowing the word for the Pill: "It's this medicine that you take so there are no babies? How do you say that?"), but I have several prescriptions and the hope that they will work.

Bravo, sensible Doctors!

Overcast Beach Day!

With T. E. and B. in Herzliya. We picnicked on the beach and wandered around.

Cutest Horsies Ever!

AWWW!!!

Right?

From krisatomic

Quote of the Day

"Loneliness does not come from being alone, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important." 


Carl Jung

Chag Shel Patrick HaTzaddick!

We went to McLaren's for Saint Patrick's Day!

Yay! Green beer and regular-colored nachos!

Woo!

It was LEGEN-wait-for-it-DARY!

This is what a feminist looks like!

The Fashionable Academics had a lovely idea to have their readers send in photos of "What a feminist looks like."
I missed out on their deadline, but I am so inspired by their project as well as other feminist bloggers.

Recently, I have met several young women who claim not to be feminists. Feminism is seen as radical, extreme, man-hating, and out of date. Now, I can understand rejecting that image of feminism, but I don't understand rejecting the precepts of feminism entirely.

Some of these women stated that they are not equal to men.

Not as smart.
Not as strong.
Not as intelligent.
Not as capable.

"If I work really really hard, I can do as well as a man, but they are generally smarter than women."

These are educated women with bright futures in their chosen professions. Women that generally respect themselves and hold strong opinions. They argue with men, they discuss things with men, and somehow they have come to believe that they are, by their own nature, lesser.

It is times like this that bring to mind what my mother told me about feminism when I was an angsty, grumpy, self-righteous teenager with a blossoming interest in feminism and religious and social equality.

"I am not the same as a man. But I should get equal treatment."

At the time, I rejected femininity as part of my Feminism.
Religiously, I wanted the same as men. I rejected the aspects of my religion that treasure femininity and women's commandments. Why should I do this "lesser" commandments when there are all of these active, public male commandments. Now, I am always skeptical of my motivations in choosing to take part in a traditionally male-dominated religious observance because the intention is one of one up man-ship rather than religious devotion.

Socially, I strove to be tough as a boy. I saw liking loud, angry, "masculine" music as the feminist choice rather than the "girly" choice of melodic, emotional, introspective music. Now I listen to a little bit of everything and in accordance with my mood or my emotional need.
Essentially, I saw "traditionally female" characteristics as oppressive or undesirable and rejected them.

I strive for balance. I try to appreciate toughness and tenderness, public and private, sassy and sweet. I think that my Feminism is embracing and incorporating all that I am.

This is what a feminist looks like:

STARBUCKS?!?

My first visit to Starbucks after being in Israel.

The baristas helpfully informed me that if I feel a hankering for good ol' Starbuckian coffee while in Israel, I can just hop over to Amman. 

Jordan: Petra and Chai Lattes!

I try...

I work really hard to be proud of my friends instead of jealous and build them up rather than undermine them.

Girls have the ability to tear each other down, and I think it's really ugly.

You know, making someone else feel ugly doesn't make you feel prettier. 

I try to celebrate how beautiful my friends are even when I'm feeling shitty.

Hello from Seattle!

Hey! This is just a quick little musing that I want to capture. I will post the details of my journey to Seattle in a later post.

It's strange being back in Seattle. Part of me feels like I have even been in Israel. Everything seems pretty natural and normal. I had a Chai, eat Chinese and Indian food, saw some friends, drove a car (haven't done that in about five months!).

But when I talk with people it feels like I have to give them a whole back story. I have to explain my use of Hebrew, my little jokes with precious E. and my new fixation with all things CT. I don't know if I am boring people or just that people don't know how to respond to: "Listen, if I wanted to plan a terrorist attack in central Manhattan, I would put explosives on...." and "The TSA would be wise to require their personnel to be as cheerful as a Starbucks barista due to the higher rates of effectiveness and general trust- and morale-building...."

I also didn't realize how uncomfortable I am around some people and that now I have to consciously compensate for passive-aggressive criticism when I around them. With my friends in Israel I receive praise for the good that I do, or when I look good and polite corrections or disagreements when we have a difference of opinion.

I miss my friends in Israel now!

I'm having some self-esteem issues too, so some morale-boosting is in order!

Lesson of the Day

Do not go to the shuk (or Tel Aviv for that matter) on Fridays. There is a reason that school is on Friday. To stop YGirl from going to the shuk and shoving people out of her way in frustration.

Also:
Israelis don't have such a thing as "health code violations."

Shabbat Shalom, y'all!

Resolved!

I don't usually make resolutions for the new year, I feel it's a little artificial to chose to start doing something at the beginning of the year rather than another time. In the past I have used my birthday as a starting point for resolutions, but I feel like I need to write these down now.

I will accept compliments when I received them without qualifying them.

I will be open to constructive criticism and bear in mind that it doesn't reflect on me as a person.

I will try to bridge the gap between knowing something and feeling something.

I will remind myself that jealousy should be replaced with appreciation.

2011, here I am.

Quote of the Day

"If you've got a marriage face, you do what you can with it."

-Adi, giving me dating advice.