This was a text message I received from my friend Aaron Senser at 6:57 am. I was not even awake yet. Aaron is also on Year Course and is in section three. He is currently living in Arad and volunteering at the nature reserve in Ein Gedi.
As I was walking to the bus stop to get to the community center, I called Aaron. I told him I would be more than happy to have him stay and hang out. Thus was the start of an excellent weekend.
Day 1, Thusday
Volunteering went really well today. The kids have really become attached. There is a sandbox that they play in everyday. I was teaching a few of the kids how to use mold and buckets to make shapes. I would fill the mold with sand, count with the kids "Achad, Shtiym, Shalosh!" and flip over the mold. I then had the kids do it. The director of the gan was watching and said that she thinks working in the gan comes very naturally to me.
Following volunteering I headed home to hang out for a while. Aarons's bus wasn't going to get into the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station (CBS) until 10 or so.
I wanted to make sure I got there on time, so I caught the 90 bus write down the street from my house. It says it goes to the CBS. There are two CBSs, a new and an old. Well, I guess the driver of the bus decides which one he wants to go to. The one I got on likes the old one. I don't know why though! I got off at the station and thought I was in some bad movie. Everything was really run down and many buildings were stores that I won't describe. Realizing I had a lot of time to kill, and I was in the wrong bus station, I had to get out of that area. I walked about five blocks towards all of the large bank buildings. I was familiar with that area because a few clubs I have been to are there. From there I asked some policewomen where the new station is. They kindly gave me directions and I met up with Aaron and my friend Itamar who also staffed camp with us.
Walking out of CBS I spotted Hannahleah, I girl I had met on the plane to Israel, and her friend. They were walking and I yelled at them like five time and they still didn't hear me. Finally, just to be funny, I went up behind Hannahleah and put my hands firmly on her shoulders. In south Tel Aviv, anywhere really, when you don't know who is putting their hands on you, you freak out. That is just what Hannaleah did. She says she is going to get me back, I don't believe her. Hannahleah and Aaron both live in Arad, so it was funny that they were both in the same place at the same time.
From the CBS we took a bus to Allenby street. We meet up with Allon and hung out with him for a while. Itmar, Aaron, and I were beat so Allon drove us back to my apartment and the three of us crashed.
Day 2, Friday
Aaron and I slept in really late. Itamar left a cute note on the fridge for me because he left before I was up. "Danny, didn't want to wake you up! Thanks for having me over. See you soon!"
On the tenth Itamar and some friends from his army unit are having a party for finishing their service. He invited me and told me to bring a few friends. I look forward to it.
Aaron and I had to decied what to do with our day, after lazing around a bit more. At about 1 we decided to head to the shuk in Tel Aviv. We were going to go to Yafo, but because of shabbous the buses end early, that would limit our time in Yafo. The shuk was fun as always. I bought a kilo of figs that I now munch on all the time. Aaron and I both indulged in some baked goods. As we were walking around we ran into five or six different groups of people from Year Course. Including my friend Daniel, Maddie, and guess who? Hannahleah and her friend Sydney! It's like they were following us. Aaron and I barely caught the last bus back to Holon.
At what was supposed to be 6 and was actually 7, Allon picked us up. He brought us to he apartment in Yehud to have shabbat dinner with his family. Allon has a sister who was the adult staff member for the Tzofim Caravan two years ago. I had actually met her before I had worked with Allon this summer. Anyways, we gave Allon's parents a bottle of wine and a couple pomegranates as a gift for the upcoming holidays. They returned the gift in the form of a delicious meal. Its not that I don't eat in my apartment, but meat and copious amounts of food are rare. It was refreshing to be able to eat past the point of fullness.
We sat and digested for an hour or so. From there Allon dropped me and Aaron off at the beach in Tel Aviv, close to downtown. This was a very very good choice. That night there was another one of those YC parties. They happen like every weekend. Sure they were fun at first, but now its just the same thing over and over. You pay way too much to get into some over crowded, over priced club. Needless to say, Aaron and I wanted to do our own thing. Which we did very successfully.
Day 3, Saturday
Slept really late. It was Shabbous. Its mandatory.
I sleepily stumbled out of my room in my usual sleeping attire (underwear) to acquire sustenance. I open my eyes and see a stranger chilling at my kitchen table eating a bowl of cornflakes. OUR CORNFLAKES! I say "Hello, who are you?" At that moment my roommate Jordan came downstairs from his layer and told me the story. This guy, Ezra, is on YC in Section 1 (currently in Jerusalem) and needed a place to crash for the night. I had no problem with that, but I have a problem with a couple of other thing. First, Jordan didn't ask call us to ask if this guy could come. Second, HE WAS EATING OUR FOOD! It would have been different if we had known he was coming or if Jordan had known him before that night, but whatever its over now.
At around 2 or so, Aaron and I decieded that we were not going to wait for my friends to call us back and we were just going to go where we had planned to without them. My friends, Abby and Lisa, ended up sleeping until like five that night. Our plan was to hit up the coolest park in Holon. We got there, and I am pretty sure that it was the coolest park I have ever seen. Neither of us had a camera, so sorry no pictures. I know I will be back at some point with a camera. This park is crazy! I have never done any kind of drug, but I am pretty sure some of this stuff is straight out of an acid trip. Besides the three story slide (which of course I went down) there are five or six small parks that are all themed after a children's books. I don't even want do write it in detail because words will not do it justice.
We came back to my apartment and just hung out for a while. Abby met us at the bus station and we took Aaron to his bus.
It was great to spend a weekend with someone out side the section, particularly Aaron. Next time we hang out I will go to Arad and do some hiking.
Abby and I really didn't feel like wandering around Tel Aviv, so we got the next bus back to Holon. We went to the square and bought a large container of ice cream and went back to my apartment and split it. It was a sweet end to a great weekend.
Today, Sunday
Volunteering went well. We had a little Shana Tova party consisting of apples, honey, and cake. It was really fun and the kids loved it. The matnas gave me and Hannah gifts! It was very nice of them. It had a note on the inside and three small jars, one had honey in it, the other was pomegranate jam, and the last was an olive oil, honey, and lemon cooking sauce.
Straight from volunteering I head for a mandatory volunteer training program. It was not so bad. Good ideas were thrown around and experiences were shared.
I checked our online bank account for our apartment today. We ended up having $350 dollars left over! It ended up being 200 shekel a person between the 6 of us. That is really good considering the fact that a couple of the apartments of other YCers ran out of money almost two weeks ago.
Around 5 today I took Jared to the doctor. His tonsils are huge. I knew for sure he needed antibiotics, which is exactly what the doctor gave him. He should be getting better in a couple days. I feel bad for him having this over the holiday.
Tonight Aviel and I made a great dinner consisting of animal shaped shnizel (that's right it was on sale), some cucumber and tomato salad, sauteed zucchini, bread, and hummus. It was affordable and delicious. For dessert I thought we could mix it up a little bit. I have heard figs taste really good cook, and we still had a bunch in the fridge from when I bought them at the shuk.
This is how we prepared them:
1) Wash Figs, remove stems, and slice in half
2) In a non-stick frying pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium high heat
3) Place figs cut side down and allow to caramelize, about 2-4 minutes
4) EAT!
(Excuse the poor image quality. My camera is out of batteries and my webcam is not the greatest.)
Daniella came over after dinner and the three of us walked to the park that I went with Aaron on Shabbat. It was much different at night. Still really cool. When Daniella puts pictures up on facebook I will steal them and put them up.
Tomorrow
Heading to Kfar Saba to spend Rosh Hashana with the family!
1 comment:
Needless to say, Aaron and I wanted to do our own thing. Which we did very successfully.
That's all you have to say for that entire night? :P
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