Aliyah – Page 4 – A Bit of This A Bit of That

December 16, 2015

#OperationIsrael – 1 year on

A year!

Last year this time, we were standing in the aliyah office at the airport officially becoming Israeli citizens. We had been on a plane for 9 hours. The kids had only slept for a bit. I had a hole in my eardrum and hadn’t slept at all. Paul had been an absolute champion with organising all of us on very little sleep himself.

A little while later, after collecting 8 of our 9 bags (one was delayed in Johannesburg and would only arrive a week or so later), we made our way outside to find a taxi to take us to our new apartment.

Arriving outside our apartment we were greeted by my sister from another mister, Roro, with a HUGE hug and the keys. Once we got all our bags inside we walked down the road to buy some really important stuff from the local store. A kettle and coffee! Okay, and a few other staples.

My brother arrived after work a bit later that afternoon to help Paul assemble our IKEA beds and we had pizza delivered for dinner, which we ate on the floor. Then our landlord came over to welcome us with a plate of homemade sufganyot (donuts) since it was the first night of chanukah.

That first day seems so long ago and yet it feels like yesterday too.

We’ve had difficult days and bad days between then and now but the majority of our days have been great days.

We have good jobs, a great apartment with a wonderful landlord and fantastic friends, our kids are happy and settled in school, they have awesome friends and speak fluent Hebrew. I’ve learned to navigate public transport and can speak just enough Hebrew to order things at the butcher. I start proper ulpan (Hebrew) classes in February and hopefully my Hebrew will improve enough for me to speak to the kids teachers and friends when we have play dates. In the mean time, Paul’s Hebrew is coming along in leaps and bounds and he can converse with taxi drivers, teachers and random strangers. We get to be close to my brother and his family and even though we don’t see each other nearly enough its great to finally be living in the same country again after over 10 years apart.

This last year has been amazing. I’ve learned so many new things. In particular how strong our family is. Moving to a new country is stressful and our family could have been torn apart but we have only become stronger and closer.

Mostly I am just happy to be home! Here’s to many many more happy years!

December 13, 2015

Neighbourly Neighbours

On Thursday afternoon, while on the way to a work fun evening, I received a message from our babysitter that she was ill and wouldn’t be able to fetch the kids. The problem was that, because it is Chanukah holidays, the kids finished their after school program earlier than usual and there was no way Paul or I could get to fetch them on time.

We panicked. Paul called a variety of our friends who have kids at school with ours but they were all unavailable. Aunty Roro (who has been my saving grace before in an emergency) was not at home either. In the mean time, I had hopped on a bus to get back to my office so I could catch my regular bus home and Paul was at the train station waiting for the next train.

The after care teacher had called me to see where we were as she needed to leave and a mom who was at the school waiting for her kid to finish an extramural said she could wait another 15 minutes with my kids. At this point I was at least 1 hour and 15 minutes away and Paul was an hour away.

That’s when Paul had a genius idea. He contacted our neighbour who has 3 children, 2 older boys and a girl Faith’s age. As it turns out, the oldest boy was able to run up the road and pick up Aaron and Faith and take them to their apartment.

When Paul got there about 45 minutes later they were all happy and playing and pretty much unaware of the crisis.

I’m not sure what we would have done without our amazing neighbours. We took them some yummy donuts as a thank you and from now on, Aaron will have a key to our apartment just in case they need to walk home from school. I’ve said before how hard it is not having immediate family close by but I can say that our neighbours and friends are a huge part of a village that is raising our children.

December 9, 2015

Traditional

After an awesome day spent with my husband for his #Big40, and eating almost non stop, Paul picked up a pack of chicken schnitzel for supper last night. Which fits in perfectly with the ‘Fry All The Things’ chanukah meal plan.

I love a fresh, home made, schnitzel and its one of the things I never would have made myself before coming to Israel, here it is pretty much one of the most traditional things you can eat. My kids love it too and its one of our favourite meals, even if it takes a bit of time to prepare.

Chicken Schnitzel

2015-12-09 06:13:01

Crispy, golden, crumbed chicken breasts

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

Ingredients

4 double chicken schnitzel breasts (you can get them ready prepared from the butcher or buy chicken breasts and flatten them into schnitzel yourself)
Flour
2 eggs, beaten
Bread crumbs (or matza meal)
Seasoning to taste
Oil for frying

Set up a work station on your counter near your stove with the following

One plate with half a cup of flour (this plate should be furthest from our stove).
A flat dish/bowl with the beaten egg.
Another plate with bread crumbs, seasoned to taste (this plate should be closest to your stove).

Heat the oil in a large pan.
Coat a chicken piece in flour on both sides.
Dip the chicken in the beaten egg, making sure all the flour is covered by egg on both sides.
Now coat the egg covered chicken on both sides in the bread crumbs.
Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil and fry for about 5-7 minutes (the thinner the schnitzel the shorter the frying time).
Turn the chicken over and fry the other side until golden.
Place fried chicken on paper towel to absorb excess oil and then keep warm in the oven.
Repeat the process with the remaining chicken, topping up your flour/eggs/bread crumbs as needed.

Notes

Serve with salad or rice.

By Gina

A Bit of This A Bit of That https://gnatj.com/

December 3, 2015

Sick kids

Back in South Africa, when our kids were sick they either stayed home with our nanny, Aletta or if they were ok to go to school and then didn’t feel well, Nana or Bobba could fetch them and take them to their house or back to our house to be with Aletta.

If If they needed to go to the doctor, both Paul and I worked close enough to home to be able to pop out and fetch them and then drop them back home and go back to work.

Having sick kids in Israel has been one of the steepest learning curves we have faced.

No Aletta.

No Nana or Bobba.

We each work at least an hours bus and/or train ride away from home.

If the kids are so sick they cant go to school, one of us has to take a day off work to stay with them.

Luckily Paul can work from home if he has to and my boss and manager are very understanding about needing to take time off for sick kids.

22715739403_8e5d10df0b_k — Photo by Paul

Faith has been sick the last few days. Not enough to stay home (except for the first day) but sick enough that this is the third day the school has called us to fetch her just after lunch time because she is coughing (sometimes so much she vomits) and is just generally feeling yuck.

That means that I left work early the last two days and Paul left early today to fetch her.

Its hard without that immediate support system that we had before. But living in a country where a lot of people are in the same position we are in makes it easier. We also get to spend time with the kids when they are extra cuddly and clingy and just want mom or dad to be with them, which besides the sick part, is awesome.

Now for the little sicky to start getting better!

November 24, 2015

Hello*

*Not a post about Adele

Every morning I walk 10 minutes to the bus stop. On my walk I come across the same people nearly every day.

The security guard from the local supermarket on his way to work.

The two grumpy old Russian men waiting for their bus at another stop.

The various people from our neighborhood walking their dogs.

The street cleaner sweeping up all the autumn leaves on the sidewalk.

And every morning I say hello. To all of them.

Across the street from my house - Image by Paul — Across the street from my house – Image by Paul

Sometimes its just a smile across the road. Sometimes its a hello and a head nod. Sometimes its a hello and a 2 minute chat. And sometimes its a hello that gets totally ignored.

The security guard asks how I am and always makes a joke, he loves speaking English and gets annoyed when I try speak Hebrew with him.

The grumpy old men never answer, just look at me like I’m crazy. I still greet them every single day. One day I will get a smile or even a hello back.

The dog walkers sometimes stop, say hello and let me get some doggy kisses and cuddles.

The street cleaner, without fail, greets me back and wishes me a good day.

I love my morning ritual.

November 18, 2015

It’s no rhapsody.

Winter in Israel is rainy. And windy. And wet. And cold. And rainy.

We arrived in Israel in the middle of winter. A few weeks after the kids started school, the babysitter was fetching them and it was a really, really windy, stormy day. So windy that poor little Faith almost got blown away. Since then she has been scared of even the smallest gust of wind.

She is also terrified of storms, especially thunder. So winter is a problem.

We have explained to her that the rain, wind, thunder and lightning are outside and cant come in the house. We have explained that her bedroom is the safest room in the house since it is the shelter.

She still screams like she is being chased by an ax wielding maniac. She stands there, literally paralysed and shaking in fear. She has landed up in our bed a few times.

How do you get a child over this very real fear? Any ideas are welcome.

October 26, 2015

Join, switch or cancel…

I’m talking medical aids.

Along with a few others, I wrote a bit about my experience in cancelling our South African medical aid before we left for Israel. You can read about it over here on the Hippo blog.

October 19, 2015

Seasons and 10 months along.

A few days ago I realised we had been in Israel for 10 months. Let that sink in a moment. We have been here for almost a year. Its gone by in the blink of an eye. I cant even say that sometimes it felt like its been dragging because it hasn’t. Its been like a runaway train.

When we arrived in Israel, winter was in full swing. Freezing cold, windy, rainy. It was over pretty quickly and in the blink of an eye we were in summer. A particularly hot, dusty summer for Israel.

The last few weeks the seasons have been changing. The days getting shorter, the mornings and evenings a bit cooler. Yesterday I left work at 17:25. I stood at the bus stop and realised, while I wasn’t freezing, I was cold. Cold enough to have goosebumps and to bemoan the fact I didn’t have a jersey or a zip up hoodie to throw on over my sleeveless shirt.

Pretty soon I will have to put away my Havaianas (the national summer footwear of every Israeli) and start wearing my boots. I will have to start carrying my coat and my umbrella with me.

While I am enjoying the cooler weather for now, I really am a summer baby. I much prefer the heat to the cold. So I warn you in advance, I will moan and cry and throw many a winter tantrum in the next few months. But winter in Israel is short lived so I’m grateful for that.

In the mean time I’m getting ready to take out our down duvet and preparing to cuddle away the dark mornings in bed.

October 17, 2015

Living abroad.

We all know that moving countries and living somewhere new is hard. Webjet SA asked me to give some of my thoughts on the tax and financial aspects of living in Israel.

Pop on over to their blog to read all about it here.

October 12, 2015

Shades of green

They say the grass is greener on the other side. They also say that’s because there is more bullshit. They also say the grass is greener where you water it.

I say there are shades of green.

One of the many* reasons we left South Africa was for a better life for our children. Better, in that they can walk to school and their friends on their own without me having to worry too much. Better in that there is a park on every corner and they have the freedom to play in those parks until the sun goes down and beyond. We don’t have to worry about being broken into and being held at gun point (something I have experienced myself). We can drive with our windows down and our doors unlocked (when we eventually get a car). All in all, on a daily basis our lives are much safer here.

That being said, Israel is subject to bouts of extreme violence and terror. Stabbings, rock throwing, run-over attacks, bus bombs, suicide bombers and the ever present rocket attacks.

The thing is, no where is perfect, no where is 100% safe. Yes, its terrifying, watching the news and seeing innocent civilians being attacked, parents dying and children being left orphaned. Its heartbreaking.

But… Its amazing to see the people of this country pull together. Young students with ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ (Israel Lives) signs dancing and singing at the entrance to my city. Old and young talking to each other and hugging at bus stops. People collecting snack, sweets and food for our soldiers who are stationed away from their families and cant be with them on the weekends.

Basically, shades of green.

Life, no matter where you are, is what you make of it. I choose to be in the moment and to make the best of each moment as they come. I choose to love myself, my family and my country.

Category: Aliyah