Me, Myself & I – Page 6 – A Bit of This A Bit of That

February 29, 2016

Lost & Found

I’m on a bit of a roll.

Last week I lost my bus pass. I only realised that it was lost when I couldn’t find it on the way home. It’s a good thing I had some cash on me or I would have been stuck at work. I went the very next morning to the bus office in Modi’in to get a new one and transfer my balance and there it was sitting on the desk. The driver must have found it when he cleaned the bus and handed it in.

Then, yesterday was an ulpan day, which means I take 2 buses from work to Tel Aviv. I got off my first bus and reached into my pocket to get my phone so I could check the app to see when my next bus arrived and my phone wasn’t there.

Okay, let’s not panic. I checked my backpack thinking maybe I popped it in the bag when I put my charger away (I had been charging the phone on the bus). Nope, not there. Okay, now start to panic. One of two things could have happened, I left it on the bus or I was pick pocketed. I had my iPad in my bag but no connectivity until I reached ulpan, some 20 minutes away. The longest 20 minutes ever!

As soon as I got to class I messaged Paul who told me that he had spoken to the bus driver and he had my phone! Long story short, someone called Paul who then called the driver who confirmed he had my phone. After some back and forward it was established I work in Lod and that the driver would leave the phone at the bus office at the central bus stop in Lod. Which is where I went this morning on my way to work. #OnlyInIsrael

After some very stilted Hebrew on my side and some charades (thanks for the word Shani!) from both sides I received my phone back. The guy at the office thought I was hysterically funny and asked for a selfie with me. Who the hell knows where that picture is going to end up. Please let me know if you see it.

Both times I lost things I was on a Kavim bus line and I have to commend the drivers and staff in the offices for their honesty, friendliness and hard work.

So, 2 lost things, both returned. I’m hoping I don’t lose a 3rd thing!

Oh yes, not technically a Lost & Found thing but on the weekend I dropped my iPad and cracked the top of the screen. I taped it together with clear packing tape and it is still usable but it needs to be fixed soon. Maybe the iPad is the 3rd thing and my streak is over? One can hope!

February 21, 2016

#ZombiePrompts Week 8

Create a series of date night guides for your city.

Oooh boy. I hate to say this but we haven’t really been on any date nights since coming to live in Israel.

The main reason being we would have to get a babysitter for the kids and I’m not too sure if we or the kids or the babysitter are ready for that.

But, if I were to plan an ideal date night, it would definitely involve dinner and a movie followed by a night at a hotel with breakfast the next morning.

Honestly, one night, just the two of us, no matter what we did, would be amazing.

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016

Books I have not read…

…and don’t intend to read either!

A few of these lists were floating around the other day, lists of books people pretend they have read.

I found this one on Buzzfeed and thought it would be interesting to see if I have actually read any of them, and if not, would I pretend to have read them? (Spoiler: If I haven’t read it I’m not going to lie about it).

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens – Yes
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – No (I didn’t even watch the movie)
The Bible – Parts
Moby Dick by Herman Melville – Yes
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – No
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway – No
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov – No
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – No
1984 by George Orwell – Yes
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – No (Don’t look so aghast!)
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy – Definitely not
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson – No
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert – No
The Odyssey by Homer – Yes
Ulysses by James Joyce – No
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – Yes (One of my favourites)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – No
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck – No
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath – No
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger – No
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne – No
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky – No

So, I’ve read 4 out of 22 (not including the partial bits of the Bible).

Does the fact I have not ready these books make me uneducated? No. Does it make me less? No. Do I feel the need to lie about reading them? No.

Some of them I would rather stick needles in my eyes than read. Some of them I might possibly think of reading at some stage, maybe, probably, if I was really bored. None of them make me want to download them to my Kindle right now.

The fact is, I read a lot. It may not be intellectual classics but its reading. I read romance, fantasy, sci-fi, suspense, sagas. I read and that’s what counts.

Anyone want to chime in about the books on the list they have/haven’t/lied about reading?

February 3, 2016

The wheels on the bus…

A few people have asked me when or if we will be getting a car and if public transport is feasible in Israel.

We have been in Israel for just over a year now and other than two instances where we hired a car for a weekend, we have not driven at all. We would like to eventually buy a car, especially so we have transport for Saturdays/Shabbat when the public transport system is closed.

So far, relying on public transport has been pretty much okay. Having a well oiled (haha) public transport system is a huge help. Buses are plentiful and, mostly, run on time as do the trains. Its also quite a bit more cost effective than buying and maintaining a car. The downside of course is losing the convenience having a car gives you. Standing in rain that is coming in sideways while waiting for a bus is not fun. Taking children to friends and parties that are not within walking distance or on a bus route would also be a pleasure. But, I personally think at this point, not owning a car makes a lot more sense for us.

Recently, public transport was reformed to streamline costs of bulk (monthly) tickets and yesterday the pricing for public transport was dropped across the board by 17%. I now pay ₪299/month and this covers all my buses and trains between Modi’in and Tel Aviv. I worked out that on average I travel 1044km a month between home, work and ulpan. So if my calculations are correct (they very well might not be, I suck at math), then I am paying on average ₪0.28/km (R1.13/km).

According to Numbeo, the same distance traveled in a ‘Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)’ with an average cost of ₪6.38/l of petrol, would average ₪333 in gas or ₪0.32/km (R1.30/km). Already more expensive and that’s just petrol, never mind insurance, drivers licence, car license and general upkeep (and the cost of the actual car!).

So yup, for now I will continue to take public transport.

Gratuitous picture of my brothers dog when she was a puppy.

*For complete accuracy I would really have to take into account Paul’s transport costs too. He also travels by train and bus. But, we would only buy 1 car, so one of us would most probably still take public transport to and from work while the other would use the car. In which case I think my above calculations are reasonable.

February 1, 2016

#ZombiePrompts Week 5

What are your top 5 pieces of clothing?

My jeans! I wear my jeans nearly every day, winter, summer, rain or shine. I have 2 pairs of Levis Curves ID. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a pear, meaning I have a small waist and large butt/hips. Levis Curves are the answer to my prayers. I actually need to get a few new pairs, I need to figure out if they have them here in Israel or if I need to get someone to bring them back from SA for me.

Pick n Pay bandeau bras. They are so comfortable. Soft, stretchy, no under wire, no clasps, thin straps. I have a dozen of them in black, tan, regular straps and sports straps.

Boots/Havaianas. I usually wear the same pair of shoes until they literally fall apart. last summer I wore the same pair of beige Havaianas every day. So comfy and light. I will definitely need to buy a new pair this summer though. This winter I went to ToGo and got two pairs of boots from them (they had a buy 1 get 1 free offer). So far I have lived in the black pair although on occasion I have worn the brown pair. But ja, those are my go to shoes for winter or summer.

My pony tail holder elastic thingy. Yes, I know, not technically clothing but I cannot live without one. I like having my hair long. I hate having my hair in my face. I either put my hair in a pony, a messy bun or lately a plait. I keep a card with a dozen elastics on it in my handbag, just in case.

Only 4. I really cant think of a 5th item that I have to have or need or wear all the time. My main concern with clothing is if its comfortable.

January 26, 2016

#ZombiePrompts Week 4

What do you lie about?

‘There’s no more chocolate!’ Hides in bedroom eating chocolate where the kids can’t find me

‘No, I didn’t buy another book.’ Although now that I’m using BookBub I’m only downloading free books, so this technically isn’t a lie anymore.

‘I did my homework.’ No, no I didn’t. I should have, but I didn’t.

January 20, 2016January 20, 2016

#ZombiePrompts Week 3

What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Sheesh people. Really? I have no idea.

Let’s see…

I’ve managed to keep two small humans alive for the last 8 and 5 years. That’s pretty epic right?

I’ve moved to a new country and am learning a new language and navigating a new culture.

I’ve been married to a man I love, who drives me nuts, makes me laugh, loves me fiercely, keeps me in line, drives me nuts (oh wait, I said that already), supports me and adores our children, for almost 10 years. I think that’s quit an achievement.

I cook dinner from scratch at least 4/5 times a week. It may only be pasta with cheese sauce or even waffles (sometimes with choc chips in it), but its from scratch. The other days are either re-purposed left overs or hot dogs or pizza and/or corn schnitzel from the freezer.

This years new achievement will be learning to ride a bike! Maybe. Probably. I’m not making any promises.

January 13, 2016

I’m a student again

Well, 2 nights a week at least.

Last night was my first ulpan lesson. It went pretty well even though the class actually started on 1 December 2015 and I have a little bit of catching up to do.

I was 1 of 3 new people in the class and my level of Hebrew seems to be about average compared to everyone else.

On Sunday I will officially register and receive my workbook.

The class is made up of Russian, French, British, American and South African (2 of us) students. They range in age from early 20’s to to 2 ladies who have grand kids.

My teacher speaks English, Hebrew, Russian and a smattering of French.

I’m hoping by the end of the next 10 months I will be able to hold a conversation with my Hebrew speaking colleagues.

But for now, baby steps.

January 11, 2016January 11, 2016

#ZombiePrompts Week 2

What DIY projects are on your spring to-do list?

Well, we have been in Israel for just over a year. We are renting our apartment but our landlords are pretty darn amazing and are happy for us to make our apartment our home (within reason).

One of the things I really, really want to do is put up our pictures. In SA we had a gorgeous red family photo wall in our dining room and I really miss seeing all those pictures.

Yes, I know, we have been living in our apartment for a year! Yes, I know, our things arrived 9 months ago! And we still haven’t put any pictures up on the walls (I’m looking at you Paul!)

So my big DIY project is to get those pictures up. Our home has come a long way since we moved in. Here it is right at the beginning. And here it is the day our lift arrived.

And here is what it looks like now. At least the lounge. I want to fill that big blank wall with the family pictures.

Looking forward to showing you more when the pictures are up on the walls.

January 6, 2016January 6, 2016

One word, two word, red word, blue word.

One of the benefits you receive as a new immigrant in Israel is free language classes (ulpan).

You have up to 18 months to make use of the benefit and if you don’t use it you would have to pay for any language classes you took after that time.

If we had not managed to find jobs almost straight away, both Paul and I would have attended full time ulpan. That consists of 5 hours a day, 5 days a week for 5 months. As it is we were both very lucky and were able to find jobs within a few weeks of arriving. The Ministry of Absorption makes a plan for those like us and there are ulpan schools that provide part time, after hours classes.

For the last 10 months, Paul has been attending these classes 2 nights a week for 3 hours a night. His classes come to an end at the end of this month and mine will start at the beginning of February.

This morning I hopped a train to Tel Aviv and went to the Ministry office to receive my voucher that needs to be given to the ulpan so that I don’t have to pay for the classes. On Sunday afternoon I will go to the ulpan to register and to be tested to see which level class I will be placed in.

While I can make myself understood on a very, very basic level and most of the children’s friends parents speak some degree of English, I’m actually very excited to be formally learning Hebrew, it will make my life that much easier are far more enriched to be able to understand what is being said around me.

I’m a bit nervous because I’ve never been very good at languages. Or classrooms. Or studying. But I saw the quote below (by a fellow Israeli!) and that pretty much describes me, so onward with the learning!