I think after about the 6th or 7th day on Taglit I stopped being able to process anything more. It was just too much in too little time. I think the last day I remember really being able to take everything in was Monday. We woke up at 3:30 am to hike to the top of Masada, had a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony, made our way back down, swam int he dead sea, drove an hour, rode camels, went to Ben Gurion's grave, and then had dinner and slept in a bedouin tent. Just your average day, huh?
We then had our Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony for a bunch of us in the ancient Synagogue of Masada. It was strange knowing that this zealot Jewish community met there to pray and to consider the fact that they were under siege. Many of them probably stood in that same spot as they decided to take their own lives rather than accept Roman defeat and enslavement. It was a place so steeped in tradition and ideals. Not a bad way to publicly become a Jewish woman, huh? Though, if you know me at all you know I was shaking so badly throughout the whole thing that it was hard to stand. Despite being super nervous, I made it through and didn't mess up anything too horribly.
Then, Amanda arranged the letters. I was doing so well. I was holding myself together after the hyper emotional day we had had the day before. But then we got letters. On top of Masada. From our parents. I think everyone in our group immediately began bawling. It was so good to hear from them. Though I'm sure losing water and salt right before a 45 minute hike down a mountain in the desert was not what my body wanted.
Speaking of a hike down a cliff.... we took the roman ramp up (an easy ish 15 to 20 minutes up a steep ramp that the Romans built while besieging the city) but instead of taking the easy way down, we decided it was a good idea to take the five bajillion steep slippery steps down the other side of the cliff. After the sun had come up. In the desert. Because that all makes sense. I don't think my knees have ever rebelled against me more. It's on par with that final rugby match at nationals. I pretty much had to lean on my friend Daniel like a little old lady most of the way down after my right knee locked up. Bleh.
Luckily it unstuck in the dead sea. After I smeared myself with mineral mud and waded in. I am super mixed in my feelings about the dead sea. On one hand. It's super super cool. There are mineral crystals floating int he water and condensed crystals coating the bottom. There are large walls of salt in lines and dams across the water. Despite all of that, it's completely clear. You can see the bottom from anywhere despite the greenish turquoise tint. It's insane. On the other hand, it's HOT. It's not refreshing. It's hard even to get your shoulders wet because it's so buoyant. It burns. Especially for those of us who are prone to bug bites. It burns your eyes if you get even the tiniest droplet in them. Makes you go blind. Crusts on your lips and tastes horrible, etc. But did I mention that it's SUPER COOL? The flakes of minerals floating in the water look like snow.
The camel riding and bedouin tents were super depressing. At least for me. We went to a presentation by a Bedouin man about his culture and customs and he just seemed so tired and disinterested. Then when I asked him a question about whether youth was leaving their way of life in droves his eyes lit up and he started talking to me about their problems. About not having enough land or interest to maintain their old ways of life. About the kids all leaving for the cities and for military service. Everyone I saw who worked there looked like they wanted to be doing nothing less than selling their culture to the lowest bidder. But that's what they had left. I suppose it's good that people can go and experience life in the desert for an evening and ostensibly learn about Bedouin culture but I couldn't help but be pretty depressed by the whole thing.
In between camel rides and hanging out by the fire at the camp, we visited Ben Gurion's grave. A man who was not only important politically but also lived on a Kibbutz and wanted to turn the desert into a forest. My kind of guy. His grave is next to an institute built for desert research and learning. On the lot are planted hundreds of ACACIAS! Ibexes were roaming about and it turns out my Hebrew nam, Yael, also means Ibex. Cool?
The next day we took a hike in the desert and unlike our other hikes/ nature walks it wasn't a frustrating/painful experience. Instead of walking 200 feet and then stopping and chatting for an hour (not as much of an exaggeration as one would think), we actually would go a decent distance before stopping for breaks. The best part was that we did it in complete silence so that we could all think and process and take in the beautiful desert. Or, if you're Daniel and I, some silent time to collect rocks and snail shells. Or, if you're me, time during meditation to make a rock sculpture entitled "Duck of the Desert". Because it looks like a duck, get it?
That night, we stayed in a Kibbutz outside of Jerusalem and got to come into the city for a night out on Ben Yehuda street. It was kind of crazy touristy but I managed to meet this awesome guy at one of the market stalls in an alley and convince him to give me this awesome necklace and throw in a bracelet for Katie for 100 nis (about $25)... the original price was 240 nis. On a scale to loving to bargain, I'm about a 50 million. I also convinced a bartender to pour me drinks that were about 80% alcohol. After he'd finished pouring the second like that, I quickly drank down a quarter and told him he had forgotten some vodka. Clearly dad taught me well with the whole whipped cream/ hot cocoa thing when I was little because it worked quite well. Point was, we had a great night out dancing and reveling in the cool Jerusalem night air.
Wednesday we went to Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean and it made me miss all of my wonderful friends in Europe so much. It was great to be on the beach but what is a beach without Rodrigo teaching you to body surf or a cold Italian beer in your hand. Just wanted to throw in that I definitely haven't forgotten you all and wish you could be here with me.
The place we stayed at had a SPECTACULAR view overlooking Jerusalem. I hope someone got a photo of the sunset and/or the city lights sparkling. If you tried really hard and took some really sketchy pathways you could get away from the buildings and just sit and look at the city lights mirroring the stars. It was pretty breathtaking.
I left everyone at the airport yesterday and sat with Amanda and got my life sorted. It was pretty rough leaving Michelle Wilco but considering I'll get to see her in August (when she's Kelsey Merlo's roommate? Pretty please?) it wasn't SO awful. While we were waiting to surprise Amanda's friend at the airport, I put up a post on the emergency CS Jerusalem site because my place to stay for the evening had fallen through. I also skyped with my parents and Kelsey Merlo and brodre!. Anyways. Within two hours I had gotten four hosts messaging me to take me in. I never cease to be amazed by the CS community and how wonderful the world can be.
So that brings me to now. I'm sitting in a flat overlooking a small pedestrian way near ben yehuda street and the market and about six minutes from the old city. There's so much light in this place and a breeze is coming through the open door. I can hear citizens and tourists alike haggling (with varying levels of success) with the artists and traffic moving slowly down a nearby boulevard. It's beautiful. Maybe a stroll through the market? Maybe some time for prayer and reflection at the Kotel? Maybe meeting up with friends? Maybe some falafel? The possibilities are endless.
P.S. sorry for the travel journal post. You know I try to stay away from "I did x and then y and then z" but I just wanted to fill you in on as much as possible. There was too much to pick out any individual stories that y'all might appreciate. Hopefully when I'm on the farms in the next month things will come at me a bit slower and I'll be able to update more so it will be less of a mess.
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