Several months later...

That's the end of that trip. Several months after returning home to NYC, I'm working 50-60 hour weeks, wearing corporate cloth instead of sandals and linen. While I like my job and I'm happy to be back home in New York, the itch to get on a plane and go is slowly creeping up my back, stationing itself in one of those hard to reach places. Soon enough I'll join you back on the trail. See you there! :-)

Here's something to ponder on a long bus ride from Jerusalem to Haifa when the cute girl sitting next to you is listening to her walkman making it impossible to strike up conversation:

Three headlines on what caused Yassir Arafat's death:

Jerusalem Post: Cause of Arafat's last illness unclear
Haaretz: Medical experts: Yasser Arafat died of AIDS or poisoning
New York Times: Medical Records Say Arafat Died From a Stroke

Hmm...

A man walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan officer.
He tells the loan officer that he is going abroad on business for two weeks
and needs to borrow $5,000. The bank officer tells him that the bank will need
some form of security for the loan, so the man hands over the keys to a
new Ferrari parked on the street in front of the bank.

He produces the title and everything checks out. The loan officer agrees to
accept the car as collateral for the loan. The bank's president and its
officers all enjoy a good laugh at the man for using a $250,000 Ferrari
as collateral against a $5,000 loan. An employee of the bank then drives the
Ferrari into the bank's underground garage and parks it there.

Two weeks later, the man returns, repays the $5,000 and the interest,
which comes to $15.41. The loan officer says, "Sir, we are very happy to have
had your bu siness, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are
a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you
are a multi-millionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow
$5,000?"

The man replies: "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two
weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return?"

As of midnight, Israel has begun the process of disengagement from the Gaza strip. This means removing the 9100 settlers, about 1800 families, that live in Gaza, their homes, businesses as well as the accompanying military installations. I support the disengagement, but my heart goes out to the people who have to leave their homes.

There is a cavernous tension hovering over Jerusalem that will climax tomorrow as the reality of disengagement settles in.

I just read an article in Haaretz that made me laugh in light of my last entry comparing the bureaucracies of Israel and Italy. The World Bank published a report recently that ranked Israel as the second most inefficient and corrupt government among developed countries. The first most inefficient and corrupt government among developed countries is, you may have guessed, Italy. Somewhere in Israel a bureaucrat has a shit-eating grin on his face as he says to himself, "Well, at least we're not Italy." Click on the word 'Haaretz' above to go to the article.

(Note: I'm sorry that this might fuel Israel's critics, but I can't resist noting the coincidence between this report and my previous blog entry.)

I'm having a private debate that I'll open up to the blog-reading public. The question is as follows: is the culture of bureaucracy worse in Italy or in Israel? It's a tough call. I faced a number of red tape issues in Italy. Currently in Israel, I'm winding my way through three such bureaucracies including the library, the gym and a bank. At first I was tempted to point my accusatory finger at university bureaucracy since the majority of the problems have been university related (library, gym, housing). Plus, I don't think there is a bank in the world that isn't riddled with bureaucracy. However, my flatmates informed me that what I've dealt with so far is the kindergarten of Israeli bureaucracy. "Wait till you have to deal with the federal bureacracy," they said reassuringly. I'm not holding my breath.

What's most entertaining about running into red tape in Israel is that when I relate my stories to Israelis the most common response is, "Welcome to Israel." Always with a big smile, smothered in sarcasm. Mmm...bureaucracy, scrumptious!

Troubles aside, my hebrew is progressing steadily and I'm acclamating myself to life in Jerusalem.

When choosing a travel pack, err on the smaller size in order to avoid comments like, "What have you got in there, your entire house!"

This time it's war. I will emerge from Israel in three months with some level of competency in this language. This is not a matter of choice, it is a matter of necessity. The first time around was wrought with psychological and educational peril - changing schools, tutors, competition, lack of reinforcement, etc... There are no excuses this time; but there is also no need for excuses because I am going to learn this language!!!

Most of you have probably given up checking this blog. I'm sorry for the extended breaks. I had limited computer access during my stay on Kibbutz Yizreel, meaning I could choose between the generosity of friends who had comptuers of their own or the 486 systems available in the library from 6:30pm to 8pm weeknights. The library option was too painful to warrant the time and I couldn't take advantage of someone's generosity by spending an hour on his or her computer. Therefore, I was limited to ten minute sessions at haphazard intervals.

Now that I am stationed on a university campus, internet access won't be a problem. Indeed, the only problem could be that I'll spend too much time on the internet, as my friend Daniel might like to remind me. Not to worry, Danielson, not only am I back on a university campus, I've also returned to a big city. It's not New York, but I suppose it'll have to do.

Therefore, family, friends, and quixotic readers, I have now truly returned to cyberspace. Feel free to give a shout out or throw tomatoes, as you will. (Those damn words that end in 'o', does it take an 'e' before the 's' or not? My name is not Dan Quail, but I am forever burdened by this spelling dilemma, among many others. As a great shirt once read, 'Bad spellers of the world, Untie!')

After a long pause, I have returned to you my loyal (and perhaps not so loyal) readers. Assuming that you are still out there, you can follow me along on the next stage in my journey, a month on a kibbutz in the north of Israel. Yes, many things happened between Italy and Spain and perhaps I will take the time to recount a few of those adventures in the future, but for the moment I will continue on from today (is that a temporal knot - continuing from today for the moment - eh, you understand...)

I arrived today on Kibbutz Yizre'el in the Yizre'el Valley. For my fellow map lovers (like you, Gpa), click here for a reference. The kibbutz is 5 minutes south of Afula. For the next month I'll be washing dishes in the Cheder Ochel (dining room) and living in the most spare of shelters.

The kibbutz was started in 1948 shortly after the War of Independence. Though the original members were mostly Israelis, it has since assumed a decidedly anglo demographic. South Africa, Australia and New Zealand are the predominant source countries.

Gotta go if I want to get dinner, which I do. Ad Achar cach (Until later...)

Happy 57th birthday Israel!

Just finished off a week in Spain between Barcelona and Madrid. Returned to Israel where I'll be stationed for the next four and half months. On the train ride from the airport, I could see the billboards covered with the Israeli flag and many people had the flag flying from their car windows. At 11am a siren sounded throughout the country as a memorial to the fallen soldiers and terror victims. The day is generally lachrymose. Then night falls and the parties start to celebrate Israel's independence. Hooray!