Let There Be Shwarma

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Trip Start Jan 15, 2006 Trip End Jun 2006 Next
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  Jerusalem, Israel
Thursday, January 19, 2006

On the fifteenth day of the first month, it came to pass that I flew to Israel to attend Hebrew University for six months. The first night here was interesting. It was marked by me dragging my case up eleven flights of stairs in a dorm building, only to realise that I had been taken up the wrong block of dorms and I wanted the other building next door. So I dragged my case down eleven floors and then up eleven in the next building. However, this did not knacker me at all and it took me ages to fall asleep at what was midnight here because the time difference made it feel like ten to me. When we arrived in our flat (which I am sharing with three other British guys who I came here with) we met an Israeli roommate of ours. I could never remember his name and always referred to him as Oleg, which is nothing like his name, but it has stuck so we just call him Oleg.

One the second day here, we were told to go forth and meet some people at the gates of the dorms who would take us to the campus to register. They never turned up. So, being the great adventurer that I am, I suggested trying to find the place ourselves. We got lost. But I've been told the best way to learn your way around somewhere is to get lost. So we were lost on campus. This wasn't a bad thing as we were able to see the whole campus which is amazing, it's all built from Jerusalem stone - it looks magnificent - and has panoramic views of the old city from its site which is on Mount Scopus. There are loads of cafe's on campus and the food is great so we ate at those while trying to find our way around. Eventually we registered.

The evening of the second day was spent in town eating shwarma and drinking beer. Since arriving here, it has dawned on me that Maccabee is a tourists' beer and the natives drink Goldstar so it was Goldstar pints all around. Great!

Tuesday was boring, I was tired from little sleep and we had our first intensive Hebrew class which was okay. Today (Thursday) we had six hours of which was a struggle, but it's done now and my head feels like it's brimming with new stuff.

Wednesday was really fun. Ulpan was great and learnt loads. After Ulpan, I went to meet James in Mer Sharim at his Yeshiva so that we could go out and dwell in a restaurant and munch the meal of lunch. At the Yeshiva I saw some other guys from JFS. It was cool to see some familiar faces. For Lunch we went to a place called Dr. Pizza, which to my dismay did not sell Dr. Pepper. Nowhere here sells it which is gutting. The pizza was great though, it was also really cheap and came with a free bottle of Coke.

The cool thing about being an international student here is that there is loads of fun and social stuff organised for you to do. A few Israeli students act as Madrachim and they run programmes, events etc. Anyway, last night they ran a get to know people event with all the stupid games we used to play at Kenton Maccabi. Only these were a lot more...err... suggestive and made use of a few, no a range of, expletives. It was brilliant. They have organised a Friday night dinner at a nearby hotel (five star - you know I wouldn't go if it was anything less!)which I reckon will be excellent.

Last night was falafel and beer for dinner. Why would I want to eat anything else? I did have an apple for pudding though.

Until next time,

Daniel

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