ברזלונה

So Barcelona was amazing. I had such a great time seeing all of my friends in such an amazing city.

The city is so cool. I was actually surprised how metropolitan it is. Not to mention how big it is. We stayed at a very nice hotel on the outskirts of the city. This was the only bad thing about the hotel that it was so far away! But the public transportation was very easy to use which was nice. I saw such great architecture fro Gaudi. I saw La Pedera from the double decker bus tour. That was a lot of fun and a great and cheap way to see the city. We bought a ticket for the day and then you can get off and on at the different stops around the city. I also saw the Temple de la Sagrada Familia, the holy family church. Its the huge cathedral that Gaudi didn't finish himself and its still under construction. We also went into his Casa Batllo. That was pretty cool. Its like a dragon or lizard and in the inside all the walls are painted like scales. The food was awesome. I was actually really surprised on how much veggie friendly food I ate. The sangria was also very very good. It was a lot of fun walking down Las Rambas. Its the main strip that in the middle is a pedestrian walk way. We also wondered around the Gothic quarter. I really really liked this part of the city. Our trip would not be complete with out a visit to something Jewish... So we went to the former Major Synagogue of Barcelona. It dates back to the Roman times. It is also the oldest synagogue in all of Europe! Today it is not a functioning synagogue. It is only used for religious proposes for spacial occasions like bar/bat mitzvahs. On the same day that we went to the synagogue, we also went to the huge cathedral (i forgot what its called). That was also very interesting. I have never been inside a cathedral before so it was very surprising. The architecture was very beautiful. We took a scary elevator ride up to the top to the roof and got an amazing view of the city.

Going to Barcelona!

Going to be in Barcelona til early sunday! I can not wait to see my phisters!!!!

Ulpan and Wine

Sorry about being so bad with the updates! Here is what has been going on since the last...

So I am finally on my last leg of Ulpan! Thank gosh! I really dislike it!
On Monday I went to Zikaron Yaacov (south of Haifa) and to the Carmel Winery that is there! It was an amazing field trip (office of student activities provided it)! I have never been to a winery before so it was a lot of fun. We first got to have a wine tasting and tasted a Merlot, Chardonnay and a mascotto.


Then we got a tour of how the wine is made. It was very educational. The grapes are grown all around Israel and sent to 3 of the different wineries that the company has.

Then we walked over to the town center which was one of the earliest settlements in Palestine. And that's about it. I really haven't been doing anything else. I got the most amazing red roses from Brian for Valentines day.

In case you were wondering they do kinda celebrate it here. I did see a bunch of stores with valentines day type things in them. I am going to Barcelona on Tuesday!!! I am so excited cause Ulpan is over then and I am going to SPAIN!!!! I am so excited!

The North

So who would have thought that you can go skiing in the desert? Well in Israel you really can go skiing the same day you go swimming in the sea. This weekend I went up north to Mt. Hermon. Israel's tallest mountian. It has a ski slops on it.

It was probably the coolest part of Israel I have ever seen. I have been there in the summer, but it is so different with snow. I am missing all the snow back home, but I got pleanty of it here! It is so breath taking. I was also in Tzfat or Safed how ever you would like to spell it. I love this city. Everything is blue. They say that you can get high off of the air in Tzfat because it is like no other air in Israel. The city is truely mystical.

I got INTERNET

I GOT INTERNET FINALLY!!!!!!!!
GO BEARS!

Kiss and Tel Aviv

On Thursday we went to Mechenah Yehuda which is the shuk (outdoor market) and had a blast buying produce and super amazing rugalach from marapan the best bakery ever. Then we went to Tel Aviv. Some how it ended up being about 20 people going in one big group. to say the least it was a balagan(big mess) I don't know who thought of the hostel but it wasn't that nice as they made it out to be so I thought that I didn't need to bring my sleeping bag so i wouldn't have to shlep it around the next day... to say the least i wish i would have broguht it and i learned and new lesson to always bring it. so that night it ended up just being Rachel, Sami, Becca, Shira and i walking around, went out to diner and went out to a bar to drink. we got carded, the bouncer did not believe that we were 21 he thought that we were 18. later we went and played on the beach! it was so nice to see the sea! it was fine and a great idea to break away from the huge group. the next day we woke up had break feast went to the beach and then walked around and shopped! it was nice to finally get back to Jerusalem before Shabbat. we made the most amazing Shabbat dinner i have had in a very long time. i am very very pleased with the work we did. there was 10 of us that at dinner together at my apt. it was so nice. Thats about it! No internet still, bezeq sucks! hopefully this week :)

The weather is so weird

So everything has been going pretty well... Ulpan is insane but that's how Hebrew always has been. The week started off gross. It has been pretty rainy and cold and with that lots of mud, but today the sun is shining and its great weather for Tu B'shevat! In ulpan today we planted trees/plants by the Boyer (the building that I have all of my classes in). Nothing much has been going on. No Internet still in the apartment, but hopefully tonight it will be turned on. I joined the amazing gym and can watch tv there. Its been very strange not having tv or Internet. Tonight we (a group of 20 or so) are going to Tel Aviv and then meeting up with the tour group that is coming from Jerusalem Friday morning. Thats about it...

More to come later tonight (my time)...

Shabbat Shalom

שבת שלום
Shabbat Shalom!

My first shabbat in Jerusalem was great. Friday during the day Rachel and I explored the old city. We went to the Kotel and wandered around the Jewish quarter and then found our way to the Arab market! It was alot of fun! We got some good deals. I got this amazing tapestry for my wall! It was originally going to be 275 shekels but I got it down to 130!!! Then we came back and got ready for Shabbat! We went to this shul called Kol Hanishma which is a progressive synagogue. It was a really really nice service. Then we headed back (it was in the German colony which is about a 10 min cab ride) to the regency hotel where the OSA had a dinner for us! It was sooo nice and yummy. Rachel and i actually sat with some Asian students... it was quit interesting to find out why of all places they would come to Israel to study... then we went back the the dorm and hung out with people on our floor and talked the night away! it was very nice and relaxing... now i am sitting at aroma because we still don't have Internet!!!! later tonight I'm going to go to the mall to finish getting stuff we still need for the kitchen!
L'heit!

First night out

So after recovering from an exhausting first day, yesterday (Tuesday) we went out. And by "we" I mean me, Rachel,Becca, Sarah our amazingly awesome 3rd roommate! We first went to the grocery store which was just awesome and stocked up on food and wine! Its so nice not being limited to the kosher section cause the whole store is kosher!!! Then we went out to Ben Yehudah st to find something to eat and drink. We went to burgers bar which has the most amazing hamburgers and garlic mayo sauce. We then went on to mikes place which was quit interesting... lets just say that we didn't pay for most of our drinks...
And that was about it until the fiasco i had with contacts later that night...
I am in ulpan now (intensive Hebrew class) and its fun! i am learning a shit load of Hebrew!
that's about it for now...

I'm HERE

Hey! I'm finally here in Israel!!!! The plane ride was actually really great! El Al wasn't that crowded so i got to share a middle seat and wasn't squished as much. My apartment/dorm is amazing! I have to most amazing views of Jerusalem! The apartment is brand new we are the first students to live there. Today we start ulpan! The Internet is not set up yet in my dorm and probably wont be for about another 2-3 weeks hopefully sooner! But I do have access on the campus buildings and will bring my laptop to check email and up date photos! Yesterday we went shopping for EVERYTHING! There wasnt anything in the apt not even tolit paper! I got a good nitghts sleep and hope to go into the city tonight!

Some info on Mt. Scopus

In one week I will be on my way to Jerusalem. Here is an interesting article I found on YNET http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3349288,00.html about the Mt. Scopus campus where I will be living!

So close but so far...

So I still have 13 more days until I leave for Israel!!! I feel like everyone else has already left or is leaving tomorrow! :( boo! I'm getting so anxious. At least today I got my plane tickets... Yes actual real plane tickets like the old school kind...