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Unlike most of you, I am still in Israel, though not Jerusalem. Though it is difficult to describe, the non-Jerusalem Israel is quite different from Jerusalem. People call Tel Aviv a bubble, but I am inclined to argue that Jerusalem is a bubble itself as well. I am currently staying in a town near Petakh […] Julia and Natalie have posted great wrap-up blog entries, so I figured I might give mine a go as well. In a way, I have immersed myself back in my typical, vacation-style life: I’m busy making meals out of my CSA share veggies, catching up with friends, and watching a ton of Rachel Maddow. It’s […] In my glory of being reunited with America, I’ve promptly forgotten about the perils of this sometimes drama-ridden blog and thus have almost forgotten to do my last post (sorry Professors!) Alas, I keep remembering and am finally sitting down to write it. Part of my hesitation is truly because I have forgotten about the […] I’m finally sitting in my room at Smith, which I’ve so missed for the past three months. And, I’ll admit, it feels good. I love Northampton– the cafes, the theater (though, alas, we’ve lost our beloved video store), the summer lull with few students around. But it’s a bit strange, too. In some ways, I […] I spent time last night with my friend who is fasting for Ramadan and we talked about what it’s like to fast surrounded by wholly secular, non-fasting people. Here, religion, like many other aspects of identity, is wholly individualized. My friend is half Egyptian and half Iranian (and has lived in the States for most […] During our last week in Jerusalem, Hunter and I visited the Museum on the Seam, located, not surprisingly, directly on the Green Line; it’s that building we all probably pass on the bus whose exterior flashes “The Olive Trees Will Be Our Borders” in Arabic, Hebrew, and English. The museum is dedicated to showing international […] When I was in Jerusalem, I took notice to the graffiti around the city. As I rode the bus or walked around town, looking out for new artwork or recognizable stencils became one of my favorite activities. Art on the Wall aside, the particularities of graffiti in my home base was of particular interest: one […] It’s surreal to be back in the States, partly because I’m going on four hours of sleep on top of traveling on very little rest. I’m back in my parent’s house, though, with non-mangy cats, local produce galore, and the ocean breeze. I’ve changed my home page back from Ha’aretz to Al Jazeera, though I […] Recently, I found out that there was a place near the Hebrew University dorms where you could use FREE computers, printers, and laundry facilities. Sounds too good to be true right? Well, almost. All you have to do is give them your name, email address, and college that you attend. OH and be Jewish. (Or […] One of the places I went to while in Tel Aviv was the separate beach. I’m sure all of you are wondering what the separate beach is. Before we get some crazy ideas, I’ll put them all down by saying that the beach is a separate gender beach, open to men on Monday, Wednesday, and […] |