1/31/2011

This is basically an introductory entry, so that I actually have something up here.

My name is Miriam. I'm a writer and an artist, and I enjoy learning new things very much. I enjoy Hetalia--not necessarily the comics themselves, but the serious fandom and the way it makes both history and current events much more personal. I may write a ramble on that later, but as it is almost 1 AM I'll keep this short.

I end up listening to random people's problems when I happen to be close by. I don't mind this so much, actually, because I enjoy hearing about perspectives and stories of life. My personal problems aren't likely to be posted here unless they relate to something really important, mostly because no one is likely to listen to what I have to say either way, so at least I don't look like I'm whining. I'm mostly an old-fashioned person who prefers real books to electronic ones, and longer journal posts to tweets by a twit.

This site is pretty much where I'll post my experiences as I prepare to leave for Israel and stay for five months, in the hopes that someone out there will find it useful and that my family will have a better way than Facebook to keep up with me, especially considering I don't have a Facebook account at this point in time, and this seems a better place to post a travel log anyway.

So, coming up...possibly an introduction to my stories, and the first in a hopefully long series about my future trip to Israel.

On Going to Israel

Since my readers might not know very much about Israel, here is a quick overview of where I'll be going and what I'll be doing:

What is an Ulpan?
An ulpan is a school for Hebrew and Israeli history and culture. In this context, it is also a kibbutz, a collective farm (usually a farm) where students live, work, and study. You can find out more about the program here, if you want to go yourself. :)

Where Will You Be?

I will be attending the ulpan at Sde Eliyahu. It's located between Jordan and the West Bank, which means quite a trip from Tel Aviv: students are not permitted to leave the country throughout the duration of their stay at the ulpan.




What Will You be Doing?

For three days out of the week, I will be working wherever I'm needed. Three other days will be devoted to classroom learning, and Saturday will be Shabbat, the day of rest. This is enforced throughout the country, and bus lines and highways shut down, as well as shops. Every two weeks or so, we are free to wander about on Saturdays. I will be spending some of those with friends of the family. There will also be 'field trips' to various sites all over Israel, including Haifa and Jerusalem.

Any further questions? Feel free to ask!