Wednesday, October 31, 2018

My Night From Hell! / Israel 2018 Update


Oh hello there people of the interwebs. I am here to express my rage for tonight. All my rage is coming out in this typing of mine because I am furious that my night was such a hell, but luckily I lived through it and discovered a few places down the road... first things first... I am typing in notepad because open office was being gay and going backwards and unaligned... anyways... my night started out easy by taking the bus from home and then the train to city hall. I was on my way to a job networking workshop for new olim.I took my Big Bag, my Resume, a Pen, a Stack of Paper, some nice ish pants, formal shirt, the fanciest jacket that I have without cuts or wholes that I made such as in my Russel Sweaters due to it always folding on my neck and strying to stab and strangle me with every movement through my T shirt and I was on my way. I couldn't fit all my stuff comfortably in my computer bag so I said "whatever, it's not gonna matter" I got off the Train and started walking to where I think the place was, but it wasn't there. Then I went along with my GPS going backwards because I was stubborn. Took me wayyyy out of the way in circles, down dead ends, and long, dark ally's that required me to use my Torch App because it was Pitch Black, People could get hurt or something down there... I eventually made it to Shivtey Israel #22 where the workshop was, but it was under construction so I went up and down the street and tried to follow the tiny pictures that Galina (a Russian Lady in charge) sent us all in an email, but it was pitch black so that didn't help so much. I walked down another few Alleys through sharp rocks and very unpaved roads which was terrible for me and for my Poor Souls in my Shoes. I don't know how they haven't torn apart yet, but for $30 Shekels, they've lasted at least two months though rough roads and what I like to call "Israel Rape" I think I got Glass in my Shoes, there was scar at the bottom of my foot.... I was out of Civilization, and all I saw were Hassidic Jews outside their homes, and construction zones which I had to evade as good as possible. The Area had some good nooks and crannies to it. I saw the Shivtey Israel street where the Train goes, along side what looked like Damascus Gate, or another Highly Arab Area... I got rather anxious that something may happen late at night (around 7:45) but luckily nothing happened. I eventually got to another Bus Stop where I made an Emergency Call to Galina and she helped me with getting there, even coming outside to guide me. She Told me to Put #16 in my GPS for a better Address, I went back and found that place but it was someone's private home, so then she said it was #15 so I walked past it... Then I saw the Gift Shop she kept pointing out, went down the street, and met up with her... Firstly, the Building didn't have any signs on it that said "15" or even aa building name, which hindered my finding the place. I was looking for "Young Adult Center" or something Then she took me to a Ramp, and down stairs, and more levels down until we saw the room of which the workshop was happening. I was there very late so I missed the Theory part, and the video examples from a show that had a dude names Michael who was having interviews and doing funny things... There was some really cheap salad food, coffee, Large Bottle of Coke, Grape Prigat that got finished rather quickly so I had to take the water from the questionable coffee maker water dispenser thing that was really sketchy and covered in stains. Dip and all the plastic you could imagine... The Room was Medium sized, but it was a bit messy. The Building seemed to have students in the other rooms, it was like a cool place to chill and learn. They kept bringing in places of delicious looking food that they ate outside the window. We kept having to shuush them because they were making noise. I checked out the Portal later but it was just an outside exit, nothing special. I was wondering were they got all their food from but never figured it out. Lots on Young Students not much older than me. Apparently there was a Yoga Studio Downstairs, and a Library, Coffee Place, and probably more. It felt like a college. We were in Quadrant 5 or something related to IBM / Intel / Science Galore. It looked like a nice place to work, study, or just hang out on the many couches. The Bathrooms in there were nicer than average, they maintained both of them well. I used the Disabled Toilet both times, seemed like a nicer one than the Airport, that's saying a lot. So after the Videos Played, 5 Managers from different Jobs came in and we got to ask them questions, while giving us good pointers and tips for jobs in Israel. The Women talked more than the men. There were people from around the world like from Europe, France, Spain and probably more because not all of them spoke... so blah blah blah went on and I went to talk to Galiah and she asked me where I was from and I said Philadelphia, she didn't want my Resume even though it was a pain to carry it all the way, and keep it safe and straight because this is Israel, and we are Scarce on Envelopes... and other things too. I call it "The Daily Dose of Bullshit" because shit happens every day and I hate it here when that happens making my trip here worse and my desire to leave this place and fly to my home in Philly, to be with my real computer, bed, sheets, food, stores that are normal, and a car... so I walked out to what I thought was the train station (and it was) and I was right on Shivtey Israel... I realized when I walked towards where the Train Passed... I knew it was close too, and I just turned right instead of left and was in a spirally zig zag for a while... Well, at least I know where it is now if I happen to go again, which is not likely. However, I do want to research the building a little bit to see what programs are there that may not be on the program guide that I swiped from the pile on the back table... it looked like a really nice place so I'm going to invest! There may be some friends I could meet, and they may happen to be female and single, but dudes are good too, I don't discriminate. Overall, it was informative for everyone. I felt like I was being Brushed off at a few points, seeing that galina didn't really chat with me, and the other lady (idit) didn't even pay attention to me or even say hello, but I got her card so I can be in contact... I walked all the way to Davida square to figure out where Abraham Hostel was form when I go there for Hummus Dinner / Tour thingy on November 4th. I've never actually walked back there before in my entire life, it was pretty nice, there's even a mini market back there which is open all the time so that's a plus if I actually can book a room in the hostel. I nearly fell down their open portal literal whole in the bottom the their store that led to their underground storage area, luckily, I saw it. I saw that the Market had Legit American Boxes of Cereal, Raisin Bran, Cap'n Crunch and a few other things that you could tell were authentic and not Israeli Monoplied with their ugly stickers all over their sides, only the nutrition facts and that's it, the Back of the Boxes had the cartoons and colorful art on it, I'm gonna get some stuff back there when I need it.  I looked inside through the glass door to see the lobby area which young dudes and chicks from all over the place, I was too shy to open the Door and Wander in there... after that I walked up and Down Yafo to Machane Yehuda, it was 9:30 so everything was closing but I walked up and down it anyways... Then I proceeded to ben Yehuda and Ha Histadrut Street where a local Super Pharm can be found and open till midnight, so I went to walk around in there to see their stock but saw nothing desirable. My Bag was already heavy with my Water so I just left with nothing as usual. The place is more full of employees and security at night so it's a little safer and there if you need help with finding stuff or staying alive... after that I went to the Bus Stop and hopped on the back the a 75 Bus eventually getting of at Keren Ha Yesod, Shalom Aleichem and walking up through a street called "Mendele Mocher Sefarim" (Our Rabbi’s Son is Named Mendel) which is the quickest and safest route to get from Jabotinsky to the Main Road and Busses or Keren Ha Yesod. Sometimes I take my new Route on Arlozorov Street, which is a Shortcut to Kakal Street and the other Bus Stop of which I took the 71 Bus to Ramot that one day to volunteer at Ezrat Avot, which was a pain to find, and worse to walk through just for my shoes, but the work itself was fine. I worked with another dude, a lady named Sharon, a Chinese lady named Shirley, we over stuffed begs with Cans or Chick Peas, Tahini, Pasta, Rice, 2 Liter Bottles of Sprite, some kidney beans and a few more things I probably forgot, but the bags were already ripping and full. we worked till 4:00 and made at least 70 bags on Pallets. We were in the Warehouse... yadda yadda yadda I took a few buses home that day and discovered another mall which I haven't Explored yet. So Far my Favorite place to volunteer was and  enjoyed working at was yad Ezra and Shulamit, somewhere in center city in the back of a well maintained warehouse, down a windy road I got pretzels and a robe that's currently helping stay warm. It was cleaner and felt more like fun less like work. Also, Miri was a lot nicer, outgoing and intimate as if she really cared for us and thanked us for coming. She was American so she Spoke Proper English in  a very pleasurable way... There was another place my mom and I wanted to go called "Pantry Packers" who recently had a face lift. Unfortunately, we could not find it going all the way up, down, sideways down the same road... Back then I didn't have a smart phone, or their phone number so we ended up going to breech the home center and then to the Talpiot mall, proceeding with supersol, which is the second best one besides the one on Agron just a short walk from us, that store has almost everything. All the stores have unique items in it, like imports from American and such, so you gotta know where to find what you want, eventually, you can learn like I am doing now. We've been here since August 22nd so it's a little over 2 months now. It Started out pretty crappily because I couldn't sleep, and I had anxiety, bad habits of sleeping late, and was not used to the air / tiny bed my grandmother had. I was used to my big bed, so I kept hitting the wall repeatedly at night which hurt me a little bit, and my glasses started to get scuffed up and mangled from moving the nose pads and cleaning them a lot with my tiny cleaning cloths. A few days later, I split from my Mom to an Air Bnb very close to where I am now on Lincoln street, Lindsay was managing it but I only saw her once, she worked till 10:00 and left early in the morning when I was sleeping, she was pretty young and kinda cute. The Heat Bothered me the most there, but the house itself was quite alright. I had a night with really bad panic attacks to a point where  I couldn't even sit still like a few years ago, so I went out in search of a doctor, called a few numbers, walking around endlessly, eventually ending up at a Chabbad House in Rechavia, where I made friends with Yisroel Goldberg and his son who fed me crackers and water. I was in bad shape so I asked them to call an ambulance so they did and I went to Shaare Tzedek for the night where it took forever to get checked and every movement I had made with the IV needle in me hurt like hell. I walked around most of the night freezing my ass off due to only getting a stretcher for as a bed in the middle of the hallway with very bright lights and sounds going on in the ER. It sucked to be there but at least I found my doctor and some medication to help keep me sane and calm. I was  thankful to get out of  there, not that it helped, but still, being out was better. They took my Blood over there so I was woozy, the Water Fountain was very Splashy, and the entire building that I explored was rather dull and boring, but I learned my way around. So I got back to the ER and the lady took out the needle from my arm and gave me some sleeping pills (Lorivan I think?) and gave me a decent place to put my glasses, I think I passed out sitting up because the bed was even smaller and rather high up. That night was hell #1 for me since I've been back after a 5 year hiatus. I thought I was having De Ja Vu, but it wore off eventually , and I started putting my contacts in, realized we ere going to be here for a while. I found a place called center one right next to the central bus station and a store called Halperin, where I payed about $400 for two 30 day Boxes of Contacts, later I went to a super Pharm in Pizgat Ze'ev and they said it was much cheaper, and it was so that calmed me down a little knowing that contact ordering does exist over here... after that I discovered some protein bars that I began eating on the go, which were pretty good, I began to Horde from there slowly but surely, clearing another box like a I have in America, except this one has 3 floors, and is in a closet. I visited the mall and walked around the mini store every day, so I learned about that area very well. I started taking the train more often, it was so easy, and rather empty for a while because we were both the first, and last stop.  Eventually we moved out to a larger house down the neighborhood which we had to customize a lot, and clean thoroughly from all the dirt and dust that accumulated from Marlena and Edwin being away on vacation not being able to clean, with the cleaning lady there to help. That house is where I fell in love and began my addiction to a Television channel called "Jim Jam" I watched it every day. There were lots of supplies and memories in the house so we gradually used them. Plenty of Towels and other Bathroom Amenities for our use. We were there during the hot part of the summer, and AC unit Promised was small and barely made one room cold, it stuck in the office. There was a lamp there that hit my Glasses and window making noise every single time where was wind, so it became the most evil, dusty, dirty, room in the house. The Carpets and Pillows were not that great, I only found one of two that fit my head and back at night, the blankets were alright for the time being. There were insects and mosquitos attacking us on some nights, but we slept through them. After that house we moved to center city to an old apartment on Tkoa Street Sharing a Small Place with Lauren, then to a private room in Pizgat ze'ev for a week with our French Host Nicole who supplied us with Soup and 2 Large Liters of Bottled Water until October 7th when we moved here, to the House at Jabotinsky Street. Right by the bus stop for the 13, and plenty of tour busses. We're also close to the Jerusalem Theatre and Art Places in the neighborhood. Shabbat is very peaceful here... I walk around every week, even the Nassi (not to be confused with Nazi) lives here. He's got a big house with tons of guards and protection. Lots of Government Buildings here, and cards with "CD" on their White License Plates for United Nations and other Municipal Vehicles, like the president has his array of Cadillac’s and black Chevy trucks for instance. Plenty of things to see here that you'd never see in Philadelphia so at least that's good. I just Wish the Sun would come into this house more so that it wouldn't be so dark / cold over here. Days are getting shorter so, I gotta get up earlier and move out during the day and not just at night. I will keep on Managing as much as I can. At least I only got Sick twice here, once in the head, and once with a 2 day cold of which I took a Medicine called "Broncholate" which I misread as "Chocolate" the first time I saw it. It make me rather hot and sleepy. Luckily, it happened in the house where there were plenty of Small Towels I could use on my Nose at my Disposal.

 I got home around 11:00 tonight, made some Tea and Pasta which is probably cold by now. Then I vented. My Fingers are tired. Hopefully you enjoyed this post. I'm not sure if I'll blog often, but we shall see. Good Night!