Blogs from Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv District, Israel, Middle East - page 6

Betaavon! This means “good eats” or something similar to that in Hebrew. I say this because I am sitting in my “go to” coffee shop on Dizengoff enjoying some coffee and cookies. I also have heard this phrase many times from the locals in Tel Aviv, or even on a bus on the way back from a volunteer day when I am eating raw broccoli out of my back pack. True story..this happened to me last night, a local bus rider looked at me and said “Brocoli for dinner, lady? You are what you eat. Betaavon.” I replied “Todah Rabah!” Thanks , locals. I was speaking to another local at the bus stop in Shoham (this is the city where I volunteer in) and explaining to him about my time here in Israel, what I’m doing, ... read more

Happy Monday back home my lovely family and friends! I sit here on this beautiful Monday afternoon in Tel Aviv, with the view of the Meditteranen Sea and my iced coffee in hand. Excuse me, it is not iced coffee, this Café Mersand informed me there were out of iced coffee but can make me cold espresso with milk and ice....so it's quite similar. Tastes just as satisfying if you ask me :) Since I have last blogged I have begun my volunteering. Here's the update on my volunteering; I have "Resigned" from my volunteer site at the Kadimah Youth Center because I spoke with this about a hand full of my Israeli friends, and they warned me this is an unsafe neighborhood and that I should not go there, especially by myself as a young ... read more

Jerusalem gilt als das religiöse Zentrum Israels, während Tel Aviv (wörtlich übersetzt "Frühlingshügel") oft als das weltliche Zentrum des Landes bezeichnet wird. Nach unserer fünfstündigen Busfahrt von Eilat sind wir also gespannt auf das bunte, laute und lebenslustige Tel Aviv das uns erwarten würde. Auf dem Weg dahin fahren wir nur durch grässliche verbaute Satellitenstädte und die Hoffnung, dass Tel Aviv vielleicht eine Schönheit sein könnte erfüllt sich leider auch nicht. Die Stadt ist zwar ein spannender Schmelztiegel mit jeder Menge Leben, aber leider- wie die vielen anderen Städte auf dem Weg auch- dreckig und verbaut. Das Bewusstsein für die Umwelt ( z.B. Müll in einen Abfalleimer werfen) und den Erhalt von Bauten fehlt den Israelis leider völlig, auch hier im hippen Tel Aviv, dem westlich geprägten "Aushängeschild des modernen Israel". Wirklich schade, wo sie doch ... read more

Happy Wednesday everyone :) Lastnights adventures truly were a cultural experience, a Hebrew salsa dancing lesson. My friend Reuven is a salsa instructor here in Israel, so he took me out for a night of salsa lessons/dancing! We went to a salsa club in Tel Aviv, not far from Dizengoff (my street). I went with Reuven and a friend of his, who is one of his salsa students. The salsa lessons were divided into different sections (from beginning to advanced). I ofcourse, and Reuven agreed, that I start at beginners. Reuven told the instructor "English please!" at the beginning of the salsa lesson but this did not last through out the whole lesson. Gratefully, I had Reuven translating for me some of the lesson, but this did not make me an advanced salsa dancer! Despite the ... read more

Well today, or should I say this afternoon, was my first full experience of Tel Aviv, solo! I say this afternoon because I let the morning slip away in my slumber. So it turns out that the jet lag did get the best of me. I should have known I was going to sleep through the morning because I could not fall asleep until past 3 AM. So my day started at 1 when I woke up to loud music outside of my apartment, at first I was upset that I was awoken so early and than I realized it was past 1 PM, so I thanked that loud car that drove by :) I grabbed a bite to eat for breakfast in the apartment, which was cottage and cereal. While eating breakfast on my outside ... read more