A Look Backwards and Forwards
In less than 48 hours I'll be meeting my parents at Ben Gurion Airport and welcome them as new olim (immigrants) to Israel.
This is pretty huge. My folks speak no Hebrew, don't know their way around Jerusalem, and are less "adjustable" than younger people. I always thought I would have a bit more time before I'd have to be a parent to my parents.
I remember when I first told them of my own aliyah plans, 2 1/2 years ago. My parents were not pleased. They thought I was being irresponsible, condemning myself to a life of poverty, joblessness and that I would never learn hebrew.
Slowly they came around, and by the time I flew out expressed their jealousy at my ability to take off and fly.
And now they're doing it too. The flat I've rented for them currently contains nothing but a refrigerator (thanks Martyn) and my pesach dishes. Don't tell them that.
And with them on the plane will be my brave, warm brilliant friend Mia, who will also be my roomate once she lands. I'm really proud of her and am so happy she's joining me here! I was just looking at some online photos of her aliyah parties. Her friends clearly love her to bits...the party was themed kachol v'levan (blue and white -- the colors of Israel's flag) - they even had blue cake with white icing!
And looking forwards, I'm so excited about school. I found out yesterday that my acceptance is conditional on passing a certain level of Hebrew test. I'm a little nervous, though apparently I got above the required level on the test when I took it 2.5 years ago. Before ulpan, before living here, before anything. So I should pass. And things have been working out so well so far!
I was reviewing for the test and I came across an unfamiliar word. "L'hitmazeg" I had no idea what it meant. So I asked my boss. Her face turned a funny color and she looked at me weirdly. And then she asked why I wanted to know. So I told her. She regained her color and told me it was a clinical way of saying "to have sex". Oops.
This is pretty huge. My folks speak no Hebrew, don't know their way around Jerusalem, and are less "adjustable" than younger people. I always thought I would have a bit more time before I'd have to be a parent to my parents.
I remember when I first told them of my own aliyah plans, 2 1/2 years ago. My parents were not pleased. They thought I was being irresponsible, condemning myself to a life of poverty, joblessness and that I would never learn hebrew.
Slowly they came around, and by the time I flew out expressed their jealousy at my ability to take off and fly.
And now they're doing it too. The flat I've rented for them currently contains nothing but a refrigerator (thanks Martyn) and my pesach dishes. Don't tell them that.
And with them on the plane will be my brave, warm brilliant friend Mia, who will also be my roomate once she lands. I'm really proud of her and am so happy she's joining me here! I was just looking at some online photos of her aliyah parties. Her friends clearly love her to bits...the party was themed kachol v'levan (blue and white -- the colors of Israel's flag) - they even had blue cake with white icing!
And looking forwards, I'm so excited about school. I found out yesterday that my acceptance is conditional on passing a certain level of Hebrew test. I'm a little nervous, though apparently I got above the required level on the test when I took it 2.5 years ago. Before ulpan, before living here, before anything. So I should pass. And things have been working out so well so far!
I was reviewing for the test and I came across an unfamiliar word. "L'hitmazeg" I had no idea what it meant. So I asked my boss. Her face turned a funny color and she looked at me weirdly. And then she asked why I wanted to know. So I told her. She regained her color and told me it was a clinical way of saying "to have sex". Oops.
posted by Noa at 12:49 PM
3 Comments:
Hope that all goes well - now that you have seen the place from the outside you must come in for coffee. Gilly
Hi Noa.
I'm the guy you bought the dictionaries from this week.
Maybe your boss thought you said, "lehizdaveg," with the same root as zivoog and zoog.
I enjoyed reading your blog.
Good luck with school, enjoy your parents and good luck helping them with there Aliya.
Noa, feel free to tell us how your parents' first few days went. We're not psychics, you know.
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