10 things I have learned in the last month...

Shalom from Israel friends!  This week we have officially been gone for one month- and time has FLOWN by!  I feel like so many things have happened in the past month- more transitions and hurdles then most people have in a year-heck, even years. I haven't been as consistent in writing as I had hoped to be (sorry!) but as things settle down I will get better!  Pinky promise!  For now, here are the things we have learned about life in Israel so far...

1.) Time and speed is suggested.  Have an appointment set for 1:00 pm?  Add the word "suggested" to that.  Because there ain't no one who cares about time out here (wow, was that the best-est english grammar sentence ever, or what?!)  Speed limit says 70? 90? Eff it- go as fast or as slow as you want.  Everyone else does.  It reminds me a bit of Mario Kart.  Its a go at your own pace, do your own thing, don't care about urgency kind of lifestyle. I love hate it. I love the chillax style of life, but sometimes they take it toooooooo far.  This will be further reflected in a little story in #3 below.

2.) Recycling is HUGE, trash cans are teeny.  Every corner has three bins- plastic recycling, paper recycling, and aluminum recycling.  Our actual trash can is the size of a large bathroom trash can (aka its small.)  Lee and I looked at each other and couldn't, for the life of us, figure out how that little thing would be enough to hold a week's worth of trash. Are we terrible people because we consume and throw away so much?  Then it occurred to us- when you recycle everything, there isn't much trash left over.  Our itsy bitty trash can is just right for the things we have left after we recycle. The other interesting thing on this topic is in regards to yard debris (leaves, tree clippings, grass, etc.)  Once a week, trucks come through and pick it all up- you just leave it outside your home.

Just takin' up the whole street

10 mins later- still there. Backing up traffic

3.) Piggy backing off of the above, I'd like to share a story that is so... Israel.  As I was leaving last week to take Ledoux to school, I turned down the street that heads towards the highway.  I made it about half down when I saw a huge landscape recycling truck that goes through and picks up landscaping debris.  He was taking up the entire street- the workers would put it into park, hop out, sweep up the debris, get back in the truck, drive a whopping 50 feet, and do it again with the next house.  I thought for sure once they saw me behind them they would move out of the way.  Nope.  They kept on their merry, debris collecting way.  So for the sake of time, I backed all the way down the street, and turned onto the next street.  I got about 3/4 of the way down this time and guess what? Yep. Another truck. Taking up the whole street.  Only this time there were cars in front of and behind me and we had no choice but to wait.  15 minutes later the truck made it to the end of the block so we could break free... but this is so indicative of the country.  No rush, no one is in a hurry, and no one really cares if you are.

4.) Cooking with gas.  We were surprised to find out last night, in the middle of making dinner, you don't have a gas line going to your stove that is fed from the gas company.  Want gas?  Go buy a tank.  So in the middle of making dinner the burners stopped working.  And thats how we figured out that its not gas like back home, but feeds off of containers like we use in our grills back home.  So we called the gas company and paid the extra 50 shekels to have a couple tanks delivered ASAP.  Fast forward one week, we finally got them. (After calling...again.)  Another prime example of no urgency.

5.) Meow! Cats are everywhere.  The un-official mascot of Israel.  When I say everywhere, I am not exaggerating. I promise I could look out my window right now and spot atleast one.  They roam the streets, the parks, the cafes... all over the place.  If you follow our Instagram (and instagram stories) you have seen the million cats of Israel.

6.) I miss my coffee pot.  Good luck finding a good old coffee maker.  Most people use an electric water boiler and instant coffee.  Or they have a full on espresso machine.  I priced the espresso machines- and as with everything in Israel, it is so expensive, I will survive off the disgusting instant coffee. And dream of Starbucks.  And coffee makers. And coffee creamer.  And pumpkin spice lattes, because if what I am seeing all over instagram is true- its that time of year again! Oh, and anything else related to coffee.  My mouth is legit watering.

7.) Customer service? Umm... whats that?  In the states, great customer service is expected.  Here, not so much.  We usually have to go find our waiter if we want refills or to order something, get our check, or ask a question.  We ordered Ledoux a chocolate milk last week as a little cafe, and it never came.  When we finally found our waiter, he said "we don't have that anymore."  No "I'm so sorry", "here is what we do have", etc.  This isn't limited to restaurants but also most stores- you can walk into a grocery store and the clerks are on their phones (while working).  Go to an appliance store and want to ask for a price?  Good luck hunting down someone to ask.  We have had a few instances where this wasn't the case, but for the most part- customer service has been pretty limited.  We also learned that tipping really doesn't exceed 10%- a waiter told us that anything more than that in Israel is too much.  (I thought it odd that the waiter told us that, but its his money, so whatevs!)

8.) Safety.  So many people freaked out when we moved here.  So many people made comments about the safety of Israel.  Those people are crazy.  I feel safer in Israel then in most places in the US, and WAY safer here then I did in London when we visited.  The presence of the Israeli Defense Forces is everywhere- we see them every day, everywhere we go. The security of this country is something the US and other countries could learn from.  Every time you drive into a parking garage, security guards check your car.   You go through metal detectors and have your purse/bag checked before entering stores.  The checks aren't invasive or intrusive in nature- they walk around your car, peek in the windows, some have little mirrors to check underneath.  I personally love that they do this. The IDF can be seen on every bus, train, cafe, and beach- and every citizen of Israel is required to serve for 2-3 years.  So when you think about it- everyone, everywhere- are trained Military personnel.  They are committed to the security of their country- which is pretty awesome.  The people of this country are proud to be Israeli- they work together to keep their country safe, and will protect it any cost.

I will have plenty more to say on this topic soon- I have been keeping the "american media" versions of news articles that I see pop up on MSN, CNN, FOX, etc. and am comparing them to what really happens out here.  The differences in reality vs. what you see/read is pretty distorted, my friends.  My eyes are really being opened to the ways in which the media chooses what you see, you believe, and you read back home- its pretty scary that we take things for face value without digging for what is true.

The Shuk Ha Carmel

Fresh Veggies everywhere

9.)  Materialistic things don't matter like they do back home.  There isn't an overwhelming "keeping up with the Jones" syndrome out here that exists like in the US.  I never thought I could live a month without Target, Gap, etc.  But guess what? I am still here! Even without the super cute new Gap fall line that just came out.  No one really cares about that stuff... and even if you do, theres no way to get most of it, so what's the point?!  I have the same 3 outfits on rotation- and there are days when I don't bother doing my hair and make up because the humidity will just melt it all off anyway.  Its pretty comforting knowing that its not about the newest bag, the cutest shoes, or the best hair- just come as you are.

10.) Its gorgeous out here.  If you have ever wanted to visit Israel- do it. Its incredible.  Its beautiful. even in the areas that aren't "beautiful", the culture and vibrance of the people is.  Its safe. Life is chill and slow paced. People care more about relationships than the crap you have. Stop letting your fears define what you do- and live life- and when you come visit, just make sure you come with someone that doesn't have anxiety with driving and parking :)

Ledoux's Israel School

First day!

I wrote this from Ledoux’s new school- and I am so thankful that I can be in her classroom until she feels comfortable enough for me to leave.  The class policy is parents can stay as long as they like- and they actually encourage it.  Only a handful of the parents have done it- which surprises me- but most of the students are probably pretty used to change (being they are all international expats). Ledoux still needs to know I am present, even if she cannot see me, so I grab coffee in the cafe upstairs, have a seat in the garden, and wait until class is over. (Its only half days the first two weeks, which is nice).  Today she has only popped over to see my face once.  This makes me very happy, as it means she is starting to adjust to her new classroom. 

Play area

Another play area

Chicken/Rooster coop

The campus is Prek- Senior year and is absolutely gorgeous. The school is an American school, meaning they celebrate American holidays and follow the American school calendar but also observe all Israeli Holidays, and everything is in English. Green gardens everywhere, a swimming pool, a workout room, cafeterias, and a library.  There are open swim times so we can bring Ledoux to go swimming, and we can go to the library anytime to check out books and bring them home.  About 600 students total on campus, made up of different countries, cultures, and beliefs.  In Ledoux’s class, we have a student who just moved from Vietnam and knows no english, a student who just moved from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, a couple Israeli children, an Aussie, multiple children from Europe and Japan, and a couple of us Arizona-ans. (And I am sure more that I don't know yet!)  There are 3 teachers and 19 children, so ratios are pretty good.  

The "bus"

Waving bye to me! (tear!)

The school offers transportation throughout Tel Aviv and surrounding areas on busses.  The little kids are on busses only for preschool- 1st grade with only one stop- about 1/2 mile from our house (it is the reason we chose the home we did!) The bus picks up at the spot every morning and goes directly to the school (about a 15 minute drive) and returns to that same spot in the afternoon.  No other stops, which I love. We eased Ledoux into taking the bus- and she LOVES it.  I had in my head that the bus would be like in America- big yellow busses.  I was terrified at the idea of my child taking the bus at her age, but almost all of her class takes the bus.  And its not your typical bus.  The children have full on motor coach/touring busses- air conditioned, the most comfortable seats with seat belts, and the sweetest old Israeli man that is the bus monitor.  He knows all the little ones names, greets, them, hugs them- its a great way to start and end the day. There is no doubt riding on the bus is probably safer than me driving- busses get to drive in their own lane so crazy drivers and traffic is never an issue.  I think I know it is harder for me. Seeing my baby board a bus makes my mama heart sad and happy- sad she is growing up so fast, but happy and proud of how independent she is learning to be.  When she gets off the bus, we sit by the beach and have a snack before walking home. Its a nice way to end the day, and she always has a story to tell me! Yesterday, it went something like this:

Ledoux: Mama, I need to go home and have my diarrhea!
Me: Your Diarrhea? Is everything ok? Does your tummy hurt? 
Ledoux: Yes mom, my friend has diarrhea and I need it too!  I have it at home, I need to see it!
Me: How do you know this? 
Ledoux: I have diarrhea at home mama, I will show you!
--we run into the house, thinking she needs to use the potty and my mind is freaking out thinking she is sick (and also wondering why/how she knows her friend has diarrhea?!)
Ledoux: See mama, here is my diarrhea! (As she comes running out of her room)
Me: Oh my goodness, you mean your DIARY!

Turns out, she and her friend talked about their DIARYs on the bus- and Ledoux couldn't wait to come home and write a story in hers, just like her friend does.  LOL!

Her actual classroom is a true Reggio program- child directed and play based.  The have a garden (they are going to be planting flowers and veggies in a couple weeks) and will tend to it, and eventually, prepare some of their foods as a class.  They also have a chicken coop and roosters- and you can hear the roosters from anywhere on campus.  They have weekly dance (creative movement) and yoga classes (how awesome is that?!) and trips the library.  Their snacks are fed family style- and are a variety of local foods and they can try- and everything is served on glass plates, bowls, glasses, etc.  Its such a fun, progressive environment.  One teacher is from England, another from Boston, and a third from somewhere in Europe but was a student in the school years ago.  She loves her teachers, and I do too.  They are always on the floor interacting, talking, and engaging with the children.  They are super responsive to parents- and have a blog that they use to update the parents (and grandparents, wink wink) with whats going on in the classroom.  Last week, she was so excited that they she got to go to the "movie theater" with her teacher.  Turns out, it wasn't a movie theater, but a school assembly and the pre-schoolers got to go. It was a pretty big deal to her!

Quiet time- Ledoux is in the bottom left corner in the green dress- not napping of course :)

Lunch time is in the cafeteria where the children have a menu and meals prepared for their class every week, or parents can choose to bring their lunch.  I am pretty excited to not have to make lunch, not going to lie!  I chose to have Ledoux each lunch at school- to encourage her to start trying some new foods.  After lunch is quite time- only 45 minutes where they can take a snooze or read books on their mats.  Since Ledoux is pretty anti-nap (sad mommy face!) she will enjoy being able to choose to do some quiet activities.

First day coming home on the bus!

Brought a library book home!

Last, I am the room parent! Woot Woot!  Not sure what this is going to entail or what I have gotten myself involved with, but I am happy to be able to be involved in her class.  The director asked if I would help in parent involvement in the classroom, and helping with some workshops to bring parents together, and I obviously was thrilled.  I have two loves in my life- recruiting and early childhood.  Glad I get to be involved in one still! 

On a final note: I think I want to be 4 again and go to Ledoux’s school.  Plus, riding that bus looks dreamy.

We aren't in Kansas anymore...

Our first Shabbat in Israel, spent at the beach. Look at how the sun came through the clouds!

Its been 1 week, 2 days in Israel, almost 2 weeks since we left the US, but who is counting!  First of all- sorry for the radio silence over here.  As you can imagine, moving across the world is a bit hectic and I haven't had a spare second to sit down and write.  Things are settling down, at least a bit, so I am finally finding time to do a quick update.  I have a million things to write about already, but I have plenty of time for that.  For now, a quick hello and updates will suffice :)  We haven't done any exploring yet, but that will come soon.  First off, some photos from our stop in London on our way to Israel below.  We will definitely be making a trip back to there to stay longer- 2 days was not nearly enough!  We decided to make it low key- with a jet lagged baby doing organized tours with long days was going to be too much, so we bought a 48 hour bus pass for the double decker busses and headed out to the Tower of London (where she insisted in wearing a princess dress, of course!)  Our hotel was across from Big Ben and the London Eye, which was the perfect location for our first trip to the city.

We got into Israel early in the evening last Wednesday.  Since our house had nothing but furniture, we had to make a very quick trip (with a very tired baby) to get basics- like sheets, towels, cups, etc.  Since there is no Walmart or Target (insert sad face), our only option was to head to IKEA.  Turns out, everyone in Israel shops at Ikea, eats at Ikea, plays at Ikea, and wanders around aimlessly at Ikea. Its everything we know Ikea to be, but combined with the chaos of Walmart (screaming kids, people everywhere, parking lot chaos)...  It doesn't sound nearly as comforting as I write this, but I think Ikea  may end up being my new Target.  I gotta hold on to whatever familiarity I can find out here, and for now, Ikea is it.

The next day, we had our first Israeli grocery shopping experience.  It wasn't nearly as dramatic as I had made it out to be in my head for week's prior, but still a culture shock.  The market was very small, and we had to guess what a lot of things were (based on the pictures on the labels).  Even more interesting was getting home, realizing not only were we unsure of what the food was, but also unclear on how to cook it.  Instructions are in hebrew.  Then, when we decided to "ballpark" the cooking instructions, we realized we also had no clue how to use the oven/stove.  Sigh.  Since then, we have found some much larger "super markets" not far from the house that are a bit more familiar and have sort of learned how to work the appliances.

We also had our first experience at the Israeli pharmacy.  I started getting a nasty sore throat and migraines the middle of this week, coupled with stress and anxiety of adjusting to life over here, and I was sick sick sick.  Not sick enough to go to the doctor, but in need of some meds.  So off the the "super-pharm" we went. Not comforting not knowing what any of the medicines say, or that the pharmacist speaks very little english...but he gave us some meds, and we are back to feeling better.  On a side note, finding doctors for "private" healthcare isn't super easy either- as Israeli citizens have government healthcare (Maccabi or Clatit) and most doctors operate under one of those programs. Luckily, the US Embassy has a list I can use, as well as some referrals I have found on the Israel Expat forums.  I found Ledoux a doctor (he actually does house calls, how awesome is that?!) but am still working on one for Lee and I.

New friends from school

We also brought Ledoux to her new "other" school for a meet the teachers/students day. Suffice it to say she didn't take to the new environment quickly.  I didn't expect her to.  Ledoux is cautious at first... she takes her time, she analyzes the situation, and is sometimes slow to join in until she is comfortable in new environments (much like me).  It is going to take more time- but the next couple weeks are "transition" weeks in her school.  It will be half days, and the parents can stay as long as needed, in the classroom, until the children are comfortable.  That will (hopefully) be enough time for her to be good. The program itself is a Reggio program, which I really love, and I think once we get through the first couple weeks its going to be an amazing experience.  Once Ledoux is settled, we will all start to feel settled.   She misses her other school and her other friends, and I got tears in my eyes when her "other" teacher, Miss McKenzie, wrote us to say hello.  We did meet some of her new classmates, and have spent time with them outside of the classroom, so I am hopeful that will also help her ease into the new class.

I asked Ledoux about how it is going so far:

Favorite thing about Israel?  I like that my toys are here and the parks. I also like the grass that lives here.
Miss about Tucson? My BG and Opa
Look forward to doing in Israel?  Going to the swimming pool with my friends at the new school (her school has a swimming pool with open swim on the weekends)




From there, every day has been full of experiences.  This past week has been one of a lot of ups and downs, for all of us.  Ledoux is doing well, but you can tell at times she gets uneasy or anxious about the change.  We talk about it, reassure her that her feelings are normal, and focus on the good (which there is ALOT of!) We have some awesome parks (see above!), the beach, and a really awesome country to start learning about.  We miss waking up and going to starbucks, shopping at Target, and all of the other "american" things we loved, but cannot wait to start exploring the country soon.  Annnnd... we will be back in October- which makes us happy!  I will start blogging more consistently after today, I promise!  In the meantime, I post ALOT to Instagram and Facebook.

So.... we're moving!

Hi friends!  The cat is officially out of the bag, and as expected we are getting a million questions! 

a picture of Herzliya, our new 'hood

                                       


So wait, what? You are moving...where?

• Israel.  More specifically, Herzliya Pituah, located just north of Tel Aviv.  Its a gorgeous coastline city that is steps from the Mediterranean. More info on Herzliya here.  We have a house with PLENTY of room for visitors (hint hint) and a yard for Ledoux (when you live in AZ grass is something to be very excited about!)  Best of all, we are a 5 minute bike ride/walk to the beach.  We are 15-20 minute bike ride from Tel Aviv, and about a 45 minute drive from Jerusalem.

OMG, its like...the Middle East!  I have heard things about Israel, aren't you scared?

• Short answer: Naw bro.  We aren't scared.  And for the record, please stop believing everything you see on the news. Until you visit somewhere and see for yourself, don't believe things you "hear".  Terrible acts of terror happen everywhere- if I was moving to Brussels or Paris or Orlando, would you ask me that?  Google crime in Tucson.  The more appropriate question might be "aren't you scared to live in Tucson?!"  Short answer: South Tucson makes me more nervous than Israel. (Grant and Alvernon... anyone?) <-- Tucson people get it.  And a side note, unless you have actually visited and spent time in Israel, please don't feel like you should make comments about what you "hear" or believe to be true.  Experience stuff yourself, not through what the media wants to you to believe.  (Had to put that, we have gotten some interesting comments from people who can't even point out Israel on a map).

There is a lot of turmoil over there, does that freak you out?

• Sure, I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me nervous to leave my happy bubble and move to another country- especially one that is in between some countries that have some major security and defense issues.   The majority of conflicts in Israel stem from either land or religion.  First and foremost, there are multiple religions that believe certain areas in Israel belong to them and their religion. Second, Israel has struggles with the bordering Palestinian 'state' essentially over parts of land that both claim to belong to them.  This has caused heightened tensions and attacks happening along those borders.  Like anywhere, you avoid the areas that have the highest potential for issues- although tourists/non Israelis are not targets.  Also worth noting, like anywhere- Palestinian people don't want conflict anymore then Israel. There are a lot of layers to the conflict over there, but its the extremists that are what we hear about- and those people can strike anywhere, regardless of location. At a certain point, you have to either choose to live life or live in fear.  I am choosing to live life, experience life, and learn.  So yes, I get nervous- but I'm not nervous about living in Israel, I am nervous about raising my daughter in this world of ours where terror is becoming more prevalent everywhere, almost something that is normal these days.  That is scary.  But it won't keep me from taking advantage of this opportunity to show her the world outside of Arizona. 

Do you have to wear a head dress?  Do you have to convert to the Muslim religion?  Do you have to learn Arabic?

• Israel IS NOT an Arab-Muslim Country. I repeat: IS NOT.  Israel is over 75% Jewish, and Hebrew is the spoken language  Lee and I will both be given 100 hours of language classes, so we can get a basic understanding of the language, however most everything is in both English and Hebrew and almost everyone speaks both languages. Ledoux will no doubt pick up Hebrew faster than Lee and I combined.

So what are you doing there exactly?

• Lee got an amazing opportunity with GE/Dowty, and has travelled quite a bit since February.  He will be working with the Israeli Airforce, and will be helping to work/train on a specific area within Aviation.  I could go into more detail, but I will probably mess it up and confuse everyone, so that is the easiest way to explain it.  
• As for me (Becca), this is the first time in my life I will not work.  For anyone that knows me, you know I always have a million irons in the fire, and going from multiple jobs to no job will be... interesting.  I am devastated to leave my day job that I am obsessed with (in a good way!) and teaching at night that I love, but when I think about the opportunity I am being given, it makes my heart happy.  Being able to spend time with my baby while she is still little is a gift in itself- I just hope I can handle this stay at home mom thing.  Eek! Stay tuned, I am sure I will find a side hustle eventually.  Until then, I plan on being a part of Ledoux's school and enjoying my little family with no distractions.

What about Ledoux?

• Ledoux has been the first and only concern in making this decision.  Luckily, Ledoux will be attending the American International School- an incredible Reggio preschool program.  The school is preschool-12th grade, so there will be a seamless transition from prek to kindergarten (even though I have 2 years before I have to worry about that!)  I have no doubt it will be hard at first (for all of us), but what transition is easy? 

How long will we be there?

• 3 years.  Towards the end of that contract, we will be able to choose where our next destination will be (depending on business need, of course).  It could easily be another international destination (likely in Europe) or we could choose a stateside location.  There is no telling right now- but the idea of living Europe doesn't completely bum me out :)

What about your house/car/motorcycle/furniture/etc.?

• Our house in Tucson will be used as a vacation rental/short term rental (there is another page on the blog all about that!)- and will be leaving all of our furniture, etc. in the house.  (If you know anyone who wants to visit Tucson, holla at me!) The link to our rental is here.  The company pays to ship a crate out to Israel- so we will ship clothes and Ledoux's toys out there. The motorcycle is for sale, but we are keeping my car for when I come back to visit. Since we will come back for extended periods of time, I wanted to make sure we had our house, our furniture, and our car.

And of course, and most important, do they have a Target? A Starbucks? Amazon Prime 2 Day Shipping?

• This will be the hardest of the transition for me.  We will have none of the above.  OMG.  Where will I shop online after a bottle of wine? Where will I go when I am bored? #Americanproblems.  Luckily friends, there are lots of malls. And coffee shops. And 3 IKEAs (flashback to college days and cheap furniture!) But life in Israel (and probably lots of other countries) just doesn't focus as much on the materialistic things.  I am actually excited about this.  Buuutttt don't get it twisted... when I return, my shopping will be fast and furious from months of missed sales and deals.  Look out Black Friday. (And yes, I will be in America for that holiday).  And yes, to me, it is a holiday. 

Feel free to ask me anything!  This little blog will be our way of documenting and showing what life is really like over there, and also a way for us to share our stories and pictures with friends and family back home! We plan to do ALOT of travelling- both in this gorgeous country and also all over Europe whenever we can.  When else in life can you buy round trip tickets to Greece for $100? Or Spain for $250?  PS: Did I mention we have plenty of room for visitors?  If you have ever wanted to see this side of the world, now you can- without having to pay for a hotel! I will only charge you in wine.