Sunday 7/30: Left Minneapolis. Flight to Chicago was delayed because of storms in Chicago. I arrived in Chicago at 3.22pm and my flight for Germany was scheduled to depart at 3.25pm. As I was jogging for my gate the airport loudspeaker crackled: "Passenger Kim on Flight 300, please come to gate B-17 immediately. We are holding the plane for you." Lufthansa flight attendants greeted me with disdainful glares as I boarded.
Monday 7/31: First day in Israel. My first view of Tel Aviv as our aircraft entered from the Mediterranean side of the country was gorgeous: white sandy beaches, clear Carribean-looking waters. My 2 checked bags were left behind in Chicago, then in Frankfurt, because of the short layovers. Lufthansa gave me 400 shekels (just under $100) as consolation. Arrived in Tel Aviv w/ the new high school math teacher, Hellen, from Brooklyn. We were picked up two teachers from the school, went grocery shopping, settled into our apartments, then attended a welcome BBQ at the superintendant's home. Met a bunch of the other new teachers and their families.
Blurry picture of my half of the dinner party.Went home, fell asleep on the couch at 10pm, woke up at 3am, went back to sleep at 6.
Tuesday 8/1: Walked over to the school w/ another new teacher (MS ELL), Wendy, who spent the last 2 years in the Philippines. Explored the school superficially, met with the HS principal, had my baggaged delivered from the airport, then went to lunch at a bagel place w/ 2 new teachers, 2 old. Went shopping all day, visited apartments, then spent my first night out at a beach bar. Ate lots of great Israeli food-- hummus, falafel, baba ganoush, vine leaves, chicken schnitzel, and passion fruit margaritas.
At the beach.Wednesday 8/2: First day of orientation. Toured the school, talked logistics, and met ALL the new teachers, who range in age from 21 (me) to ~60 (I didn't really ask). The new teachers are mostly American-- there is one New Zealander/Israeli and one Belgian/Israeli-- but arrived in Israel from places all over the world: Bangladesh, Berlin, the Philippines, Brooklyn, Seattle, Ecuador. Everyone is very friendly and outgoing-- they're an easy group to get to know, and incredibly interesting and intelligent people. That night, went out to a BBQ at another teacher's house.
Thursday 8/3: Second day of orientation. This was a fun day. We drove up north (not to Haifa, don't worry), stopped by an aqueduct built 2,000 years ago by the Romans that travels west from Mt. Carmel to the seaside town of Caesaria.
Our tour guide, Joel, and the aqueduct.
More aqueduct.
Then, we stopped for lunch at a cheese shop in this town up near Mt. Carmel that has been passed down for 3 generations. By far the best cheese I have ever had. I bought 400grams of this sheep's milk cheese.
The man who makes the amazing cheese.
Surveying ancient mosaic en route to Caesaria.
(Reconstructed) Ancient amphitheater in Caesaria.
Side entrance of amphitheater.
Ruined remains of King Herod's palace pool.
Distant view of ruins of Caesaria.
Ruins.
More ruins.
Wedding photo shoot at Caesaria.
Lunch at Caesaria.
Ancient burial caves in Kfar Shmaryahu (my city).
Sabras-- the national fruit. Israelis are said to like sabras-- prickly and sharp on the outside, sweet and soft on the inside.
Sunset on the Mediterranean coast.
Thursday 8/3: Second day of orientation. This was a fun day. We drove up north (not to Haifa, don't worry), stopped by an aqueduct built 2,000 years ago by the Romans that travels west from Mt. Carmel to the seaside town of Caesaria.
Our tour guide, Joel, and the aqueduct.
More aqueduct.
The man who makes the amazing cheese.Next, we traveled to the excavated ruins of the ancient seaport of King Herod and dedicated (in name only) to Caesar, and changed ownership multiple times to various Roman rulers and the Crusaders, to name a few. It was so amazing to walk on paved stones put in place by the Romans thousands of years ago and to stand in the ruins of King Herod's palace.
OK, there is just too much to explain. Here is a photo collage of the rest of the trip:
End of the aqueduct along the Mediterranean coast.
Other side of aqueduct.
Through the aqueduct to the sea.
Up close.
In the sea.
OK, there is just too much to explain. Here is a photo collage of the rest of the trip:
End of the aqueduct along the Mediterranean coast.
Other side of aqueduct.
Through the aqueduct to the sea.
Up close.
In the sea.
Surveying ancient mosaic en route to Caesaria.
(Reconstructed) Ancient amphitheater in Caesaria.
Side entrance of amphitheater.
Ruined remains of King Herod's palace pool.
Distant view of ruins of Caesaria.
Ruins.
More ruins.
Wedding photo shoot at Caesaria.
Lunch at Caesaria.
Ancient burial caves in Kfar Shmaryahu (my city).
Sabras-- the national fruit. Israelis are said to like sabras-- prickly and sharp on the outside, sweet and soft on the inside.
Sunset on the Mediterranean coast.
3 comments:
The pictures of the ruins are awesome. When I get to Israel, I want to go there.
AMAZING
I actually said that
Post a Comment