I arrived in Tel Aviv at 2:10 am and waited for the sun to come up, then took a Sherut (a shuttle-like taxi) to the school. I didn't know where I was really going and no one on campus seemed to know where the International school was either. But finally, as I was wandering around with my 100 lb. luggage, an Israeli offered to help me to the school and carry my luggage!
On Monday I went to bed at 4 pm and slept 14 hours.
I have a dorm with two Americans, Eric and Shifra, one Israeli, Hachmity, and an Arab-Israeli who I have yet to meet. I have my own room and share the two toilets, one shower and kitchen and living room with everyone else in the apartment. The place wasn't the cleanest when I moved in, but luckily my roommate Shifra shared my views and we decided to scrub it clean last night.
I got to wonder around the school and the perimeter all day Tuesday. And by wander, I mean be completely lost. Haha. I'm getting the hang of it now. But like Jerusalem, the layout of the school is a bit confusing and resembles nothing of a grid. Thank goodness for my roommate Shifra who knows this city, and the country, like the back of her hand. Although she's American, she spent the last year in seminary in Israel (which she got kicked out of-ha!), and has been here many times before that.
After my campus tour yesterday evening, we had an orientation and a shopping trip to get necessary items for our dorms. With how much time she's spent in this city, Shifra even knew the mall like the back of her hand!
And now today, I begin my first day of class. I'm only taking Hebrew courses, five days a week, for the next two months. Which will definitely be useful considering I know almost none.
Here are some photos from my dorm and the school. Excuse my amateur html formatting skills. I swear, I'll get better.
Kitchen in the dorm, view of Jerusalem from the front of school,
view from my dorm room window, view from my window at sunrise, my room!
