I don't think its going to open

Well I just got back from Mitzpe Ramon. I post a lot of my pics on facebook and not as many here because the internet isn’t always as solid. Well we hitchhiked there on saturday very successfully in like 2 hours. Its quite a chilly place up there over looking the cliff something like 900 meters above sea level I think. 

The first thing we did is find a cafe to eat and there was only one place open and it was close to one of the hostels we were thinking about staying at. I had a nice toasted sandwich and Nina got her food free because she found a piece of plastic in her food so  that was a interesting way to start our little trip.

We then were recommended by the people in the cafe to stay at The Green Backpackers hostel that was very close. So we went over there to check it out. It turns out that its this less than year old place thats really cool and cozy. Its like someones small house that they have lots of guests staying at. So after we put our bags away we headed to the Camel lookout and then along the scenic trail along the rim.

We then headed down a trail for about 20 mins before heading back to the hostel before dark. We some Ibex walking around in the residential area by the crater’s rim and just around town. We went back to the hostel and just chilled and “played” Scene-It Friends. We chatted with a German fellow who went out to get dinner with us. He is hiking around Israel and we exchanged thoughts on different hostels and places to go. We got back to the hostel and one of the owners was there to greet us and ask us about what we are doing in Israel and such because an employee named Spencer checked us in. His name is Yoesh and him and his girlfriend run the place and he has an american mother and speaks english like a native speaker because he basically his. 

We wanted to watch a movie so I found The Informant which is a good movie but builds slowly and if you are tired or english isn’t your first language it can be sleep inducing. While we were watching another guest came in. A girl named Jessica from London and we talked with her till we went to bed and we all decided to go on a hike together the next day after getting some falafel.

So we woke up and just got ourselves together and left for the food area of the town and we all got some 12 dollar falafel then went to the gas station for snacks. We then ascended on our hike to a place called “The Carpentry”. It took about two hours to get there and along they way we saw these amazing purples, yellows, and reds in the ground. I took pictures but in person its amazing to see such colors in the ground. The place we are to is also called prism hill and has these amazing prism formations that come up from the ground. We then after chilling for a but made our way fro the road and  after saying goodbye to Jessica we attempted hitchhiking back.

We walked for an hour and had no luck. Being four people for sure didn’t help and some guys in a van offered us a ride back into Mitzpe because chances of getting a ride might be better there instead of out in the middle of nowhere. So as soon as we got back the girls wanted to get food so we went back to the place we ate before to eat and refill water bottles. We then headed to the one exit road out of town in the direction that we wanted to go and tried to hitchhike from there and had no success once again and I got mud all over my shoes and they almost got stuck in the mud too so it was all going perfect. We were thinking about maybe taking a bus to maybe Beer Sheva or Eilat and then headback to Tzukim or a bus to Tzihor junction which was still far from where we needed to be but would of maybe allowed the owners to come pick us up. So while waiting for the bus a man pulled out of the gas station across from us and asked us where we were going and told us to get in. He said he saw us when he went in and decided if we were still there to help us out. So he was going to Eilat because he lives on Kibbutz Eilot and took us a little farther south but to the main road #90 because there would be more people going up our way than they we came on the way to Mitzpe. And like 2 minutes after we found a cab and he said 100 shekels to get us there and we hopped in and headed home after about 6 hours of trying to get back. 

On the last not for this post we had a fun party on Friday night where we ate in the Han and listened to some live music and then after hung out by the fire. Eariler in the day we worked on doing the final layer inside the Art room and I liked doing that part except sifting (swifting) the clay in the tubs because the wind blows it all away.

Now it bed time once all these photos upload so goodnight!

Bricks on Bricks

Well today me Liz and Rinat just made bricks all day. It was a struggle all day which kinda sucked. First people who made bricks yesterday didn’t pull them out of the molds so the were basically stuck in there and not usable and the area was a mess and it was a sucky way to start the day. At the end of the day we made maybe like 50 bricks I think but I had trouble trying to get the mix of straw, water and clay right for what Rinat wanted but she is kinda a perfectionist so it doesn’t bother me to much. I was so so so so so muddy today it was crazy at some point maybe I will get a picture of it. Like all over my face and in my hair and on my work clothes but almost a comical amount of mud. When I work I pull my hair out of my face with a bandana or a shoestring thing I fashioned for my self because I have never had this much hair and its easier to work like that.

We ate like a rice pilaf thing for dinner that was pretty good and once again had crepes which was awesome. We have to fix our chimney soon because a little smoke is coming through and yeah that it about it here really. They are building a little laundry area for us which will be nice and tomorrow is some sort of party here so we will see what happens with that.

This weekend we will maybe got to Mitzpe Ramon to see the crater so that could be cool...

Thats enough rocks

Well yesterday I pretty much just mixed mud in a cement mixer all day then just hung out in our common room so it wasn’t anything exciting except I think I finally have a hang on making the mud. We finished the layer on the new firepit bench and it looks really nice I should take pictures. 

Today me and Nina organized rocks on the bottom of the huts to hide the concrete blocks from the foundation. That was pretty boring but what are you gonna do. Later I helped Uri staple nylon plastic to Yoga area of the Han. After that me Uri and Yair made some mud bricks and that was that for work.

After work I showered then headed out on my hike to the top of the rock formation I was close to a few days ago. It took me about an hour and a half to get the top but I did it. There is a much easier way then I went but I’m not sure where to start. Its nice to be alone in the desert and also a bit scary to be surrounded by these big formations. I came back and then we prepared dinner for everyone. 

Right now we are just chillin and I’m thinking about making something sweet for myself and the girls want to make cookies but I don’t think that will happen.

So far I think its really interesting to be volunteering here. The owners are basically in the first few years of starting this business and we are helping it get started and make it more and more inviting. Its a pretty good deal for them to just have to supply shelter and food and get free work for their lodge. Its also nice for us because we get lots of spare time to hang out, talk, think, hike, and do whatever which leaves a lot of time doing nothing and going to bed at like 9.

Rinat and Yair’s dog Sassy is super nice and friendly and will play with anybody.

I have to clean/organize our living area today so I guess I will do that now...Shout out to Elizabeths’s Mom, thanks for reading!

I don't know but I've been told, the Desert Lodge is very cold

Well today after being awoken by the rooster i got up and was pleasantly surprised by the not so cold weather. Today I helped replace the compost toilets in the huts. you have to lift up a plywood door at ground level to reveal a crawlspace that at the end has a black bucket you have to pull out. Not the most pleasant work but not as bad as it sounds either. After our lunch I mixed mud for a curved bench we our making for a firepit area outside the common area for guests. We had to pickaxe some dirt to level an area for it and then arrange hay-bales in the right shape then put stones underneath each one. Then after the girls took the mud me and Uri were making and started to put it over the hay-bales. They almost finished and tomorrow we will use a new shipment of mud we got tonight. 

While I was working today there was a spot in one of the huts the had the final layer scratched away and I went to just touch it and there was a gecko hiding there and it was so cool. I captured it and after looking at his cool feet and showing people put him in a better spot. I guess today the animals were coming to me because when I took a little desert walk after work I saw a rabbit and before i could pull out my camera he was gone but nevertheless it was really cool. 

I got the internet to work on my computer using a usb stick thingy that belongs to Uri so thats cool i will only use it when i need to. Waleska made crepes tonight somehow and they were awesome despite me doubting her ability with our little kitchen. 

Now I am able to upload photos and such so i will take more and i will put them up. Tomorrow is another day of work but after I plan to hike up to the top of one of the rock formations that i found a path for today so thats the plan goodnight!

Eilat thats enough of you

Well today we woke up and walked the main boardwalk in Eilat for a few hours than got lunch at Moses. Its my favorite Israeli food chain. They have some of the best burgers but its kinda expensive so you have to watch out but still so good and made the trip worth it. 

We met up with some of our volunteer friends who came down to Eilat for the night to see the Coral Reef Nature Reserve because they get in free. We just hung out walked around and they eventually took the bus back to the kibbutz where they are staying. It was nice to see them. For most of them these nine or so people are the first people they met when they got here so i think everyone feels comfortable around each other. I think we will go and visit them one of these weekends because they seem to have the room to accommodate us while at the eco lodge we probably don’t.

Today the weather in Eilat was nice and sunny, so I hope that it warms up back in Tzukim because its not super cold there but just enough to bother. Depending on when we get back tomorrow I will take pictures of all the places and maybe a video. Well I don’t think I never need to come back to Eilat almost ever unless I have an actual good reason its just a tourist destination with nice scenery for sure but its kinda shitty overall in my opinion. Well thats it for now, here comes the first full week of work...

Early Days In Tzukim

            Well I’m writing this from my motel/hostel room in Eilat. I came here with Lizzy from Boston and Waleska from Honduras to visit on the weekend. now I have have worked really two and a half days at the Negev Eco Lodge Desert Days. Its been pretty cold these first few days to be honest. I spent the most of the first day with a shovel sifting earth to put in the cement mixer to make the mud mixture. I spent most of that day with Uri an awesome Israeli hippie who has been everywhere and loves Arak. He told me he believes in aliens and once met one in Yosemite National Park or at least he is almost positive he did. I also helped him make some of the mix which I still find a bit tricky. Nina  from the Czech Republic makes me laugh. She is just negative about everything in the funniest way to me. She is super nice and is brutally honest but not in a mean way. Her and Uri offset each other great and makes more fun and funny conversations after long days of work with our tiny fire in our little community room. 

            My second day of work I got to make a lot of mud mix because we were working on scaffolding putting a second layer of mud on the art room. I was not so good at doing that part and Rinat (one of the owners) said boys always have trouble with that part. So I just made mud and lifted up buckets to people on the scaffolding. A few of the families and their kids came over to where we were working to watch and the kids wanted of course to help and play with the mud. The families are mostly Israeli and have been very nice so far. We also made some mud bricks to which turned out not so bad. At the end of the first day we went to the top of this hill where they put a couch to watch sunsets which is really nice. I will take a lot of pictures of where I am and am working and I plan to make some walks and hikes into the wilderness in most directions except for towards Jordan cuz the border is like 1 mile away.

          We worked a half day today moving hay bales to make a makeshift fence and I went with Uri and Yair (the other owner) to grab rocks and boulders to line an entry road and to mark out some areas by one of the huts. I am doing lots of physical work which is good and I will probably be a bit stronger when I leave without too much effort. We have the next two days off and we are in Eilat and might meet up with some of the other volunteers we met in Jerusalem. Its nice to have internet now so I want to respond to people as much as I can now. Well thats it for now more to come soon and I promise pictures of my desert oasis...

Day 1 in Tzukim

Well I don’t know when I will post these because the internet but i will try to write all the time.

Today I woke up showered got breakfast and walked with all my stuff to the bus station with the other volunteers. It sucked because they are redoing the sidewalk and I had to drag my suitcase over some gravel and such.

We got on our bus and it was like a 2 and a half hour ride from Jerusalem. We got dropped off at a bus stop that was pretty much the middle of nowhere. An american volunteer Matt came and picked us up and it was only like a 5 minute drive or less to the location. He showed us around and we met the owners and few other people. The scenery is gorgeous and I can’t wait to explore and hike around. The huts the guests stay in are pretty nice in my opinion especially compared to our little bedouin style huts but I have more room to myself here than in Maagan Michael. Matt had his last day today but there is Nina from Czech Republic and Uri from Israel also volunteering. They are both cool and interesting people. We hung out and watched Matt make food in this cast iron pot thing over hot coals. Our hangout area where we prepare our own food seems super cool and almost like a cabin atmosphere. You can see so many stars at night, its remarkable and completely mesmerizing. I tried the beer that a guy brews in the small town right next to us like a 10 minute walk away.I interacted with my first guest tonight, they seemed nice. Tomorrow is the first real day so i will have more to say after. I feel like its gonna be cold here during my time so we will see how it goes!

We Just Met Today

Well to catch people up I left Mike’s apartment last night and took a bus to Jerusalem to stay with my other friend who’s name also happens to be Michael. I met a man originally from the spanish speaking part of Morocco and he helped me find the light rail station to my friends place it was really cool. I woke up had some chai tea and was off to the hostel to meet up for the orientation. There are like 9 people, 3 of us are going to the desert eco building, 4 to a wildlife reserve, 1 to a hostel in Nazareth, and 1 is staying at the hostel here. Its all young people around the same age from Sweden, Germany, USA, and Honduras.

We all took a free walking tour of the old city which was nice except for the fact that it was really cold and windy. After that we chilled then got dinner together. We all met up in the common room later and participated in the pub quiz trivia as team. Everyone put in 5 shekels and there at least ten teams total but somehow we won haha! We got like 25 shekels each which isn’t a lot but its nice. Tomorrow is the day we head to our projects so should be exciting. I probably won’t have internet access all the time so thats the reason if I don’t respond to some sort of message or email right away.

On a totally different subject. I have been in Israel 5 and a half months....damn thats a long time! I’m going to spend two more months here so it will be close to seven when I’m done and my visa is good till April 5th. Today when I was with people who have never been to Israel before and are seeing these cool sites for the first time it reminds me how cool it was for me and why I like it here. I like the fact that there are some many kinds of places in terms of climate and some many types of people. Also when I was at dinner the other night with my friends I looked around and realized that I was with people from France, Russia, Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, and Israel. And that its almost impossible to have something like this in another country. 

Yeah I got Hebrew keyboard stickers too!

Well I guess I need to update my blog and perhaps the blog title because I FINISHED Ulpan Maagan Michael. I can’t believe five months past already. I met so many amazing people from so many places in such a short time! Somedays I wonder how I ended up where I am now after sitting on the floor of the airport waiting to get picked up on my first day here. That was July 27th and now today is January 6th. I won’t try to sum up right now the ulpan because its something so unique and special that I can’t even begin to do it. 

As for an update as whats going on now...right after the ulpan ended I stayed with my friend Sam’s family from the ulpan for about a week in Holon. I had originally planned to stay with my friend Shay’s family who I was with at the beginning of this trip/journey/thing but because of some seriously unfortunate circumstances I was not able to. I was treated so well by the family there and was lucky to meet such nice people. I wrote the mother a letter in Hebrew thanking her and she called me and said she loved it. I left there the other day because their daughter was coming back from the army for the weekend and there probably wouldn’t have been room and I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. 

Right now I am very lucky that my friend Mike is letting me stay with him in his family’s place in Tel Aviv. today he showed me around the artist market the shuk hacarmel and other places nearby the apartment. I cannot stress how lucky I am to have friends and people to stay with. I am going to volunteer at an eco lodge toursit place in the Arava desert for two months and I hope that will be fun. I was able to get my visa extended for 3 months so i can legally be allowed to be here so that is nice. I have some days here where I can think about where I am and what I want to do in a general sense. Well I plan on just chillin in the apartment tonight but I hope everyone had a Happy New Year!