Heading to Haifa and First Day

So, my adventure is beginning. I spent my final day in California at the beach. I lectured myself on the importance of not getting water in my ear before a flight, and on not getting sunburned before the long traveling and change in scenery, life, etc.. Well, I didn't get water in my ear. *shrug* But my friend pointed out that my burned skin will help keep me warm on the plane (which is doubly good as, after great debate, I decided to pack my coats away instead of bringing one with me on the flight...although sometimes sunburns give me chills. Hmmm).

I got home from the beach a little later than I'd planned, but the time in the ocean (in my jeans and T-shirt, since I'd already packed my suits) was so so worth it! We packed up the car with my three bags for checking, backpack and laptop bag for carry-on and head off to LAX. Halfway there I went to check my flight info on my phone...hmm, this purse is too big...can't ever find anything...well, it doesn't usually take this long to find my phone...I'm sure it's here somewhere...sigh...Sis, can you call my phone? Thinking over it while she dials...oh, I know where it is. It's in my car. At my parents' house. Sigh.

Thank goodness I have such a wonderfully flexible and empathetic (and travel-experienced) family. My sister stayed with me at the airport to help me check my luggage and keep in touch on her phone with my folks, while they drove back to their house, retrieved my phone (which our neighbor had confirmed she could see locked in my car), and returned in time for me to have 20 minutes to get through security and to my gate for boarding to start. J and I, in the meantime, took me down to the international terminal for some dinner, and made sure I didn't have too many liquids in my carry-on.

Security was a breeze, and I approached my gate with time to spare...to find out the flight was delayed over an hour! Haha. Well, I was glad that I hadn't stressed much over the phone issue. :-P Beth Moore recently reminded me that God gives us grace for our circumstances--not those we imagine. :-)

The extra hour allowed me time to call a friend in the northwest, who had some delightful stories of her life to update me about while I waited.

I didn't sleep much on the first leg from the west coast to the east coast, but watched the in-flight movie, "Date Night" which was entertaining.

The layover in New Jersey went surprisingly quickly between naps, a little work on the computer (still a lil groggy, so not much), reading, lunch, and logistics (charging phone and iPod, caring for a cut on my foot I got at the beach, nursing my sunburn and keeping hydrated/visiting the bathroom, exploring the airport a bit, buying and periodically administering airborne, organizing the papers in my carry-on, people watching (and over-listening to conversations), some more reading, drying my still-damp-from-the-beach jeans under the hand dryers in the bathroom, etc.).

It was quite exciting as I sat eating my lunch when I saw my gate's sign switch from the prior flight to China to the big orange letters declaring the next flight out of that gate (four hours later) was to be to Tel Aviv. I just about leapt out of my chair to go stand in line! And then I looked at the clock and continued eating, reading, and considering the way my fellow travelers at the next table conversed in this very unique setting.

In recognition of my sunburn, lack of sleep, and (even though I'm not feeling it) a probably higher level of stress than normal, I've taken a couple doses of Airborne (I packed EmergenC but didn't put any in my carry-on :-P), a vitamin water, a Cold Buster smoothie from Jamba Juice, and tons of water, moisturizer, lipgloss, and a dose of prayer. Let's see if we can sneak through unscathed...

It is always interesting to watch groups of passengers waiting for a flight, but I especially love the scene on international flights. The one from NJ to Tel Aviv was no exception. Such a variety of people come to Israel, reflected in clothing, languages, sense of personal space and social norms, eye contact, etc. On my way to the bathroom, trying to get through a crowd, I was suddenly very aware that I am a gentile female, and wasn’t sure how others felt about me brushing by them. I tried extra to not touch anyone, and avoided making eye-contact with males. Got through without any mishap that I recognized. :-)

I slept a little on the second flight, but also enjoyed a couple movies and episodes of The Big Bang Theory that I’d never seen before. Joy, rapture. ☺ I had been a little unsure what to say when I got to the passport check, but passed through there, picked up my luggage, and through customs in what felt like record time. Exchanged some money—then took it to the bathroom for a little privacy while I fiddled with it, figured out which bills/coins where which, and arranged it on my person the way I saw fit.

It was so weird to me that I’ve only flown into that airport once before, three years ago, but I totally remembered my way around—and even found myself looking for the guide that had led our trip back in ’07.

And I hadn't realized that the picture I've had as my profile pic for FB for a while is one that I took last time I was here! From a poster on the wall where passengers wait at passport control!

As I followed signs to the Sherutim (shared-shuttle) and Haifa, the driver spotted the lost American and pointed out where the van was waiting for more passengers. We loaded up my stuff, and I met a girl from Texas who is taking the same course I am.

We chatted a bit on the drive and marveled at how much Israel looks like California. When we first saw the coastline and shore I could have sworn I was at Monterey, except for the Hebrew and Arabic on every sign.

I felt foolishly over-packed, dragging my three bags behind me at check-in, but kept reminding myself that everyone else here is only here for a few weeks and didn’t need to bring winter coats, extra toiletries, etc. Still felt overdone. Oh well.

I had a few hours before the campus tour, so I unpacked and took a much needed shower (between last swimming in the Pacific, flying over the Atlantic, and landing beside the Mediterranean, and the moisture in the air mixing with that on my skin…you better believe the shower was a welcome sight as I peeked my head into the bathroom in my new home.). I will get pictures up soon.

My dorm room is a single, with my own room and bathroom and shared living room and kitchen. I haven’t met any of my suitemates, but there is some food in the fridge, so I suspect someone is around here somewhere…to access WiFi, it’s just a few floors up to a common room where I’m sitting now. I am so glad it’s nearby—and it will force me out of my room in case I start hermitting.

We had a tour of the campus that overloaded my brain a bit, but I’m sure it will all settle in soon, and that reminded me that I am now living on top of a mountain. I couldn’t figure out at first how I had gotten so out of shape in just two days. Then I looked out over the balcony and saw that the ground, and sea, were quite down in the distance. No one knew offhand the elevation. I will have to look it up later.

So far, so good. I am so grateful for all the info I learned from my tutor, who lived here a couple years before, and from the packets and orientations from the Fulbright administrators. It couldn’t have gone more smoothly. I’ll keep you posted as things go along. Tonight we have a tour around the city, tomorrow we have some more logistics, and then Wednesday we’ll start our first class. :-D