Field Trips and Sandstorms

"Oh the weather outside is frightful..." but not in a way I've ever experienced before. You see, in the desert, since it doesn't precipitate, it sandstorms instead. Today, we are privileged with such a delightful event, and oh is it a doozy. A fog of sand has descended on my Kibbutz, and one can hardly see 10 feet ahead. I was going to shower this afternoon, but there really is no point being as I'd walk outside the fine tan powder would stick to my damp skin and hair like glue. Walking outside is completely miserable in general. I have sand in my eyes, sand in my throat, sand in my hair, and a light dusting of sand all over my skin and clothing. The sand blows across entrances and window panes, blowing under and around doors and settling on window panes. This truly is one of the most irritating weather phenomenons I've experienced.

On a happier note, today is election day! On my way to lunch, I got mauled by children asking me (in Hebrew of course) to vote for Kadima and take a sticker saying I'd done that. I tried to explain, with my limited vocabulary, that I was a tourist and unable to vote, but I just ended up saying I didn't know Hebrew so they'd let me pass. I'd like to respond briefly to a comment on my previous post. While it looks highly unlikely that Lieberman will win (there's really slim to no chance of him being the next Prime Minister), his party could become the third biggest, giving him more say in the Knesset, a role in the new coalition government, and the right to demand one of the three major cabinet positions (which include finance, foreign affairs, and.... I forget the third). Every vote really counts because each party gets a percentage of seats in the Knesset based on their percentage of votes. Right now, it looks like it's close between Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni to be the next PM, with Netanyahu leading slightly in the polls. We should find out the results in a day or two, and then there will be weeks or months before the new government has fully coalesced.

In other news, my Ulpan class went on a field trip yesterday. We planted trees in this nature reserve near the West Bank, hiked to ruins of a Byzantine church, and then went to the Israeli Air force museum in Be'er Sheva. When we were planting the trees, we also went to this lookout and saw "The Green Line." This marks the separation between the original Israeli boundaries and the territories acquired in the 1967(?) war. Also known as the division between the West Bank and the State of Israel. During WWI, the Ottomans deforested the whole of Israel for fuel and in order to build a railroad to Egypt. When European Jews started arriving here after the first World War, they set to work planting forests all over Israel. Every tree in this huge forest we visited was planted there. The Green Line takes on a new meaning, because on the Israeli side of the line there is a forest and on the West Bank side, it is entirely Barren. So it is literally a "green" line. The first Jews to start this were Eastern European and had in their minds an image of forests in Europe. They planted trees that were not native to Israel. Although the trees are able to survive here, the needles they shed have caused a number of forest fires. Now, they plant pistachio and other trees native to the area. When the Jewish people got here, they planned to stay here eternally and their work on the land reflects that. Planting is a sign that means "we've invested in this land and we're not going to desert it."

Today was perhaps my last day of work in the beloved laundry of the Kibbutz. I've grown quite attached to the place and the work. It's relaxing to sit and fold clothes all day, and I've gotten to know all the other women who work there. My boss, Dafna, is super nice and easy to work for. At first, no one really spoke to me that much, but since they see me every other day, they've all started to talk to me more. I'm going to miss them. (Although of course I'll see them around the Kibbutz all the time anyway).

The exciting part is that I'm going to start working with children. Near Revivim, there's an absorption center for new Ethiopian immigrants called Retamim. They have a kindergarten there and they need help. The kindergarten is run by members of Revivim, so there's someone to drive me there and back. I start there tomorrow. I'm sure it will greatly improve my Hebrew, I just hope I can manage with my meager vocabulary... Either way, I'm massively excited. Wish me luck!