Certified Fitness Instructor

Okay so I know that I've been MIA for quite some time and the truth is I've pushed it back further and further thinking about the amount I have to write (a bit overwhelming) but I decided its finally time to update you guys.

Last time I wrote I was in the first week of my course to train me to be a fitness instructor. I have now completed 15 weeks of hard discipline, moving my body more than I've ever had (or wanted to), going to bed at 8 pm every night, and taking orders from 19 year old girls aka my commanders. Before I go onto explain where I am now and how I got there I'll explain a bit how the course worked and what I experienced throughout the 15 weeks.

In relations to exercise, because the course was filled with girls at all different levels of fitness (for example- girls who grew up their whole lives intensely into sports and girls like me...who just learned how to do a proper push up), the course started from the bottom and worked itself up. Because this is the army they had to go by a very strict workout plan that was supposedly supposed to avoid injuries and little by little show improvement. Honestly there were some weeks when we did only 1 or 2 workouts and wondered why they called it a fitness course. A lot of the girls who were used to working out on a daily basis before enlisting actually complained about getting out of shape which was hard to believe. Usually though, we would wake up at 5:30 and have some sort of work out at 6:00 am usually being a run. We were split up into running groups according to our levels. I'm not ashamed to share that I was in the slowest group (slow and steady does win the race after all). We started with running 2km and by the end of the course we ran 6km as a group. For those of you who don't speak kilometers 1 mile-1.6km.

After running our 6km as a course

Because this course also had to train us how to be good instructors, we spent a lot of the course leading work outs to each other. Besides the running we learned different kind of workouts and then took turns leading them to our groups. In the first week of the course we learned 4 different workouts that were usually a mix of strength exercises and aerobic exercises (butt kicks or high knees for example) and then we were each assigned one of the 4 and one by one throughout the course led our workouts. It was really good practice for instruction and speaking in front of a group of people.

Another physical part of the course is something called the bochan maslul which is an army obstacle course that all of the combat soldiers are required to execute. As part of our job we needed to learn not only how to do the obstacles but more importantly how to teach people how to do them. A lot of the placements in the army would involve being the fitness instructor of combat soldiers who need to learn how to pass the obstacles. The importance of the obstacle course is for combat soldiers to be prepared for when they are in battle. A lot of the obstacles are things that could easily be found in natural places and could cause problems such as big ditches in the ground, ropes that need to be climbed, things that need to be jumped over etc. For this reason the soldiers learn how to pass the course so they can know how to deal with the obstacle in real life situations.

The bochan maslul consists of 15 obstacles including a 3.5 meter rope to climb (no knots), a wall taller than me to get over without steps or ledges (obviously never succeeded), monkey bars, a balance beam, and more. From the very first activity we had with the bochan maslul my hatred for it began. It is maybe the single most frustrating thing in the world. We started just learning how to do each obstacle but then we had to do the test twice which is completing the whole course plus a 500 meter run before and after all while being timed and needing to do it under 12:30 in order to pass...yes, it's death. I knew from the minute i saw this thing that they would nto send me to ab ase that requires me to be anywhere near the bochan maslul.

Other than the physical fitness part of the course, there was also a huge section of learning. We started learning anatomy, physiology, and how to be an instructor in the gym including how to build workouts and the different levels of trainees that we might come across and need to work with. In the beginning I majorly struggled with the learning and the tests- 1. I hate tests in general 2. learning science in a language you just started speaking (while never have learned it in English first) is far from easy. By the end of the course I got the hang of it and succeeded in the tests with fairly high grades. I actually really enjoyed learning this material because I see now how useful it can be as a fitness instructor and just in general to have basic knowledge of these subjects.

The days in the course were packed- I was always exhausted and counting down the days until the weekend but I can't deny that it was an experience of a lifetime. Everywhere I go, no matter who I talk to, everyone tells me that in the army the most important thing is the people, who you spend your days with. The course helped me realize how true that really is. I met some amazing people who made the experience that much more fun (and easier). Besides the fact that most of them are at least 3 years younger than me we still keep in touch and get together as much as possible. I was lucky enough to have a few closer to my age--with me in the course there were 7 other lone soldiers also from Garin Tzabar but from different kibbutzim. Although I didn't really know them before the army we instantly clicked as a group of 8 just because it was so easy to relate to each other and to vent to each other in English when we were sick of Hebrew or the Israelis (culture clash got in the way at times). As much as I loved most of the girls I was with having the 7 of them there really helped and they are still the best to vent to even while we are all in separate placements.

The 8 Americans

At the end of the 15 weeks we had a Tekkes Sium Course (ending course ceremony). I was lucky enough to have my parents and grandma fly in in order to celebrate with me. Army ceremonies are very official here and celebrate finishing a meaningful period of time in your service so it was really important and exciting to share the day with loved ones including my grandparents that live here, amazing cousins, and my bestie Marissa who I had the honor of seeing throughout the semester while she was here abroad.. After the ceremony we had what is called "breaking distance" with our commanders. Throughout the 3 months we have been in distance with our commanders meaning they don't laugh or smile in front of us and basically we have a strictly business relationship. We talk to them about things related to the course and that's about it. So after the ceremony they stopped playing the part and let loose so we can get to know the real them a little better. It was weird at first but fun to all be together as a group without all the bullshit.

Group 2 together after the ceremony

A few days later we received our placements. The placement process works in a way that our placement is supposed to reflect our performance in the course- both how we performed physically and as instructors. They try their best to match us with bases that fit how we are as fitness instructors best. For example, if there is an opening for someone to be an instructor in a super elite combat unit, they try to find a girl who is at a fitness level high enough in order to keep up with them and instruct them. When the placement process started I realized that I wanted to be placed in the Air Force. I learned that being a fitness instructor in the Air Force is much more similar to working at a gym or a fitness club and much less army-like. There is a lot more studio work and gym instruction than there is running with soldiers in the fields (no thanks). I luckily got placed in the Air Force and was very relieved and happy to have gotten what I wanted. Out of about 100 girls that took the course 32 got placed into Air Force. We then all got sent together to a two week training to learn specific things we needed to know in order to be fitness instructors in the Air Force. We got certified to be spinning instructors and had a brush up on how to be an instructor in the gym because most of the Air Force includes a lot of gym work. After the two weeks we went through another placement process and finally got our final placements and permanent bases for the rest of our service.

I got placed in a base called Nevatim in the south of Israel next to a city called Arad. It is not far from my Kibbutz which is great and not too far from the center of the country. It is a HUGE base that also has a section where young families live (they are the families of the pilots on the base). Most of the soldiers on the base are technicians that work with the planes but there are also a bunch of logistical workers and others. I spend my days at the Ulam Sport which is like a mini JCC complete with a gymnasium, a gym, and two studios (one filled with bikes for spinning). The Air Force is known for having a lot of money and that is clear by their facilities. It is a beautiful base and a beautiful place to spend the next year an a half. I work with 4 other fitness instructors and a officer who is in charge of us. They are all great and it is a really fun environment to work with. We each have specific groups of soldiers that we are responsible for- we are supposed to make sure that each group comes to do at least 1 work out every week. Sometimes that includes me leading a work out for them and sometimes they want to just come use the fields or the gymnasium to play a sport. Besides that, we also split sitting in the gym when it is open to make sure everyone is safely working out and to help if anyone has questions. At night the place is poppin because everyone has finished their work for the day and they have time to come work out or hang out. Besides the gym being open, we have 2 classes that we teach each night- Zumba, Kickbox, Spinning, Aerobic Dance, Strengething. We split teaching those and since I am still knew I am still learning how to teach some so I haven't started teaching too many of the classes but I am hoping to change that ASAP!So far, everything has been great and I am honestly really loving my new place in the army.

Besides the Army, life is great. I am loving living on the Kibbutz and enjoy being with family when I visit my grandparents. I had an amazing time with my parents and grandma being here and I cannot wait to see them next--when I visit the states in July! More to come soon!

Let the Workout Begin

 Two weeks ago I started my 3 and a half month long course to train to become a combat fitness instructor. Our base is placed in an institute for physical education and fitness located in Netanya about a half an hour north of Tel Aviv. It is a beautiful location with an amazing view of the beach and the base itself is full of amazing facilities. There are around 120 soldiers in the course- 20 boys and 100 girls. We are all split up in to tzvatim which includes around 20 people. When we started the course we met our tzevet and our mefakedet (commander).

                If you ask any former IDF soldier for a tip before enlisting in the army they would probably tell you to never ever ever volunteer. I was told this many times by many people and I still haven’t learned how to stop volunteering. The first second I met my tzevet our mefakedet asked for a volunteer before she even knew our names. After realizing that everyone shot their hands up the minute she asked I reluctantly and hesitantly put my hand up as well. She looked in the complete opposite direction and then out of nowhere pointed to me and asked for my name. She then said I need to change uniform and go do kitchen duty for the whole first day of the course. So…that was a bummer and I think I finally learned why one should never volunteer.

                The first week we had a physical test that is called the Bar Or. It includes 86 sit ups, 48 push ups, and 2k run that you have to do in a certain amount of time. All soldiers in the IDF do this test a couple times throughout their basic training or course in order to keep track of their physical shape and see if they are improving. I passed the test but definitely need to improve and attempt to get more points on my next Bar Or. We learned 4 different types of work outs so far the first week which include different types of push ups, sit ups, and leg exercises. Our mefakedet leads the exercise for us and then teaches us how we would go about teaching it. This week they assigned each soldier in the course one of the four workouts that we have to learn in order to teach to our tzevet next week. I was assigned what is called emun gmishut which is a stretching and flexibility workout. I was a bit disappointed and stressed when I found out because this is the only one of the four workouts that requires the leader to talk the whole time in order to explain how to do each stress and which muscles the stretches work out. For Israelis it might be simple but for me when I am still improving on my Hebrew, it’ll definitely be a challenge.    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                This week we started learning the curriculum for the course starting with two lessons on Anatomy. Normally, the basics of anatomy wouldn’t be too difficult to understand and study, but again, in Hebrew it makes it more of a challenge. Once I get to know all of the words in Hebrew it’ll get easier but for now it is a bit of a struggle. On a positive note, the mefakedet was teaching us the words in Hebrew and also said the science words in English as well. One of the Israeli soldiers asked if we are going to have to know the English words for the test. Her answer was that the English words will be worth bonus points…that ensures me that if anything at least I’ll get the bonus points!

                So far I am really enjoying the course although I know it will probably be the hardest part of my service. I am looking forward to a challenge while learning and getting in shape…more to come soon!

You're in the Army Now

Sorry for the delay of a new post, but I figured it would be easier to wait until I was in the army for a sufficient amount of time in order to adequately express my experience so far. Since I finished basic training this past Tuesday, I figured it was a good time to attempt to share my experience of my first month in the IDF.

I’ll start with the day I enlisted…or actually, the day before my enlistment date. As most of you already know, I tend to be quite the worrier. I worry about everything there is to worry about and everything there is NOT to worry about. For some reason, I had this idea in my head that something would go wrong with my enlistment date, my job, or being in the army in general. I had a feeling that something would go wrong at some point and because of that I was in full panic mode for the two weeks I was in the country before enlisting. The day before my enlistment date I went into the nearest city closest to the kibbutz in order to take care of some last minute things. I was feeling so accomplished and independent when I had finished all I had to do and was back on a bus by 11 am thinking I had the whole day to pack and relax before heading to the army. Of course that didn’t happen, cause ya know things always go wrong at some point. On my bus ride back I got a call from the enlistment office in Beer Sheva (the closest major city to my kibbutz) saying that instead of showing up at the base where I was supposed to be enlisting from tomorrow I had to show up to the office because they are missing something from me. When I asked the man what it was I was missing he answered with “uhh…I don’t know a form maybe? Just bring whatever you have.” These are the experiences that remind me that the army is being run by 18 year olds. Naturally after calming down from panic mode, I made some calls and figured out that I had to go into Beer Sheva (about 45 minutes away from my kibbutz) that day in order to go have an interview that they forgot to give me for the past 2 months I was doing absolutely nothing in the country. I ended up going, doing what I needed to, and getting back to the Kibbutz at around 6pm…so much for having the whole day. Of course it ended up being okay and I enlisted on December 17^th, just as planned.

The day you enlist is by far the most exhausting and boring day one might experience. It consists of standing in millions of lines to do things that take 2 seconds including picture taking for your id, x-rays, finger prints, and the worst and most painful—3 shots and a DNA test. After a whole day of standing in lines we finally got our uniforms and got put on a bus to our base, of course having no idea where that might be. After an exhausting day I was just excited to get on a bus and take a little nap before entering  the army world…guess again…I had already entered without even realizing it. The minute we got on the bus I felt like my whole world changed. The first thing I heard was “phones off! Put the food away! Sit correctly—back straight and hands on your knees…mouths closed!” The 1 hour was spent learning and practicing how to count down correctly for when our commanders give us a certain time to do something. For example if they give us 2 minutes to get into two straight lines we would have start counting down by 10 at the 1 minute mark and do that until we get to 10 seconds. The first person on the right most line would have to “take in” the commander which is pretty much introducing the commander in a formal way. We would have to do that for EVERY thing we did no matter how long the time was. If we were given a 30 minute break we would have to get into position 5 minutes before the time in order to properly greet the commanders.

We learned from the first week of basic training that the next month might not be the most interesting or fun but would help get us used to the army. We woke up every day at 5 am, had to be downstairs ready to check and clean our guns at 5:30, and then had what is called misdar boker at 5:45. Misdar Boker is when the commanders would give you 2 minutes to pack up all of your stuff including your sheets and blankets and organize them in a very specific way. For example, your army bag had to first be against the wall on the bed, then followed by your citizen bag and whatever small bags you had would go on top. No straps from the bag were allowed to be seen and your mattress had to cover the silver edge of the bed frame. The commanders would come in and check that everything was in the perfect order including the towels we had hanging dry on the windows—they had to be in color order so it would look good to the eye, as the commanders would say. After cleaning the rooms and bathrooms and ate breakfast our day would actually start. We would have classes and lectures during the day on guns and other equipment that the army uses that is necessary for all soldiers to be familiar with, such as the walkie talkie radio system that is used to communicate with people while on guard duty.

                As I explained in one of my first blogs on the process of enlisting in the army, I learned very early on that the IDF includes a lot of waiting…that doesn’t change once you enlist. Throughout basic training which is four weeks long I think it’s safe to say that the amount of time we spent waiting is probably equivalent to about a week if all the hours were added up. To go into the dining room we would wait maybe an hour for each meal, to start a lecture we would wait a half hour, shooting at the shooting range would include waiting, as well as getting or returning our guns. Basically, if you’re thinking about joining the army, make sure you don’t mind waiting a bit.

 Although basic training sometimes seemed annoying and unnecessary such as organizing our towels by color, I learned why it’s so important to experience this step before going on with the rest of your army service. You learn all the general information that a soldier in the IDF should know and also how to act as a soldier in the IDF even though it might seem unnecessarily strict. Basic training is meant to shape the discipline of the soldiers in order to prepare them to act the way they should and represent the country the best way they can. Although we killed a lot of time by waiting or doing things I didn’t think were too important , I haven’t stopped feeling proud to be representing Israel from the minute I moved here and even more so from when I enlisted in the army.

After basic training ended we had a bit of a break before starting our course. I know have switched bases to start my 3 and a half month course to become a combat fitness instructor for soldiers in the army. More to come on that in the next post! 

Vacation from a Vacation

Although we haven't been working too hard here on the Kibbutz the last couple of weeks, the program still decided to give us a week off to do as we pelase with. Most people are getting ready to enlist into the army ether this week or next week so they wanted to give us time to travel a bit if we chose to do so before we signed off the next two years of our lives. We didn't have to work on the Kibbutz or even stay there for that matter but I decded to still go to daycare a couple days of the week since I really didnt have much else to do instead. Until last Wednesday all I did was relaxed, went to the daycare, ran, watched a lot of movies, and of course ate- all the necessary elements of a great vacation. On Wednesday, though, a couple of friends and I decded to take a short trip up to the north of Israel to visit some wineries, spend a night in a cabin, and just travel a bit. We rented a care which was awesome and took a road trip on up to what some would call the most beautiful part f the country. The North of Israel is ridiculously gorgeous and taking a visit reminded me just how true that statement is.

We started early Wednesday morning by driving up to the North which took a couple of hours. When we got there we stopped at a couple of look outs to really soak up the beauty of the Israel and it's surrounding countries in that area including Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. We then stopped in an area called Rosh Pina for lunch which is a beautiful residential area with restaurants and shops. After lunch we headed to some small wineries we had heard about. The first one was 3 person owned that had amini factory to tour followed by a wine tasting which was delicious. We bought a couple of bottles there adn then moved on to the next winery. We got the address to a winery that we had hearda bout from the first winery but as we drove up to the address we noticed that it was leading us to a house with a woman outside. We asked the woman if this was the winery and she respons with "you want wine?! No problem!". This winery was a small room next to a beautiful house overlooking the amazing north views of Israel. The wine was amazing and to knwo that this was a one man business made the experience that much more awesome. We also bought wine from this place and then moved ont o go to where we would be staying that night. My friend Ariel had found a deal on this place way up North called Sde Eliezer and thought it would be a good idea to try out. All we knew about this place was that it was a cabin and there was supposedly a jacuzzi. We got there and were amazed...the cabin was beautiful, clean, and new looking and the courtyard outside was peaceful and calm with a jacuzzi and sauna in the middle. We were so excited to drink our wine and relax in the "spa" after a long day of driving.

We decided to go back to Rosh Pina for dinner since one of my friends knew of a cool restaurant in that area. The ambiance of the restaurant was really awesome as it was made to look like you were eating in a cave. The food was delicious and we were the only ones there so it was a nice quiet couple of hours to just eat and chat. After dinner we headed back to the cabin and enjoyed the "spa" and wine we had bought earlier that day.

Thursday morning we woke up, packed up our things, and headed out of the cabins. Since we didn't have to be back at the Kibbutz at a specific time we decided to make random stops along the way home at places we thought looked or seemed worth our while. We made our first stop at a place called Ein Camonim which is a goat farm that produces goat cheese, milk, and yogurt and has a restaurant and store for people to enjoy the farms products. We decided to enjoy a nice breakfast there and were extremely happy with our decision. Cheese being my favorite food, I was in heaven. The goat cheeses were amazing and again, the atmosphere was really nice. The restaurant had an outdoor section overlooking the North which was a perfect place to start our day. We had heard about another goat cheese place that does some sort of performance about goat cheese and then presents the cheese to you to try but we unfortunately didn't call enough time in advance...so that's on the list for our next trip up north!

After breakfast we decided to take a drive to the Kinneret which is the body of water located in the North of Israel. We walked a bit along the border of the Kinneret in a town called Tiberius and visited a cemetary which is built along the Kinneret as well. Since we knew we had a long drive back we decided to make our way back but we went the scenic route so we can see Jordan along the way. Although it was short, it was an amazing trip and made me realize how much I really loved the North of Israel. I will definitely be making more trips there as much as I can.

Catch Up Time!

Okay so I guess I should first apologize for long hiatus I took from writing a blog post. My break doesn’t mean that nothing happened because A LOT has happened since I last wrote so bear with me because this is gonna be a long one!

I’ll start where I left off. Last I wrote I explained how the army process for girls works and how we have a day called Yom Hameya where we are tested on different skills so they can decide what jobs are most fit for us. After we complete this day we get what is called a Manila about a week or so after. Our Manila is a list of jobs that we are eligible for based on all the tests from Yom Hameya and Tzav Rishon. On the Manila there are two list of jobs. The first list includes jobs that are eligible to you that don’t require more tests or interviews and the second list includes jobs that do require more interviews/tests. We then have to fill out the top three jobs that we would want to do from each list and then we get invited to more interview or tests if we want a job from the second list. In my case, I wanted to go for a job from the second list so I had to go for more tests. The job I was trying for is called Hadricha Sport or Madasnikit in slang terms, which is a fitness instructor. Each soldier no matter what unit they are in has sessions with a Madasnikit a couple of times a week to stay in shape. The job of the Madasnikit is to plan fitness/work out sessions for the soldiers. In order to become a Madasnikit we had to pass a physical test and then have an interview. So I went to the try out or what they call the Miyun here. At the Miyun we had to do a specific amount of push ups, sit ups, and a running test to make sure we were in shape enough to do the job. If we passed the physical section we would be sent off to be interviewed where they asked you all sorts of questions including how often you exercise, why you want to do this job, if you have had any instructing/teaching experience, etc. I went to the Miyun on October 24^th and then had to wait a while to find out whether I made it or not. Luckily, I found out this past Tuesday that I got the job and I will be enlisting into the IDF on December 17^th! It was amazing news and I am so happy to finally have a plan of when I will be enlisting. Now I can just relax, work out, and soak up my last month and a half of my very much extended “summer” before I become a soldier.

Just to explain a bit more about what I will be doing once I enlist, starting on December 17^th I will be in basic training for about 2-3 weeks and then I will start my course which will be at a fitness and physical education institution north of Tel Aviv where I will be physically training to become a fitness instructor and learning related topics such as anatomy and physiology. The course will be around 2-3 months and after I pass I will be given a placement as where I will be instructing. Although it might be too early to say, I would like to be placed in a combat unit so I can help train combat soldiers to stay in shape as they serve in the army. So that’s my plan for the next two years…I’ll let you know how it goes!

Besides all of the army balagan (mess in Hebrew) everything has been great here at the Kibbutz. Instead of continuing to learn Hebrew I decided to volunteer in one of the day cares on the Kibbutz so I am now working at a Gan (day care/kindergarten in Hebrew) for the cutest little babies between the ages of 10 months-20 months. For anyone that knows me you probably could imagine how happy I am playing with cute, chubby, little babies all day long. So until I enlist I’ll be volunteering there for the mornings which will keep me semi busy.

Last week I had a really interesting experience with an amazing group of people. Project Return Ministries is a Canadian Christian organization that strives to help new Olim financially in order to make their Aliyah experience easier . Once you apply they set you up with a sponsor that is there for you to be in touch with for emotional support and also provides you with financial support. It is an amazing organization that has helped me and a lot of my friends in my group smoothly adjust to our new lives in Israel. For about two weeks many people from their organization have been touring Israel on what they call the Destiny Tour Experience. They invited the people who they have been sponsoring to come join them on their tour to meet the amazing people that make up their organization and to learn about this amazing country together. So I went last Saturday night with two other friends from my group to spend a night in the most incredible 1100 year old house in the old city of Jerusalem and then tour the regions of Judea and Samaria the next day. Judea and Samaria are located in what is now called the West Bank and is the place that most biblical stories took place. We started our tour at an amazing winery where we learned about the land and, of course, tasted delicious wine. We then went to a beautiful area for lunch in what the owner calls “the shack” with a ridiculously incredible view of the land in front of us. Our last stop was a settlement called Elon More where we were joined by a tour guide who explained the stories that came with that land. During the entire time I spent with our Project Return friends I just couldn’t help but think how lucky we are to have people who care so much about us and who greatly appreciate the big step in life we have taken. It was great to be surrounded by such people and I truly enjoyed me time with them!

Last week we had our Tiyul Giyus (enlistment trip) since most of the group will be enlisting within the next couple of weeks. We went to Eilat which is a vacation spot at the very bottom tip of Israel right next to Jordan and Egypt. We relaxed on the beach, rode ATV’s which was AMAZING, went on an afternoon boat ride that included a nice lunch and time to jump off the boat into the water, and just time to walk around the boardwalk and chill. It was nice to be with the whole group and relax for a couple days.

This week we have vacation where we can travel or hang out in Israel where ever we want. I decided to stay on the Kibbutz for most of the week and then I am going to head up north for one night on Wednesday to visit the winery and just enjoy a night off! Until then…so happy to catch you all up!

Yom HaMe'Ya aka The Day of Stress

We returned back to the Kibbutz from our Rosh Hashanah festivities on Wednesday and didn't have much time to get back in the groove of things as the girls had to start preparing for Yom HaMe'ya which we had the following day on Thursday. Yom HaMe'ya is a new step in the army process that has been active for only a few years so far. The goal of the day is for girls to be able to show their teaching skills to see if they are fit for certain instructor positions in the army. The day is meant for girls because most boys are interested in combat units in the Army but in special cases some boys also go to Yom HaMe'ya.

We woke up early on Thursday and after waiting quite a while for the bus, made our way into the city of Beer Sheva for a long day of stations. When we got there they split us up into small groups as these would be the groups we would spend the day with and go from station to station with. My group was made up 7 girls most of which from different Kibbutzim so I didn't know them but I was lucky enough to be put with my roommate Sarah and was happy to have a familiar face to ease my nerves while participating in the activities at each station. Each group had a leader who administered some of the stations but also was there for us to ask questions and guide us as needed. The first station was a teaching station to test our skills at teaching a specific subject. We had 5 minutes to choose a topic that we would want to teach the group and write some notes down that we would be able to refer to during our teaching. Of course while everyone else was busily writing notes on the topic of their choice, I was taking 4 and a half out of those 5 precious minutes to just think of a topic. In last 30 seconds I wrote down one sentence on my chosen topic and of course freaked out when I realized everyone else had pages of notes. Considering all the nerves and the fact that I had no notes I felt like I did okay when it was my turn to teach. We had 3 minutes to speak. We had to take the first minute to explain why we chose the topic that we chose and then 2 minutes to teach it. Remember that we had to do this in Hebrew of course, so on top of just being nervous of speaking in front of a group I also had to speak in a language that I am not yet 100% comfortable with. I felt that it ended up going okay and was thankful to have gotten that station over with so early in the day.

The second station was a physical team work station where they test how you work with others. They gave us a bunch of different physical tasks we had to do as a group and would throw some challenges at us along the way by giving only 3 out of 7 girls the ability to talk to the group while the others just had to listen to what the leaders were telling us to do. This station was fun and stress-free as it wasn't something that put the spotlight directly on me for a period of time like the previous station. The third station was to test our ability to deal with various kinds of situations. This was an individual station test so it was just me and an administrator who role played as a specific character with a problem and I had to deal with the problem accordingly. For example, the first situation was that I was a worker at a Theater and I had to help customers with whatever problems I might have but I had 3 restrictions: 1. I wasn't allowed to change seats after tickets were given out 2. I wasn't allowed to give people their money back after they bought tickets and 3. I wasn't allowed to give discounts. So considering these restrictions it was hard for me to think of a solution to certain problems when I couldn't help in the way I normally would if I was allowed to do these things. Again, another challenge was the fact that I was doing this in Hebrew so you could imagine how much stuttering and stalling took place in that conversation. The second situation was more in my comfort zone and there for I felt like I succeeded more in solving this problem. The situation was that I was the coach of a volley ball team and while one specific girl really wanted to be captain the team didn't want her to be and I had to be the one to tell her that her dream of becoming captain was not going to come true this year. It was easier for me to come up with a solution because of my background experience in dealing with campers and teens with similar problems. The goal of this station was to see if you are fit to be a social worker or some kind of office worker that deals with the problems of the soldiers in the army. Although I don't really want one of those positions, I still wanted to succeed to give me a higher chance of being eligible for as many jobs as possible.

The fourth station included reading a passage for 8 minutes and taking as many notes as you possibly could on the subject and then giving a 4 minute speech on what you read. Doesn't seem too hard right? Wrong, since ya know...there is ALWAYS a trick. During your 4 minutes speech one of the two administrators that were in the room would interrupt you in some way that a annoying student or in this case soldier would while you are teaching a lesson. So for some of the girls one of the administrators would start talking on their phone and see how the "teacher" would deal with it. In the middle of my speech on reality television one of the administrators walked across the room, took a chair and started dragging it to the other side of the room back to her seat so she could use it as a foot rest. I had to stop in the middle of my speech and explain to her  (in Hebrew) that this wasn't appropriate for right now and that she was interrupting the learning of the other students. These administrators must be very well trained because they wouldn't take no for an answer. When I explained that it wasn't fair that she had an extra chair for her feet and the other students only had one chair to sit on, she responded with "Oh they want also? take, take chairs there is enough for everyone!". So I had to continue to explain that each student gets one chair to sit on, and that's it. I think it was safe to say that this was the most stressful station of the whole day and I wasn't sure how I felt about how I did after I finished.

The fifth station was another sort of team building/team work station which in theory isn't difficult to succeed in but of course, there's a twist. We were split up into two small groups and had to think of a problem that faces high school teens and then try to come up with something we can make or build to help solve this problem. While we quietly discussed as a group the administrators would watch us and take notes on how we each worked in a group, so of course everyone wanted to be seen as the leader to show the administrators that they would succeed in a leadership position in the army. It is hard to shine as a leader in a situation like this and unfortunately I felt overshadowed by the other girls since everyone was so eager to be the spotlight. Needless to say it was a frustrating station and I had hoped that the administrators noticed that it was hard for all the girls to show their leadership skills when everyone was so eager to be the leader.

The last station was a loooooong 2 hour computerized exam that included the most ridiculous types of tests I had ever seen. For example, one test was a black screen with different colored kinds of shapes popping up one at a time and you had to press the space bar whenever you saw the red colored square and only for that color and shape combination. If you know me well you could imagine that these kinds of tests drove me crazy and that I was fidgeting throughout the entirety of the exam. As soon as the exam was over I raced across the street, got an iced coffee, and let out a long and necessary sigh. I was so happy to be done with this day whether I had succeeded or not because at that point I was exhausted and way too stressed.
They told us that we will be receiving our manilas in a few weeks. A manila is a form that you receive after all the necessary army prep tests have been done. The manila includes a list of jobs that the army feels you are eligible for based on all the tests. When I receive the manila I will then choose my top three choices of jobs out of the list I received and soon after will be given the final decision and my placement in the army.

Although the hardest part had passed the most annoying part was still to come...the waiting. More posts about the army to come as soon as I find out more info!

A New Year Introduces a New Life

After living in Israel for a month as a citizen of the country it was finally time to celebrate the High Holidays the right way, in Israel. The High Holidays for those that don't know are the a series of holidays that fall in September-October and start off the new Jewish Calender year as Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and is the first High Holiday celebrated in the Fall. At home, I am used to having delicious Rosh Hashanah meals with my family, going to synagogue all day, and relaxing at home. High Holidays for me consists of taking a break from the world and observing a Jewish Holiday without the normal activities such as going to school, going out with friends, and sitting on the computer all day. This year, although it still involved delicious food, was quite different.

Before the Holiday started I spent the weekend at Itai's house (my co staff from the summer I staffed wheels). It was amazing seeing him again and being able to spend the weekend with his family! I was also lucky enough to spend the weekend with Elkana, his wife Sara, and their amazing and adorable new addition to their family, Yarden! It was a fun weekend including, of course, eating, shmoozing, and relaxing. On Sunday I made my way back from Jerusalem to Ramat Gan to spend Rosh Hashanah at my grandparents. The last time I was in Israel for Rosh Hashanah was when I was on Nativ so I spent the holiday in Jerusalem. Spending Shabbat or a holiday in Jerusalem couldn't be more different than spending it any where else in Israel. You can compare the difference to spending Christmas in America and Christmas in Israel. Clearly when you are in America on Christmas you know you are surrounded by holiday spirit. With all stores being closed and most streets cleared, it is obvious that a large percentage of American Citizens are celebrating a holiday and with that brings a certain spirit in the air that gives off a feeling of happiness, tradition, and cheer.   In Jerusalem on a Jewish Holiday, you get the same feeling in the air. There is a holiday spirit that is clearly present; stores and restaurants are closed, hardly any cars are on the street, and everyone is out walking through the streets of the city. In other places of Israel, like Tel Aviv (where I was over my Rosh Hashanah) a lot of places are open, cars are all over the streets as if it is like any other day, and people are doing daily things. People don't work on Rosh Hashanah anywhere in Israel but people still do things they would do on a normal weekday. For me experiencing my Rosh Hashanah in Israel, but less observant than I normally am on a holiday was a culture shock for me and quite the learning experience. I realized that although Israel is the Nation of the Jewish people there are still all sorts of levels of observance, tradition, and religion even if most of the citizens of the country share the same religion. I enjoy observing holidays in different ways and learning the different customs of all Israeli's as I acclimate to the world of Israeli living.

On Sunday Night (the first night of Rosh Hashanah) I enjoyed a holiday meal at my grandparents with my great uncle. It was a quiet night but really nice to be with family and it made me feel as close to my family at home as possible. Of course it is hard everyday to be apart from my family, but on Holidays the feeling that you are missing people multiplies as you know your whole family is together and only you are missing. Although it was difficult, spending the holidays with my family in Israel was the best option if I wasn't going to be home and I was so happy to be here to be able to do so.

On Monday I was lucky to be able to go spend some of the holiday with my dad's first cousins family who I have become very close with throughout my many trips to Israel over the past few years. My cousins Gali picked me up on Monday morning and brought me to her house in Hod Hasharon to be able to be part of their holiday meal with their family. Besides the delicious food and great company, it was nice to experience the way others celebrate their holiday. After lunch, Gali and I went to meet a friend of hers at the movies. Remember when I said holidays outside of Jerusalem our different? It was also really different for me because usually when I am at home for holidays I would never go out to the movies or the mall on the holiday. I would go to synagogue and spend time with my family at home. But here, in Israel, after celebrating the holiday, I went to the movies and noticed that a lot more people did as well. I love that the personality of Israeli's shines through their culture. From experiencing a Rosh Hashanah like this I noticed that a lot of Israeli's feel that going to the movies or the mall doesn't take away from a holiday, as long as they observe in their own way. Everyone has their way of doing things and Israel is a perfect example of how different traditions can be observed within the same cultures or religions. After the movie we went back to the house, ate dinner, and went out to a pub with a couple of her friends.

On Tuesday I also had a different kind of holiday experience. I went with my newlywed cousins, Reut and Asaf, to the port in Tel Aviv. Its a beautiful area with restaurants and stores right next to the water. Although it was still holiday the port was filled with families eating at outdoor cafes, walking around, or shopping. All stores were open as well as the restaurants. We sat down at a nice cafe for lunch, walked around, got ice cream (of course), and watched a fun game of footvolley ball that was set up on the port. It was nice to spend time with them as always and it was a beautiful day, although again different way of observing than what I am used to at home.

Wednesday morning I headed back to the Kibbutz. After a fun filled Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat it was nice to go back to the group and share stories from the break. More to come soon on Army prep!