Yesterday was Moving Day! We packed our bags, cleaned our apartments, said goodbye to Bat Yam and moved to Arad, a small town 40 minutes from Be'er Sheva and a 1 minute walk to the middle of nowhere.
Because of my late arrival into the program I only got to spend a month and a half in Bat Yam. I had finally put real sheets on my bed only 3 weeks before we had to leave. I really loved living there. Our apartment was very close to the Ulpan (where our classes were held), a 10 minute walk (or more often 2 minute bus ride) to the mall and Super Dush (supermarket), a half hour stroll to the beach and boardwalk and an equal amount of time to the Tel Aviv central bus station.
I thoroughly enjoyed my volunteering at the elementary school. On our last day, me and the other volunteers gave the two english teachers pashmina scarfs and chocolate chip cookies (that I had baked the night before). The teachers also gave us scarves, as well as a cute certificate for our work, a magnet tiger and chamsa key chain. We promised to come back to visit and to come see the 6th grade English play we had been helping with over the last couple weeks.
The Garin Tzedek volunteering was also very rewarding. Even though it took awhile to get things set up and we only had the opportunity to volunteer a half dozen times each visit was unique and rewarding. You could always see how grateful the students and Adam (the teacher) were to have us there and how much of a difference we made. Both student and teacher learned so much from each other. The Sudanese obviously took away a lot of English from our conversations but I feel I left with something even more valuable. Through their broken English, their behavior, mannerisms and interactions with us and each other I was able to gain a small glimpse into their lives. Their past, their present and their hopes for the future. It was disappointing to have to say goodbye as I felt that I was just beginning to build connections with individual students.
To finish off this post I would like to use a time old YJ tradition...
Top 10 things I'll miss most about Bat Yam:
10. The emaciated kitten gang that lived in front of my apartment
9. Bus passes and the buses they were used for
8. Being within walking distance of a beach that you can swim in in the middle of November
7. Japanika/Cafe Joe/Cacao/Aroma
6. Having a supermarket called "Super Dush"
5. The toaster sized oven that we kept on top of our heater
4. Having to squegy the shower room multiple times after each shower so as to prevent flooding into the hallway
3. Being just a quick bus ride away from Tel Aviv
2. The Scouts
1. THE BAKERY ON ELI COHEN THAT MADE THE BEST (AND CHEAPEST) BOUREKAS AND RUGALECH AND BREAD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!!!
BAT YAM WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!
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