What I've been learning in gan

I've decided that there's no better way to be absorbed into Israeli society than to spend a year in gan (preschool). In the past seven months my Hebrew vocabulary and fluency has improved like I never thought it could. I sit side by side with the kids learning new words and new songs. With most songs now I do not simply fake the hand motions. I also know the words. It's cute because the kids sense that I'm not as "on top of things" as the other teachers, but they seem to appreciate that about me. Gan also provides me with a fascinating sociological study of Israeli life. The kids are constantly hitting each other, grabbing toys, and in general are always worried about what they're playing with. It often takes two minutes to convince a child that they can safely go to the bathroom and that I will make sure no one swipes the blocks they were building with. A lot of it has to do with there being so many children in one room, but I'm sure some of it comes from a general tension in the air that they see in their parents and feel themselves.

At the same time they are happy, wonderful, growing, and learning every day. When they aren't hitting each other they are simply wonderful and I love spending my days with them. I learn to appreciate the little things in life like the tractor working on the road outside the gan and the way a half-pita looks like a boat. Most of all I have enjoyed learning about the holidays with them and hearing them sing songs, especially the children of olim like myself. Their parents, while struggling to keep up with their children's growing vocabulary, positively glow when they hear their children singing new songs in Hebrew. One boy came to Israel just two weeks before gan started and didn't speak a word of Hebrew. He loves singing, but usually sang whatever English song sounded like the Hebrew one being sung at the time (Itsy Bitsy Spider came up a lot). Now he sings along and easily converses with his friends. Of course he still bursts into long winded stories in English and wonders why everyone gives him weird looks.


I wrote about Purim before and how fun it was to celebrate in gan. Last week we celebrated Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day. What better way to celebrate than with the next generation of Israelis. They were so cute dressed in blue and white, waving flags, and singing songs about being at home in Israel. One day they will understand the significance of the day and how miraculous it is that they live here. Listening them sing "כחול ולבן, הצבע שלי" ("blue and white are my color") literally brought tears to my eyes. Just as miraculous was spending Yom Haatzmaut with my niece, the first sabra Zibman. One day we'll tell her how her great great grandfather once met with Chaim Weizmann and Rav Abraham Kook in Chicago to discuss the prospect of a sovereign Jewish state.

In other news, I had another great trip back to the US. It was tough fitting it all into two weeks but somehow I did it. First three days were spent in Philadelphia, next three days in Boston, four days in Maryland, and then another week in Boston. I was constantly on the go as always, visiting with friends and family. I am grateful for the friends who accommodated my often restrictive schedule to drive me places, feed me, and simply hang out. You guys tell me how great it is that I travel so much to see friends, but I can't imagine not doing so. Here's to many more wonderful times together.

Also while I was in the US my Grandma Rose got the most wonderful surprise. A former student of hers who lives in the area and had recently reconnected with my family surprised her with a bouquet of flowers and a teddy bear from Winston's. He was her student in third grade which was at least forty years ago. It made her day- no, her month- and she is still talking about it. She's also still talking about how magical digital cameras are. I took her picture with the flowers and showed her how I transferred the picture to my computer. I explained this to her about six years ago when she bought me my first digital camera, but you know how forgetful 98 year olds can be.


For the three weeks before I went to the US I was battling pneumonia. I finally got it properly diagnosed a few days before I left (shoutout to my Terem buddy). Thankfully I started feeling significantly better a few days into my trip. When I got back it was wonderful feeling healthy again, and being healthy meant I get to actually play with my niece, who came over with her abba just a few minutes after I home from the airport. Doesn't she look great in her new Red Sox hat?


Because I was sick, I fell behind in my schoolwork right after I finally caught up. Besides that my motivation to get work done this year has been almost non-existent. Despite that, I just submitted my proposal for my thesis. Hopefully my desired adviser will like what I wrote, officially accept me, and that my topic will be approved by the head of my department. I am so excited to finally be making progress with this thing even though I know there's a long, long, long road ahead of me. I am starting to feel a little more in control of my time as there is much work to do but more flexible deadlines in place. Trying to work on feeling more confident and motivated! And trying to have more fun. This morning before work I sat at a cafe reading the newspaper and drinking an icecafe (think Frappaccino). It was absolutely wonderful. Gotta do that more often. I've also been to three parties in the past week and looking forward to throwing another one in my apartment in a couple weeks. Maybe I'm finally enjoying being social around here.

In short, I'm happy at my job, making progress in school, continuing to make friends here, and I absolutely adore my niece.

But can you really blame me?