Here are some of the notes I’ve been taking when I get a chance to sit down. . More later. . . .

Rolling

Thursday was spent rolling. Rolling, rolling and more rolling. Friday was filled with rolling. Saturday was filled with rolling. Yet while with all this rolling going on I didn’t roll in the ocean at all until Friday afternoon. But I didn’t need to roll either. With 9 students in each class there was a lot to do. The students here are so excited about the class and eager to get stuck in. With that of course comes the pressure to do their expectations justice.

My Rolling

I got in a rolling boat today for the first time in quite I while. I stunk with lace curtains! I blame the boat, but in truth I’ve just not practiced enough in the last few weeks to be jiggy.

Food

In the Kibbutz there is a dining hall where everyone who lives there is welcome to eat. Free of course. This is where we take our lunches. We grab a tray and slide down the line choosing from cucumbers, lettuce, humus, noodles, and chicken or fish.

The restaurant we went to the first night was “Dairy”. There was sushi. Fish, but no meat. Others have no dairy. Vegetarians would have an easy life here.

The food served at Steve’s home is the best on the planet!

Don’t Say It

Last evening we went out for a few hours, a few drinks, and a few rude stories. We laughed for hours. The inside joke of the day is that it’s ok for an American to say the word “Customer” in Israel. However, most Brits should avoid the word complexly. It’s got something to do with how their “u” sounds like “oo”.

Karel

So I finally met Karel Saturday (Weatherman to the Stars). Karel brought along his mum who also happened to be visiting from the states. He says that’s why he’s not been out paddling, but you have to wonder. . . . I think his mother would be rolling a kayak in no time.

Do It Anyway

A student came up to me in the office and asked, “Pardon me, but what should I have to take the BCU 2* when I have at least 3* skills? Funny, my internal response was, “Because of the way you just asked that question.” But instead I sympathized with his plight and said I’d been there myself.

Yalla Chant

As I walked past the big square school building, loud traditional Hebrew music was wafting out the open windows. Behind me I could year Hadas yelling, “Yalla, Yalla!” to someone who was obviously taking too long. I looked out as the sun set over the Mediterranean and the last lights of sun filtered through the open palms and thought about how far from home things seemed at right that moment.

That Lady

So the first day I was walking through the Kibbutz as I mentioned an older (than me) woman escorted me to the little shop. Along the way of course I was quizzed and immediately feeling like a son who was hiding a secret from his mother. I do swear she was fighting back the command that I should be washing behind my ears. Of course now I see her at least once a day and she asks how I’m doing and what I’m thinking of Israel. She’s genuinely warm and friendly, and in some places caring people just tell you what their thinking without all the bull. It’s refreshing, but each time I know I’m going over to the Kibbutz I’m tempted to wash thoroughly behind my ears. . . just in case.

Arabs

Friday morning the sun was shining. It was warm and aromatic. I was in the back office of the shop learning that the internet connection was not working. Two men came into the club. They asked me questions I of course couldn’t understand. The older man pointed to his watch. “8 am” I said. They walked out. Later I learned that they were Arab workers here to do construction that could not get through the gate. “Oh.”, I said. Sometimes what you see on the news is closer than you think. How you feel about it is something you can’t quite put into words.

Halloween

Halloween came and went. Sitting here writing as a warm evening breeze lifts the curtains of my room and the sound of the surf hisses below it was easy to forget.

At Steve’s we noted Halloween with a raising of the glasses, Shalom, Salute, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodnight. . .

Ed Zacklie

Hadas is looking Ed Zacklie. . . “Has anyone seen Ed Zacklie” (reliving that bit in the movie, “Brazil”.) See the thing is, it’s got to do with differences and similarities. Oh, and walking across the floor on your hands and knees . . . sans attire. .backwards. . . (Not Hadas of course, so don’t you go there sister!)

Television

Last night I thought I’d turn on the television to listen to some quiet chatter that I wouldn’t be able to understand. The problem was the instructions . . . another thing I couldn’t understand. Boy does it make you feel small. I’m still tempted to fiddle with the controls just to see what happens. Then I ask myself, “Are you really desperate for television?”. No, not really. But sometimes when we’re alone we seek the comfort of a soft voice.

Shekels

I found myself with $250 Shekels and nowhere to spend it. On the other hand, I’ve got some dollars and Euros and no place to go with them either. 

Phil Eccles, Dog Slinger

“When locating your coach tomorrow please look for the man swinging a Labrador retriever by its tail over his head. He is after all, Phil Eccles, Dog Slinger.”

Patagonia

So Yosale is going to Patagonia on the 9th. We’ll be talking more with him later this week and hopefully post a video just about the time they start their expedition.