I had an incredible December, traveling around Israel for my two week break to see friends. An amazing friend from summer camp came to stay with me and Eyal for a few days and it was such a blast. January came around and so did the second half of Ulpan. I started attending an employment seminar provided by the group that helped me through my aliyah process. A few days later I went to check out a masters program at University of Haifa called Maritime Civilizations. The program wasn't exactly what I was looking for but it sounded amazing, it was in English, and I thought I could take some of the education out of it and apply it to what I really wanted to do. What is it that I really want to do? Well, I'm not 100% sure yet but I know it has something to do with addressing pressing environmental issues within communities and working within communities to solve these problems.
So after being a bit disappointed with the program at University of Haifa and suddenly realizing what it entails to find a job - I kind of freaked out. No, I really freaked out. I had a full blown freak out/panic/anxiety explosion.
- What am I going to do with my life?
- Am I ready to join the professional work force?
- Why did I study ANTHROPOLOGY???
- Am I qualified to get a job ANYWHERE??
- I feel like I want to go back to school...but how and where and what???
- Why am I here??
- I need to find myself...but how??!?!
So for a few weeks I freaked out, but then suddenly it was like the sky parted and I found my answer...
I was working with the social worker and secretary of the Ulpan (a service provided for free) to talk about university options. The secretary heard my interests and said that there was some program along those lines available at the Technion. Technion??? How is this possible? This is the science/math/nerdy place that Eyal goes to and the my grandfather taught at...how could they have something for me??
So I did some research and came across the answer: Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on environmental planning and policy masters of science degree, accepting applicants from all backgrounds including B.A.s. Two year program, 100% paid for by the govt, available for thesis track and totally sounds awesome! The courses are in Hebrew, all the material is in English and I can do course work in English. I do have to take a Hebrew proficiency exam in September but that is a while off and I am working hard to improve my language skills. I started ordered official transcripts and I have started my application. I'm very excited to have found something that inspires me and gives me direction. I'm also pretty excited that I could be possibly studying at the same school in Israel that my grandfather taught at. Pretty incredible. And, to be at the same school as Eyal is going to be neat also. I am really excited at the thought of going back to school and learning something that could open up all sorts of doors for me. Yay for the future!
In the middle of my month of freakiness, I found an amazing little place in Haifa called the Haifa English Theater at Beit HaGefen. Beit HaGefen is a shared community theater space by Jewish, Muslim and Christian groups in the downtown Haifa area. I heard through a veteran Anglo of the Haifa area that the current production needed a few stagehands. I volunteered right away and I am so glad I did. I feel in love with this English speaking theater. There are a main group of folks from the U.K who have been involved with the theater for about 30 years. There are also young folks from around the Haifa area who are also involved, including a few Israelis, Americans, Canadians and other U.K folks.
We put on The Importance of Being Earnest. It was brilliant! I loved it and I loved being in an environment where I could understand everything, including humor! The people I met are fantastic. This Saturday we are having a cast party and I have been practicing a few songs with the music director of the theater, Clive. We jammed together this week and it was a blast to have someone to play music with. Can't wait to perform on Saturday - I'll let you know how it goes.
Hey Nat! Hang in there! Change is hard, but we are so proud of you for following your heart and sticking with it. Tonight is the International Festival at Paul's school, and we are doing an "Israel" table. We'll be thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteLove that you jammed with a gentleman named Clive.
ReplyDeleteI'm psyched about your masters program. Send me your admissions essays if you want an editors eye. My job in a former life. :)
PS - PSU has a renowned urban studies program so lots of opportunities there if you return to Portland one day.
Yeah yeah yeah blog entry! Great to hear from you. Also, having freakouts like the one you outlined so precisely in bullet points seems to be nearly ubiquitous among people our age. Anyway, I'm sure your relentlessly hilarious and positive attitude will see you through in the end. Peace out!
ReplyDeleteThanks Aunt Claudia for the mood boosting comment! That's so awesome you guys are running the Israel table. I'm sure Paul did great! You've got some stellar boys over there on the east coast.
ReplyDeleteNoah - I'm also pretty darn excited for this masters program. Let's make some crazy change around the world of ours, eh??
Nat - Thanks for your support, girl! Can't wait for the 30s when we have all this freaking out about life shit behind us! And then you will be a famous scientist with a nobel prize and I will be by your side planning sustainable communities. What the waht!?!?
You're right on schedule: change countries, learn a new language, leave your family, absorb a new culture, freak out. You sound perfectly normal to me! But it's terrific that just when you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel (unless it's a locomotive headed your way), a person shows up with a map and directions (school) and you find an English speaking theater group. I don't believe in coincidences. What I do believe in is miracles and that you are being shown there are answers to your questions. You just have to be willing to listen for them and expect that they will appear. Actually, I don't just believe in miracles - I depend on them! I know you can do all this and more! (Just don't think you'll stop freaking out in your 30s. It'll be new stuff but you'll figure it out then, too) XOXO
ReplyDeleteNatalie - This is all great news! What a cool program you have found. How exciting! The theater stuff sounds great too.
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