Well, so I didn't really ride off in my batmobile....more like a toyota, but all I did yesterday was go go go. Gene, or Geana, which is a more accurate pronounciation of his name, picked me up at 9am (like he promised) and took me to the Recovery Center to meet the men. In order to get the Recovery Center in Tel Aviv, we had to drive through several different towns and along the way Gene told me the meaning behind all the towns' names, which some I knew from my class in Jewish Culture, and some I didn't know. For example, one of the towns we went through is called Bene Baraq, Ben is a term to distinguish "son of" and baraq means "thunder", so this town is called literally sons of thunder.....I think I kind of want to name my first son Baraq..no not Barack (I would pay a lot of money to see the look on my mom's face telling her I'm going to name my first son Barack....i die:-)
Finally getting to the Recovery Center, which is actually just a two bedroom apartment, meant to house 10 men! There is another apartment, which I haven’t seen yet that is suppose to house another 5. Needless to say it’s a little cramped. The men are so wonderful; everyone is very polite and inviting. They immediately asked me if I wanted some chai or café and pulled out my chair for me. We were greeted by Boris, who used to be an addict, but now is recovered and works as a guide in the house. So in my best Russian I shouted privet (hello) to which Boris replied with Shalom ;-/ After my failed attempt at a warm greeting I found out later that shalom is the only hebrew word Boris knows; he was just being cheaky.
My thought process from then on was as follows:
- This house kind of reminds me of the one in the movie “Taken”, should I be scared?
- Oh wow, the men are so nice!
- I wish American men were this accommodating….geesh!
The more I began talking with the men (Gene had to translate) the more I saw each and every one of their personalities. Igor is smart, but very sensitive (he knows the most English out of all the men), Zaur also knows a lot more English and is quite inquisitive, he wanted to know what Chicago is like (he actually lived in New York for eight years and calls the type of English he speaks “street English”, which I think means slang). Paul, but we call him Pasha, is the youngest at 28 and is very shy. There are two men named Alexander, but everyone calls them the Sahsas, I don’t know why, but both are very quiet but ready to learn. One of the Sashas had a pen and pad of paper writing down my information as Gene was translating (very cute;-) Then Dimitry is always smiling and willing to lend a hand. And then, of course there is Boris, he is a real ham. I told the men to ask me anything and that I’m a very open person, so Boris right away asked “how do you keep your fitness?” Gene shot him a dirty look and Boris apologized but said to Gene “she said we could ask her anything!”……(I’m guessing that was a little bit my fault for saying so.) There is another man, but I can’t remember his name, he is another guide like Boris, but much heavier, so the other men always refer to him at “the round one”.
Also, as I was explaining a little bit about my background in biology and chemistry, Pasha interjected with a huge grin on his face “oh chemistry we all here study chemistry too!” I immediately started laughing like crazy and finally once I pulled myself together to be able to speak again I said something I never would in my wildest dreams thought I would ever say. I said, “It’s nice to know chemistry has brought us together”.
I spoke with the men for a little just to get an idea of what they might want to learn in terms of English. It was a consensus that they all pretty much want to learn everything. I had not idea they haven’t had English classes, and more so that I am the one teaching them. It’s one thing to know something, but it’s a whole other thing when you have to teach it someone else who doesn’t know it. (I think this scares me more than the snakes and the rock throwing Palestinians combined) I also was able to get some of the interests, and I found out Zaur loves to cook, so I asked the men if they all would want to learn? All of them had a huge grin on their face, but I think “the round one” was a little more concerned about the eating part of cooking. They also want to learn more about computers.
SO, I have a purpose here! It seems a little daunting and like a lot of work, but this is what I asked for. I can’t wait to get to learn more about the men there and help them. All of them are so open and have such a desire to learn. I only hope I will meet their expectations of me…..
After the meeting, Gene took me back to my apartment where I met Sam, who is the pastor of the congregation in Tel Aviv. I feel like a giant next to him, actually I feel like a giant next to a lot of the people I’ve been meeting lately. Sam seems to be about 5’2”, an older gentleman, and his wife is a real treat! If there ever was a reward for the best Jewish grandmother I’m sure she would win. Case and point….after our meeting to discuss what I would like to do while in Israel, Sam and his wife took me out to lunch at Sabarro’s (yes the pizza place, this isn’t boofoo….) afterwards as I was getting up to clean my tray, she opens my pocket and starts stuffing a breadstick in it while whispering “for later, for later”. She turns away as I stood their stunned, because no one has ever stuffed food in my pocket, so I look to see if Sam saw this; he did, and said “she’s a, how do you say?......a…..you know……a babushka!”
Nevertheless, a comedic ending to my day. I am starting to get settled in, but still crashing around 2230. Today is my “day to rest” says Gene, so I’m spending it updating my website and figuring out a way to teach my native tongue…I think I will start with the alphabet. So as they say in Russian, udachi “good luck”. (Although at this time, my phase of choice is vaya con dios “Go with God”).
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment