letter from Jerusalem

[Guest guest]

I keep remembering things I left behind in London,

like my reading glasses, the charger for my mobile, and the USB

connector for my digital camera so I can upload pics, but luckily

Tavya and Dov and Rafi are coming out tomorrow and will bring any

forgotten items.

Ruthie

-----

Hi Ruthie I keep seeing Jerusalem on skynews and am thinking of you and praying

to god that you all stay safe.

When we went to California in July seems like a life time away now:-( We also

took our Digital Camera and DH laptop so we could load the pictures onto it at

the end of each day. Unfortunately I forgot to pack the lead which goes from the

camera to the PC. We popped into the local Mall to either buy a lead which we

thought would be doubtful or buy a large card for the camera.

The chap was most helpful and sold us a card reader which we plug into the

laptop, was most impressive and very very fast. It's something I would of never

thought of buying at home although I know they are available.

Tupman

Mum to Matt 13, 10, Jonty 2 & Phil 36

Torbay & S.Devon Branch

NCT Houseswap Register Coordinator

NCT UK Trustee

Go placidly amidst noise and haste.

Why not visit www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com

Or go shopping with NCT Maternity Sales www.nctms.co.uk

[Guest guest]

> Hi Ruthie I keep seeing Jerusalem on skynews and am thinking of you

and praying to god that you all stay safe.

Thanks . This morning (after my blissful swim) I went to

another supermarket which I remembered from last yr did some

amazingly good t shirt dresses (in large sizes with long enough

sleeves!). I needed some other things too, but the main reason I went

there was for the T shirt dresses. What a waste of time. Firstly

they only had one t shirt dress left; it happened to be Xlarge so I

took it even though it was a garish shade of yellowy orange. I

bought my other items then waited at the checkout for AGES. I had

forgotten how grindingly slow the checkouts at this supermarket are,

(most Israeli supermarkets aren't much better) with most people

wanting the goods delivered,as they don't have cars, so it needed

packing, and cheques needing verifying etc. I was determined to stay

patient. When I finally had my goods checked through the checkout

girl said she couldn't sell me the T shirt dress as it didn't have a

bar code, and since it was the last one, I couldn't get another with

a code. I shrugged that one off, eager to get out of the place and go

home.

I got out of the supermarket and made for the lifts for the

underground car park. I was stopped by security guards telling me I

couldn't go down to my car, there had been " something not right "

downstairs in the car park. Some kind of security scare, obviously.

How long would I have to wait? They had no idea, the police were on

their way. I stood there waiting for a while, asking guards if I

could go to my car yet from time to time, they said no each time...

then saw another couple with a trolley going into the same lift I had

been refused entrance from. I said nothing, expecting them to be

turned back, but they weren't. I thought, rather than said, to

the security guards: " well thanks for letting me know! " and went down

in the lift with the next lot of people, and got to my car. Got home

safely, very annoyed and frustrated, but as DH said when I repeated

the story: " Welcome to Israel! "

I just hope Yeshaya's Play station connection gets sorted soon or his

good mood of yesterday will evaporate. He's already a bit

disgruntled bc he phoned the only other boy of his acquaintance who

is here too, (I can hardly call them friends) who promised to come

round to help him try and sort the play station out, and so far he

hasn't shown up. This boy, Mark, is the son of a good friend of

mine, and is the religious black sheep of his family,(gone completely

" off " ) as well as being a bit of a rebel in general, so I suppose we

shouldn't be surprised he has treated Yeshaya this way.

> When we went to California in July seems like a life time away

now:-( We also took our Digital Camera and DH laptop so we could load

the pictures onto it at the end of each day. Unfortunately I forgot

to pack the lead which goes from the camera to the PC. We popped into

the local Mall to either buy a lead which we thought would be

doubtful or buy a large card for the camera.

>

> The chap was most helpful and sold us a card reader which we plug

into the laptop, was most impressive and very very fast. It's

something I would of never thought of buying at home although I know

they are available.

I don't think Israel is as technologically advanced as USA; certainly

the average salesman is not as helpful either! and anyway, Dov

phoned me today to say he has picked up my lead from my house and is

bringing it out today, so I'll have it by tomorrow )

Ruthie

[Guest guest]

Very interesting to hear some 'inside' news from what it's really like to be and

live in Jerusalem!

I was offered a job there for the UN in 1999 but felt I had to turn it down - my

DH had just got a new job in London, and the thought of living there alone with

a baby (DD just a few months when they first rang) and/or commute backwards and

forwards on a regular basis with a baby, and with the flying to Tel Aviv,

security checks, etc - I wasn't sure if it really was a viable option.

Perhaps I should have done it - I've had a fair share of living in different

places on my own - but think I was a bit overwhelmed by motherhood too at the

time, first time baby and all that. Wonder if it could have worked, I would have

had to bring a nanny or found childcare locally. Also, I didn't really know

Jerusalem, or Israel for that matter, at all.

Anyway I decided to say no, and a few months later they rang me about Beirut...

which I turned down for the same reasons.

Sadly the UN haven't rung again since... but think I might be braver next time.

Certainly should they offer me Jerusalem again I will know where to turn for

advice!

Karina

Mum to Emilia (Oct 98) and Sebastian (Aug 00)

[Guest guest]

Goodness me, Ruthie, it sounds as though you could write a new chapter for P

J O'Rourke's book, 'Holidays In Hell'!!

Lesley

-----------------

From:

> I got out of the supermarket and made for the lifts for the

> underground car park. I was stopped by security guards telling me I

> couldn't go down to my car, there had been " something not right "

> downstairs in the car park. Some kind of security scare, obviously.

> How long would I have to wait? They had no idea, the police were on

> their way. I stood there waiting for a while, asking guards if I

> could go to my car yet from time to time,

[Guest guest]

> Goodness me, Ruthie, it sounds as though you could write a new

chapter for P

> J O'Rourke's book, 'Holidays In Hell'!!

>

> Lesley

Hoiday from hell? Nah, all par for the course here in Israel .. you

just have to take it smilingly. At least I speak the language to a

reasonable standard, it would be much worse if I didn't. TBH the

most annoying thing about this holiday so far has been DH (yes, not

even Yeshaya!) who can be SO stubborn when he wants to be. (see the

post about him making me late for my cousin's wedding on Sunday).

eg. Yesterday he KNEW we wanted to go to the mall at around 6 pm. the

latest...so he arranges a man to come and see him at 5.30 knowing

full well there'd be a jolly good chance the man would be late, and

the meeting wouldn't be over by six. So yes, we were hanging around

waiting till about 7 by which time it was *really* late to go

shopping at the mall *AND* have supper there, as it closes at 9.30.

Today too he was in a funny mood. I *hate* it when he plays

Minesweeper on my PC (he's not very computer literate otherwise but

he loves a game of Minesweeper..) he goes all glazed eyed and

IMPOSSIBLE to talk to. I told Zehava that I wasn't going to wait for

him on any local trips again, if Daddy messed us around, I'd just go

without him!

Don't worry, DH and I will be fine, we always are, it's all part of

us being on holiday together. He's having a nap now, so maybe he'll

be in a better mood.

Stop Press! Zehava just came back from the mall with her friends and

has sorted Yeshaya's playstation connection out! It needed some kind

of adaptor.

Ruthie