Last night and today were very much a day of introductions to Jackson specifically, and the culture of the South more generally.
Highlights:
1. Sunday in the South is like Shabbat in Jerusalem. Nothing is opened. Except for the hippie-dippie "Rainbow Co-op" which has free memberships for students with college IDs.
2. Everybody knows Macy Hart, and not just folks from Jackson. Macy is the president of the Institute. But he was (for all you camp people reading this) the Jerry Kaye of Camp Jacobs down in Utica, MS. He was the director for thirty years before making the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience and then the Institute his full-time job. Nearly everyone I've met who heard I was going to be doing Jewish things in Jackson this summer said to pass along regards to Macy (including the president of the Princeton Alumni Association down here).
3. Jackson is a tiny city. And by "tiny" I mean that, on I-55 (yes, Chicagoans, I-55 goes through Jackson in it's way to New Orleans!), you can cross the whole city in about 15 minutes.
4. This is not a walking town, and neither is it a public transportation town. While that is unfortunate (and I plan to walk down the middle of some of the sleepy streets in the area I'm living), Diana and I (the other intern with whom I'm living this summer) have full use of the Institute's minivan for the summer. (Lucky for me, I actually know how to drive minivans! In fact, they're the only kind of motor vehicle I know how to drive!) But, we've been told, if we want to go to New Orleans for a weekend (yes) we have to rent a car (no) or take the train (yes).
5. Lemuria Books is an independent bookstore that we stopped in, and it is the only other bookstore I've ever been to in my entire life that comes anywhere near having the same kind of nook-and-cranny/labyrinthine wonderful layout that the Seminary Co-op bookstore in Hyde Park does. For some wonderful pictures of the Seminary Co-op, check out the Tumblr of my friends Eleanor and Merrill, who are doing a cross-country tour of independent bookstores. (For pictures of Lemuria, you'll have to wait, but I plan on going back).
6. Jewish Geography is alive and well, even down here where I thought I knew no Jews. Turns out that the house I was hosted at my first night down here used to be rented by one of the outgoing two-year post-college Education fellows--who, in college, was roommates with my cousin Eric! Not only that, but this same fellow was also roommates (in that house) with a counselor of mine from camp--and one of the current residents of that house is a friend of a friend who I've actually met a couple of times. Small, small world. My roommate is also, it turns out, a friend of a good friend from camp.
Other than that, today was our first day at work which consisted of short presentations by each of the departments at the Institute to introduce us to the work that everyone else is doing. Plus, of course, a tour of Jackson that included the street where many scenes from the movie The Help were shot--and many other things, which I won't write about till I go back and really get to find out more about them.
For the second summer in a row I have been very lucky to live with another intern(last summer: interns) who I really like. We even have the same ring!
Hopefully I'll get to walk around and take some pictures soon, since I know that picture-posts are better than written posts.
Showing posts with label First Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label First Day. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Sunday, August 30, 2009
ARRIVED!
Well, I've arrived on Metzudat Yoav, and am done with my first 24 hours in Israel.
Of course, the whole thing wasn't so simple. I got to the airport and my flight to Toronto was delayed--and then cancelled. I went to customer service and they put me on standby fr the next United flight to Toronto--which was overbooked, so there was basically no chance of getting on that.
With my Israeli cell phone (and no American one) I was left to scrounge (American, not Canadian) cell phones off other frustrated and rushed passengers and even to use a pay phone! (those still exist?) I called home about 5 times, figuring out what to do, and at one point we thought I might fly to Frankfurt, to London, and then to Israel. But the man who I asked to switch it for me was typing veeeeery slowly, and then plane was leaving in literally 15 minutes. Needless to say, that didn't happen.
I called Dad from the phone at the customer service desk, and had him talk to the United man, who then called the Air Canada desk at gate E (I was at C) and finally arranged for me to take a 7:25 Air Canada flight to Toronto. (My original flight was 3:59 with a 5 hour delay in Toronto. This still got me there in time for my 11:55 flight to Israel).
I arrived there, and was in time and everything. On the plane I sat next to a Canadian-Israeli kid my age, so we had a good time. He offered me to watch movies on his computer, and it was nice to be able to talk to someone.
When I finally got to Israel, I went through immigration/etc with no problem, got to the baggage claim, only to NOT find my luggage. Good thing I packed an extra pair of clothing in my backpack! So I had to go through the whole mess of filing a missing baggage report, blablabla.
The Shaaltiels picked me up and we went back to their apartment in Tel Aviv. We chatted for a while, and then went for a walk along the beach (they're about 3 blocks away). When we came back around 10 or so, we ate (a lot! They kept giving me more delicious food) and talked for a long time, and then slept. (A much-needed sleep, as I'm terrible at sleeping on airplanes).
This morning I walked a bit to change some money, then walked back to catch the bus to the train station (sounds like going to school...). Anyway, I missed the stop, and had to get back on the other way, but I arrived only 2 minutes late.
Today was basically a day of meeting lots of people and explaining that "no, I have no family in Israel" and "I learned Hebrew in Jewish day school" and etc. etc.
We're five girls in my room--another American (from LA) named Galya. The rest Israelis--Gal, Adi, and Neta.
As I can't unpack (they called this morning to say they found the suitcases and would bring them to the Metzuda, but they didn't. Hm) I think I'll go to sleep, because I'm a little jetlagged
Of course, the whole thing wasn't so simple. I got to the airport and my flight to Toronto was delayed--and then cancelled. I went to customer service and they put me on standby fr the next United flight to Toronto--which was overbooked, so there was basically no chance of getting on that.
With my Israeli cell phone (and no American one) I was left to scrounge (American, not Canadian) cell phones off other frustrated and rushed passengers and even to use a pay phone! (those still exist?) I called home about 5 times, figuring out what to do, and at one point we thought I might fly to Frankfurt, to London, and then to Israel. But the man who I asked to switch it for me was typing veeeeery slowly, and then plane was leaving in literally 15 minutes. Needless to say, that didn't happen.
I called Dad from the phone at the customer service desk, and had him talk to the United man, who then called the Air Canada desk at gate E (I was at C) and finally arranged for me to take a 7:25 Air Canada flight to Toronto. (My original flight was 3:59 with a 5 hour delay in Toronto. This still got me there in time for my 11:55 flight to Israel).
I arrived there, and was in time and everything. On the plane I sat next to a Canadian-Israeli kid my age, so we had a good time. He offered me to watch movies on his computer, and it was nice to be able to talk to someone.
When I finally got to Israel, I went through immigration/etc with no problem, got to the baggage claim, only to NOT find my luggage. Good thing I packed an extra pair of clothing in my backpack! So I had to go through the whole mess of filing a missing baggage report, blablabla.
The Shaaltiels picked me up and we went back to their apartment in Tel Aviv. We chatted for a while, and then went for a walk along the beach (they're about 3 blocks away). When we came back around 10 or so, we ate (a lot! They kept giving me more delicious food) and talked for a long time, and then slept. (A much-needed sleep, as I'm terrible at sleeping on airplanes).
This morning I walked a bit to change some money, then walked back to catch the bus to the train station (sounds like going to school...). Anyway, I missed the stop, and had to get back on the other way, but I arrived only 2 minutes late.
Today was basically a day of meeting lots of people and explaining that "no, I have no family in Israel" and "I learned Hebrew in Jewish day school" and etc. etc.
We're five girls in my room--another American (from LA) named Galya. The rest Israelis--Gal, Adi, and Neta.
As I can't unpack (they called this morning to say they found the suitcases and would bring them to the Metzuda, but they didn't. Hm) I think I'll go to sleep, because I'm a little jetlagged
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