In Transit

I arrived in Canada today and had a 10 hour lay over, so I took the public bus to down town Toronto where I managed to stumble upon a Starbucks coffee shop next to the CN tower. I am reasonably wet from walking through pouring down rain this morning when I arrived, but the sky has since dried up and outside it is reasonably warm even with a heavy fog. Reminds me oddly of a hot yoga class, which dorkily makes me eager to get into a morning yoga routine once I arrive in Israel. I am a yoga teacher and I've been considering teaching yoga in Israel to help my students learn basic English commands such as, "Inhale, raise your arms over your head. Exhale, release your arms down".

There was an interesting article today on CNN...besides the article about Miley Cyrus twerking at the VMA's... Another interesting article on yoga being taught in the classroom: http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/22/health/yoga-in-schools/index.html?hpt=he_t5

In a debacle between parents and a school in Georgia that offers students yoga as P.E., the writer investigates whether or not yoga is or is not too religious to be taught in public schools. The parent's argument was against government funding for yoga as physical education because it is "religious" and they didn't want their son practicing yoga. Other students thought yoga to be fun and beneficial to their health. I think it is important for the government to remain secular, but counter to the belief of the parents, I think by and large yoga in the USA has grown out of it's popularity as a physical hobby that incorporates breathing techniques to achieve relaxation. The Vedas, or the ancient Indian religious texts and literature from which the yoga poses and traditions originate, have ties to Hinduism and Buddhism. But even having religious origin doesn't mean that teaching children about various forms of stretching and exercise through the lens of physical and non-religious education shouldn't be allowed. Hopefully we can embrace the potential health benefits that yoga has to offer in a secular school environment to promote kids to stretch, exercise, develop body awareness. Yoga truly does offer a fun and physical way to teach active sentence structure to kids. And just to be clear, I am very PRO the secular establishment of education and I would like nothing more than to keep public education separate from religious affiliation. Hopefully for the sake of conversation there will be dissenting opinions to the ones I've just expressed and those people and I can debate our ideas of yoga and secular education over wine! I am off the airport again, time to head to Germany and then to Israel. Hopefully all my friends and family are doing well, and know I am thinking of each and every one of you.

180 degrees

In less than a month, I will be embarking on a journey half way across the world to teach elementary schoolers how to read and write in English. It has been an interesting few weeks preparing for the trip. I've been shuffled through the Seattle police station to obtain a police record, examined by a University of Washington physician (who resembled more of a robot than a person) but deemed me mentally and physically healthy, photographed without being able to smile for my student visa and on top of everything my wallet and keys to my car were stolen while I was selling furniture at my yard sale. I have to admit, I see some hilarity in the situation. I have not left the country, and I am already feeling the stress and chaos involved with the unpredictability of traveling.
Recently, The United States closed U.S. embassies and consulates in the Middle East. There has been strikes at Israeli consulates in the U.S. and everything remained closed until two weeks before my departure date. I went to the Israeli consulate in San Francisco with my mom, it was a tall unmarked building with security in the lobby. We walk in and my mom hastily begins telling the security officials my situation and how I need my visa TODAY. I sign in and then am pointed in the direction of the elevators. "Floor 21", the security person tells me. Then he turns to my mom and says, "she has to go alone since she is an adult, you can wait here". I look over at my mom who is now deflated but smiling at me. I reassure her that "I'll be fine" and "I'll meet you right here when I'm finished" and then walk into the elevator and press the button 21.

Photo of San Francisco three blocks away from the Israeli Consulate 

Mom and I go to Giradellies Chocolate and get hot chocolate after we try to get me a visa

I was cutting it close if I was going to get a student visa since processing typically takes 3 weeks. I'm encouraged that my mom thinks Ill be able to get one, but as I exit the elevator and near the room skepticism begins to creep in... Then I realize it, right as I sit down in front of the glass window to talk to the lady at the consulate...I don't have all the nevessary documents. I haven't received the letter yet that includes how much funding I will be receiving. I pray to God that she doesn't ask and then show her the print out of my checking and savings accounts. She looks at the money I have and then asks me if I will be receiving any additional funding. "Yes", I tell her. She looks up from the paper to find my eyes looking straight at her,"Can I see the letter that states the amount you have received?" I stare blankly back until I muster the words, "Oh the letter, I must have forgotten to print it out". She encourages me to come in the next day since there are only 2 weeks now to process the visa, and I tell her, "Yes, yes, of course!" When in reality I have no idea when I will receive the letter regarding the amount of funding I have received. One of the directors informs me that there are other participants going to Israel on a tourist visa due to Israeli consulates being closed and they will apply for a student visa once in Israel. I try to notify the funders of my fellowship about my situation but the request falls on deaf ears. I tell myself that there must be too much going on in Israel for them to worry about some teacher who needs proof of funding but really I am just telling myself justifications so I will stop worrying. I stop worrying. I'll get to Israel, that's what's important.

I'm already planning out in my head what to pack. The advice from friends at work, parentals, and Rick Steves...is "pack light". Which translates into 1 backpack and 1 miniature suitcase. I guess I won't be bringing my Teaching for Dummies book or the complete 1st season plus bonus commentary of the TV show "Girls". That all will have to stay in America until I get back.

 

I will be living in Beersheba, the largest city in the Negev Desert. I am supposedly living in an apartment in the city. I will be taking classes in Hebrew and I'd like to learn Arabic. I am skeptical about how much Arabic I will be taught. But I will definitely advocate for some lessons in Arabic since it is the second most common spoken language in Israel, third being English. 

As some famous philosopher says whose name is escaping me right now, "These are the most interesting of times"