A Merf in the Promised Land: Chetzi

...meaning "half!"
Et mol yom chetzi huledet sheli! (Yesterday was my half birthday) I'm also approximately halfway through my time in Israel....so now what?

Possibly inspired from a lot of thinking while sunbathing in Eilat, I've snapped into DO MORE, LEARN MORE, SEE MORE mode!

Even though I could always stay here and wait out the economic crisis in the states for a while longer, I realized I need to start accomplishing more of my personal goals for my time here. Time to take advantage of the fact that I can do whatever I want without the responsibilities of taking care of my dog, working full-time, or other miscellaneous commitments.

Something happens to performers and artists who haven't practiced their craft in a while....an itch of sorts...to sing, to dance, to create!! It's been two years since I stepped onto a stage. I always think I can be happy without making musical theatre my career, but then I get itchy. On most of the long bus rides, I listen to Broadway shows on my ipod. This trip, I had Songs for a New World on loop. It's more of a musical revue really, by Jason Robert Brown, featuring 4 vocalists singing some of the most beautiful and emotional songs I've listened to in a while. Somehow, the opening sequence inspired me to get going before life passes me by. Step 1: Sing somewhere other than my shower, where my entire neighborhood can hear. I went through my bookmarks on the internet, and took a second look at TACT, Tel Aviv Community Theatre for English speakers. They have a Broadway Singing Workshop for six weeks July-August, timed perfectly for my trip. Step 2: See a show! I had heard that RENT will playing in Jerusalem this month, so I decided to take initiative and plan a day to head out there and see it. They're even performing on a roof top, which should be an interesting venue for that show! Step 3: Get rid of this vacation belly...by belly dancing! After googling every possible combo of "dance tel aviv," "tel aviv dance class," "pilates tel aviv," "belly dancing tel aviv," I came across Studio Naim. This studio on the edge of the Florentin neighborhood heading towards Yafo offers classes ranging from yoga/pilates to modern/jazz/broadway/hip hop to belly dancing! First class is 30 shekels, and if you decide to purchase a membership card after that first day, it's 20% off. Step 4: Make some kesef! I got EXTREMELY lucky, and Sloane, who's leaving her program soon, offered to let me take over her babysitting position with a local family in Tel Aviv! This is a highly coveted job, as it's one of the few possibilities for English speakers without work visas. I'm very excited to go meet the family on Sunday! What's even more perfect?? They live in a building directly across from the TACT theatre, so on Wednesdays I can go from babysitting, to work from a cafe for a few hours, and then take class without having to go back and forth on the bus a bunch of times!
All of these activities add up to a lot of shekels when you don't have a steady income, but I decided that for me, these things are most important. Instead of having a pitcher of beer at Mike's Place, I'll see a performance. Instead of buying clothes, I'll practice singing. Instead of eating out one week, I'll take a month's worth of dance class!

Leetal and I took the long walk to check out Studio Naim Tuesday night, without refreshing my memory of the directions....The street is...Derech Shlomo? Salame? Journeying all the way down Allenby to Rehov Ha'Aliyah, we eventually made our way through the trendy art, design, and a bit sketchy neighborhood of Florentin and found ourselves on Derecha Salmah. The street looked pretty desolate, and just when I thought we were lost, Studio Naim appeared. After some reassurance I'd be okay without speaking fluent Hebrew, and checking out English schedule, I was sold!
The morning of my half birthday, after a bowl of "Crunchy flakes" cereal, (I'm really going to have to bring this stuff back with me) I started to walk to my first Pilates class in Hebrew. It's about a 35 minute walk to the studio, which was a nice warm up before working out. The receptionist thought maybe I'd just taken class, since I was sweaty (whatever) from my walk, but the girl from the previous day remembered me. After signing up, I was still pretty early so I played with the studio's crazy cat as she scurried around like she owned the place...she probably does! The Pilates instructor, Inbal, introduced herself to me, asked about my experience, and told me she'd help me with some English during the class. Four other women and I participated in today's lesson...all about the same level as me. It was a very nice, relaxing, but challenging class, and as a result, I quickly learned the names for body parts in Hebrew, as well as the terms for breathing! In the beginning of the class, one of the women argued with the teacher that she should turn on the air conditioning, and at the end of the quick conversation, they both smiled and went on with the lesson (air conditioning still off)...a very typical Israeli quarrel. I left with my membership card in hand, spelling Lindzi, and walked the route back home through streets filled with the best graffiti I've seen here, to Yona Hanavi.