the last 24 hours
written on the night of 17 October
The main reason i stopped in Berlin was to visit a friend. we spent time together the first night (after I took the wrong train and arrived 3 hours late), but then he had to work the rest of the time I was there. Thus I made the most of my time in Berlin, which was a much needed time of R&R and cultural "adjustment" in perhaps one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world.
The scene: Hackescher Market in Berlin. Outside in the chilly winter air, a didgeridoo player (aboriginal instrument) entertains the passers by. Inside an Asian restaurant I sit, sipping an Italian Coffee, listening to Brazilian Jazz, while studying Arabic, myself a lone American with everyone around me speaking German. As I continue to think globally, my environment always seems to encompass that. The area of town I was staying in is like "little Arabia" all the arabic stores, signs, and immigrants. Good preparation for Israel.
I intended to sleep in the Berlin airport as my friend was not available, and retrieve my luggage to avoid another day of the £9/day charge for storage. However I arrived to the airport at 11pm and it was closing, I'd have to come back in the morning. upon check in at 5:30am, the carry-on weight limit was 5kg, and my bag was 12kg, so I had to quickly take a bunch of stuff out. I had envisioned being reuinited with this bag upon my arrival in Tel Aviv, which is customary for a paying customer of an expensive international airline. My advice: DO NOT FLY ALITALIA, the Italian airline, Italy sucks, even though Italy DID win the World Cup (I only rooted for them by default). Not only did they make me rearrange my bags, they lost one of them (the main one with all my favorite clothes, shoes, journals, video camera, jewelry and expensive personal products). They said it happens all the time and they would deliver it to me as soon as they found it.
After being frazzled by the loss of my suitcase, I attempted to board a train from Tel Aviv to Beer Sheva. However I got on the wrong train and got re-routed several times (each person telling me something different). I unloaded my maps into the lost suitcase when I rearranged as well and do not have Israeli geography memorized yet. I finally made it to the University at 9pm instead of 5:30pm as would have been reasonable with my plane arriving at 2pm.
When I did arrive to the University I had to take a cab which cost nearly as much as the train ticket, to my apartment which is about 2 miles further than advertised, and on the 6th floor of an old building with no elevators... and crazy arabic/hookah-smoking guys a few floors down. I did meet a very nice girl on the train who said she is looking for a roommate if I was able to switch dorms. I may just have to take her up on this, because after all I need to be across from the gym. This room is very private however. I hope my luggage turns up soon, as my USA to Israel power converter is in there, and I need it in order to operate my laptop. I have about 1 1/2 hours battery life until it shows up.
The main reason i stopped in Berlin was to visit a friend. we spent time together the first night (after I took the wrong train and arrived 3 hours late), but then he had to work the rest of the time I was there. Thus I made the most of my time in Berlin, which was a much needed time of R&R and cultural "adjustment" in perhaps one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world.
The scene: Hackescher Market in Berlin. Outside in the chilly winter air, a didgeridoo player (aboriginal instrument) entertains the passers by. Inside an Asian restaurant I sit, sipping an Italian Coffee, listening to Brazilian Jazz, while studying Arabic, myself a lone American with everyone around me speaking German. As I continue to think globally, my environment always seems to encompass that. The area of town I was staying in is like "little Arabia" all the arabic stores, signs, and immigrants. Good preparation for Israel.
I intended to sleep in the Berlin airport as my friend was not available, and retrieve my luggage to avoid another day of the £9/day charge for storage. However I arrived to the airport at 11pm and it was closing, I'd have to come back in the morning. upon check in at 5:30am, the carry-on weight limit was 5kg, and my bag was 12kg, so I had to quickly take a bunch of stuff out. I had envisioned being reuinited with this bag upon my arrival in Tel Aviv, which is customary for a paying customer of an expensive international airline. My advice: DO NOT FLY ALITALIA, the Italian airline, Italy sucks, even though Italy DID win the World Cup (I only rooted for them by default). Not only did they make me rearrange my bags, they lost one of them (the main one with all my favorite clothes, shoes, journals, video camera, jewelry and expensive personal products). They said it happens all the time and they would deliver it to me as soon as they found it.
After being frazzled by the loss of my suitcase, I attempted to board a train from Tel Aviv to Beer Sheva. However I got on the wrong train and got re-routed several times (each person telling me something different). I unloaded my maps into the lost suitcase when I rearranged as well and do not have Israeli geography memorized yet. I finally made it to the University at 9pm instead of 5:30pm as would have been reasonable with my plane arriving at 2pm.
When I did arrive to the University I had to take a cab which cost nearly as much as the train ticket, to my apartment which is about 2 miles further than advertised, and on the 6th floor of an old building with no elevators... and crazy arabic/hookah-smoking guys a few floors down. I did meet a very nice girl on the train who said she is looking for a roommate if I was able to switch dorms. I may just have to take her up on this, because after all I need to be across from the gym. This room is very private however. I hope my luggage turns up soon, as my USA to Israel power converter is in there, and I need it in order to operate my laptop. I have about 1 1/2 hours battery life until it shows up.
posted by :: Lisa :: at 11:58 PM
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