Tuesday 24 October 2017

6 years on...

Well it’s been quite a ride, here I am 6 years later after I stepped on a plane at Luton airport on a cold Monday morning October 24th, 2011.  Hands up and I'm actually seriously interested from my friends in the UK and family who thought I wouldn't last 6 days or 6 months here.  Be honest, no judging.

The fact is in 6 years it’s been a hell of a bumpy ride, lots of ups and definitely a lot of downs, the question is would I change any of it? If I could go back in time to talk to my past self a few days or so before I got on the plane, would I tell him to not go, I suppose if you look at all I've done over the time here, you can answer my question.

As some probably saw I posted a status yesterday about work here in Israel and in fact over the past 6 years I've had 9 jobs, been out of work for probably about a year of that, I'm including the 5 months of Ulpan and 5 months from the end of December 2012 until end of April 2013 where I was unemployed and various other times.  So a lot of people would probably say if you had been out of work for that long period, in a different country, without family and only a few friends and not much of a social life, why not come back to the UK and find a job there, where you at least have family and friends around.  To be honest there were periods where in my unemployed time that I reached a point, so low that all I thought about was hopping on a plane and never looking back... I mean who wouldn't.  But I stayed, I kept trying and the darkest period for me was the end of 2014/beginning of 2015.  I had moved to a job in Tel Aviv in Binary Options!!! Doing customer service and because of changes in management I got the boot and it was a struggle to find work.  

I knew I was coming to the UK on Holiday in March 2015 and at that point, I wondered if I was coming back for good.  Fortunately or unfortunately I found a job at a law firm, which as much as a horrible place it was to work at... okay the people for the most part were very nice and some of them I am still in touch with me, even though I've now been gone almost 5 months.  But still if not for the job, I would have been back in the UK for good, so in some ways I owe that place a lot.

But after all the short term and bad jobs I've had, I feel like I've finally found a place where I'm doing good work and appreciated and liked by my co-workers, even if one of them does now run at the sight of me!!! Okay that's because our department wants him to do some IT work for us and he can't at the moment, but still I feel finally in a good work environment that I can stay for a long time...

Socially it hasn't been easy, but then I don't think it was ever that easy in the UK.  Maybe I'm wrong and maybe someone reads this and will feel upset, but it’s always felt like I've had to chase people to do stuff, that if I didn't reach out, it could easily be weeks before I went out or I saw people.  I think I've always felt that way, slightly invisible even among good friends, I'm the one that slips into the background and only noticed every so often, even if it’s because someone needs me for something.  But yep I'm still here, still trying to go out and I've made friends who do include me, but still it’s hard I'm at an age now where all my friends are either dating, married or married with children and it’s a feeling like I'm being left behind.  I'm not saying I haven't dated since I've been here, I have, but it never lasts, like I'm not the one they're looking for, but I'm good enough to kill a couple of hours, before they fade away like a ghost... still everyone tells me the one is out there!! Certain people tell me I should be asking my friends if they know people that I can be set up with... maybe I've not been dropping enough hints!!! Generally though socially things are okay, I just wish friends would sometimes reach out a bit more, instead of me feeling like I'm always chasing.

Living situation, since I've been here, I've lived in 6 places so almost like 1 place for every year I've been here.  I started off with 5 months in dorms, while doing Ulpan and that was fun. Then I spent a year in Rishon in a lovely apartment with a friend I made from the Ulpan.  It’s funny that when I was living in Rishon I was 15 minute’s walk from where I am now working, but at that time my jobs where in Tel Aviv or Ramat Gan and now I live in Ramat Gan and work in Rishon... it is funny how life goes.  But so I moved to Tel Aviv, spent 6 months in an apartment that I'm pretty sure if it was blown up, the dirt would still be there!! Then I spent 18 months in Ramat Aviv, a year sharing with Kylie and Kiki and then 6 months in the apartment on my own.  It gave me a taste for living on my own and for a year I lived in south Tel Aviv by myself and while the apartment was good, the neighbourhood not so much and finally here I am for almost 18 months in Ramat Gan and I like it, close to Tel Aviv, easy access to the train station and also buses to my office.  It’s a good location and I'm happy to be able to go to the park most Saturday's to chill out.

The fact is Israel has taken me, chewed up and tried to spit me out, but I'm still here, still fighting, maybe I don't have everything I would like, but I'm not going to stop trying and in answer to the question, would I change any of it?  Nope, bring on the next 6 years I'm ready

So read, comment, criticize, or just say hi.  I'm still here.


Wednesday 18 October 2017

Hooray for Holiday

So as I promised, here is a blog about the last few weeks now that the chaggim are past and I'm settled in back at work. I'm telling you it’s been a tough week getting back into the swing of things with all the Jewish Holidays in the last few weeks and then the office being closed for 10 days.

Still it was nice to have a break, I never had time off between my last job and this one, just a weekend to rest and prepare so my last long holiday was over Pesach when I was in England so this was a nice thing to have.

So I started my holiday with babysitting, after over 20+ years since I last did this job, I did it again, this time looking after my little cousin Lev for my cousin and his wife to have an evening out.  It’s kind of funny that I actually can say I babysat for Lev's father as well.  But it was easy enough and although Lev woke up I was okay with it and they've asked me to do it again so I shouldn't grumble... maybe I should hire myself out as a babysitter as a 2nd job for extra income....

Following that I spent the first day of Sukkot down in Beersheba with my friends Derek and Melissa which was fun and nice to get away from Tel Aviv.  I had thought of staying till after Shabbat but decided to come back before hand, however it’s a good thing I did as I had accidently left the Freezer open since I left 2 days earlier. Luckily most of the food survived this accidental defrosting.

After a chilled Shabbat, I visited a friend in Ra'anana for lunch and a catch up.  Then over a couple of days I helped another friend out by taking a dog for a walk... again another idea for extra income ;-).  I also attended the Icon festival, visited Netanya and then it was the last of the Chaggim.  Following the festivities at the Tel Aviv International Synagogue, it was time to kick back and relax for the last few days of holiday which surprisingly were quite busy.

On the Thursday I visited with relatives on my Mother side of the family who were staying on the other side of Tel Aviv so it was nice to cross over Ramat Gan for a nice walk and a catch up with family I've not seen for a long time. On Friday I joined friends for Shabbat dinner and again it’s been a while since I had seen them so it was good to catch up.

Finally I finished my holiday with lunch with my Cousin in Tel Aviv and his wife and little one and his brother who was visiting from Rehovot with his wife and kids and it was short but sweet.  It’s always nice to see family.

After that I'm back at work and wanting another holiday lol. Still it’s nice to be back at work.  Anyway that's all from me for now, a new blog will be up next week as on Tuesday its 6 years since I made Aliyah, so I suppose I can do a review of my time here.  So stay tuned.