So I've been thinking
about this post. As to what I would write on the occasion of my Aliyaversary.
It has been 7 years since I moved to Israel to start a new life and a lot has
happened and a lot has not happened.
It’s funny, a
friend's first reaction upon the news of my impending move to Israel was
'you're going to get blown up'.... my reply was to tell him that “I was more
likely to die of a car accident.” The irony here is about 2 months into my new
life in Israel I did get hit by a car. Fortunately a few bruises and a tetanus
shot was all I needed.
So what can I say
about the last 7 years, what have I got to show for it, 7 years or 2555 days.
In that time I completed 5 months of Ulpan and my Hebrew is still not
fantastic. I am working to improve it though, but I should be more fluent after
7 years.
After Ulpan I worked
9 different jobs, 6 of them weren't really proper jobs just short-term
positions or I sucked at them and was shown the door. The last 2 before my
current job, were certainly interesting. Can't say much about what happened
about the job in Binyamina but a lot of people know why I only stayed 18 months
there... still wonder if the business is still there. Then there is my 2 and a
half years at the IP Law Firm, where I was fired, un-fired and given a second
chance. Then I was told about 7 times in the space of a few weeks that I had
one last chance and received emails regarding work with language that is not
professional. I was treated with zero respect so by the time I finally escaped
it wasn't a relief as I felt I had no self-worth or value as a contributing
person to another job.
It’s taken nearly 18
months at my current job to even feel like I'm doing a good job and I was told
last week that they are satisfied with my performance. They appear to like me
which I suppose is good, even if I do still feel a little like an outsider
sometimes.
Over 7 years, 4
different cities and 6 different places I've lived in since I got here. 5
months in the dorms in Haifa during Ulpan. 1 year in Rishon LeZion... again
ironic that I lived in Rishon and was about 20 minutes’ walk from Moroccanoil,
my current job. Funny to think that a number of years after I moved to Tel Aviv
for work, I'm now living in Ramat Gan and working in Rishon.
So yeah, a year in
Rishon before moving to near the beach in Tel Aviv for 6 months which quite
frankly was a last chance as I'd been unemployed for 6 months and I wasn't sure
if would be able to stay. Fortunately in those 6 months I found a short term
job and then a more permanent role that made me feel like I might actually make
it here. After my 6 months were up I wanted to move on, quite frankly if the
apartment was destroyed, only the
dirt would have survived. But I digress, I moved in with a friend in Ramat Aviv
and lived there for over 18 months alongside her and for the last 6 months of
my time there on my own. It was good if a little out of the way from a social
point of view. Then I moved to South Tel Aviv into a place of my own. A nice
apartment but a shame about the area and after a year there I moved to Ramat
Gan where I've been for over 2 years now. Again a nice apartment with a good
location and access to Tel Aviv. Still my time in this apartment is coming to
an end as I have to move at the end of the year. Pretty sure I want to stay in
Ramat Gan though.
Socially I'm not sure if it’s
better than I had in London, I think maybe, I get out more than I probably did,
but I do still feel a little isolated or alone but I'm getting out there. I
just have to get out more and be more confident.
So after 7 years, I've certainly
done some things, not sure if I've accomplished a lot. I know a lot of the
people I made Aliya at the same time as have moved on, some back to England and
some are still here. People still ask me why I am here, why do I stay and it’s
a good question.
