Last Long Weekend

Well with the end of the Jewish Festivals, the last long weekend is over and I have to say while the festivals were nice and the short working weeks were very nice. I did feel a bit like I missed out and did nothing at all in the long weekends. It would have been nice to have been able to do something in my days off. But guess what didn't so here I am at the end of a long weekend and its back to going to work, coming home, going to sleep and repeat 5 times a week. Followed by a weekend of doing nada, zip, nothing LOL.

The Year of Blogging

Well as promised if you saw my Facebook status, its a year of blogging. A year since I left my job and London, my family and even the UK entirely. I've had 5 months of study and fun, periods of despair when searching for work. And now after nearly a year here in Israel I think I'm settled more or less. Since I moved to Rishon I've dealt with a new city and new surroundings, searching for work and well I've had 3 jobs in a short space of time which I hope with the one I'm in now its 3rd time is the charm and this is a keeper, even if I'm still getting used to said job and wondering if its what I'm really meant to do. Socially I've gotten out and about if not for a while, but with payday and hopefully its a regular occurence I will be able to start getting out and about again in the next week. I've also made some amazing new friends here, but I do feel in someways they were temporary for me, I've lost touch with them and I know you probably say I could get in touch with them, but I've done enough chasing of people over time that it gets frustrating when you send a message or an invite and no-one is interested in replying. Friendship is a two way street and sometimes I feel people take that for granted from me. Someone said I shouldn't be so open and less giving in the beginning, but I can't change the way I am and I don't think I'd want to. After I wouldn't be the person I am today if I changed my personality. But the main shot is I feel like here and in the UK I've lost touch with friends and in a world with Facebook, Skype and other methods of communication it shouldn't be that hard. I'm guilty as much as anyone. I just hope that if anyone is reading this and feels like getting in touch they will drop me a line and we can reconnect. Anyway, for now its back to watching A Town Called Eureka with my room-mate, got her hooked on the series and now just enjoying the final season, plus with a long weekend here we might get it finished. Hope to hear from you all :-)

Yom Kippur and is anyone reading this

Well had my 1st Yom Kippur here and I survived it lol. Now the fasting part was easy, I think what got me was the walking part, where 3 times in the actual day of Yom Kippur I ended up walking to and from where I was attending services which usually wouldn't be a problem, but when your not eating or drinking it does have it downside. Otherwise I enjoyed the service it was slightly different to what I was used to and I'm not sure if I would go there again, though I was made to feel very welcome which was nice. Also they had a break in the middle of the day which is something new. But we shall see as I said to someone I have to find the right fit for me for when I go to synagogue. The other really interesting thing is in Israel everything just stops over the 25 hour period. As I was walking to services there were still cars on the road, but by the time I walked home at 7pm the only cars on the road were either Ambulances or Police Cars. Instead of the usual traffic there were kids aplenty on bikes, with people walking in the road and even on the highway. So very strange to see that as well as on a normal day the idea of walking/cycling on the road would be sheer lunancy.... (okay I've managed to get lunancy in a blog..nice) But seriously I would have loved to have taken a picture of it all, but as I don't carry my phone on Yom Kippur I couldn't which is a shame, but having seen other people's pics it does look very strange. Apart from that work is good, slightly changed from what we were originally doing, but still similiar. I'm still trying to find my style for this job and I hope that this week I will find the style and confidence with it. But otherwise it feels like a nice place to work and I'm working with a good team of people, (majority is young ladies) so I hope that though this job is temporary it will become full-time at the end of the year. And the other thing in my title is, I am wondering if people are reading this blog, I know a few people have commented but they are few and far between. I started the blog as a way for people friends and family to know what's going on with me now that i'm in a new country. I'm not insisting on replies, but it would be nice to have a few comments on what's I'm posting just to know that I'm not writing this just for myself.

1st Rosh Hashana

Well my 1st Rosh Hashana here and it felt a bit weird as this is the first time I've been away from my family at Rosh Hashana. Even back in days when I was still in London, most of the time I would be at my parents for the holidays or if not I was at least in the same country. Still it felt very weird to be here and not with family. Still I went to the Massorti for services and also via them had hospitally for both day's lunch and Erev Hag Dinner, so worth the walk to get there :-) I'm really looking forward to seeing what it is like here for Yom Kippur, I've been told that there are no cars on the road at all except for Police and Ambulances so to have a brief period where there is silence and no car horns and no screeching tyres will be interesting to see. Anyway what else to tell you since last I blogged and pretty much nothing else to tell you, back to work tomorrow and while I'm glad to be working, its good for a short week as well :-). And at least in my position I'm dealing with the UK so I don't have to worry about understanding someone or them understanding me. I think the most amusing thing is 1 of my fellow employees is a girl I made aliyah with nearly 12 months ago so that is kind of cool. Otherwise, 1 friend has moved to Rishon in the last 2 weeks and a friend also looking to move here... The Brits are taking over Rishon. Seriously though it will be nice to have a few more friendly faces in the area and to hang out with as well Oh forgot this, went into work last Monday and there was gifts from the company I am working for and for the Recruitment Agency who I am officially working through for Rosh Hashana. Needless to say I have a lot of chocolate now and a bottle of wine. Plus some bathroom stuff. But I think very cool. Anyway hope everyone has had a great and happy Jewish New Year and you all have a safe and easy fast. Shana Tova.

This title is a temporary

Long time since I blogged, a lot has happened since the last time. Since the last one I've changed jobs, started a few days ago and I think I will like it once the training is done, a lot of information and I think my head exploded at one point... so any flying brains you saw during Wednesday was mine!!! Its only a temp job, but decent wage for it and maybe it will be permanent... we will see. Otherwise, I've been out with friends, had a few dates, got a new Kindle as the old broke... broken my phone :-(.... I actually had a dream a few weeks ago about my phone being broken so its kind of come true if not the damage that was in my dream. Apart from that sorted myself out for plans for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Also going this week to the Israel versus Russia World Cup qualifier so that will be cool and hopefully it will be an Israel win. Anyway sorry for the rambling post, felt I should let people know I still here, still alive. Hope to speak from you soon, comment please

Birthday and Technology

Well done another week of work and it went okay, no sales yet but think I am getting close. Yesterday was my 1st birthday in Israel since making Aliyah, been here before over my birthday but not living in the country. And well it was okay my birthday nothing special, went out Thursday Night with a few people into Tel Aviv for a few drinks, Friday my actual birthday I worked for a few hours and then just chilled out at home as I have done today, though going out tonight for dinner and to a bar so fun there. But generally a very dull birthday, pretty much expect that don't think I've ever had a really exciting birthday LOL. Decided that I may end up living in a cave as it seems all technology I have is rebelling against me, my Laptop isn't working 100%, my Kindle is playing up and so is my IPod and even my phone is going nuts though it might be the heat for it all, I'll send a forwarding address to my cave for any mail anyone wants to send me LOL. Generally all is good, getting out and about slowly, slowly and things seem to be going well.

Tiring and Frustrating Week

Aren't you lucky, 2 blog posts in a week, been a while since I've felt like doing that. But anyway Well completed my second week at work and it was fun but as the title says frustrating. I'm doing a job where I've got to talk to people over the phone and well its mildly frustrating that I get one of a few possibilities when I ring someone. I either get A) All Circuits are busy, please try later. B) It rings but no-one answers. C)Voicemail or finally D) where they answer and aren't interested. I suppose those of you who have done a Sales job before will tell me that its never easy over the phone to sell something to someone as you don't know what they are doing at the time you ring them, but its frustrating to just be sat there dialling the same numbers and hoping for different results. Oh yeah there is also the chance that when you get to speak with someone they don't speak English!!! Still I'm remaining optimistic my first sales isn't too far away and then I'm sure it will become easier, keep your fingers crossed for me and wish me my 1st sale... Ideally by the end of this week in time for Birthday :-) Anyway what else to tell you, nothing much I spent time with friends on Thursday night at a club in Tel Aviv for a birthday which was fun, tiring as well having done a 9 hour day and knowing I was working Friday morning I was a little tired when I got to work, fortunately only a 5 shift because of Shabbat... I miss the days I could work/study all day, party all night and have a few hours sleep and do it all again. Still that's what the weekend is for :-). Apart from all that, nothing much, going to Tel Aviv to see a few friends tomorrow and just enjoy the rest of my weekend.