I have a job

Yep the title is correct, not a joke. I have work :-). After a few months of searching and after at least a dozen interviews I've got a job. Last week I had 3 interviews and an informal chat with Berlitz Language School. Of the interviews the first one didn't go well and was a no within minutes of the interview. The 2nd also in Tel Aviv went well but seems I didn't get it. Even rang to follow up and didn't get a reply so a definite no then and then Wednesday I had 2 more interviews, the 1st with Berlitz here in Rishon and they are quite happy to put me on the training if I want to, at present though I do feel that I need a full time role first before I can look into teaching English. Anyway the second interview on Wednesday was in Lod and is for a Customer Service role and after 24 hours of waiting I was rewarded with the nicest phone call I've received in a while asking me if I wanted the job :-). Needless to say I said yes and I start training tomorrow. It’s actually a bit scary as it’s another new thing here in Israel, but also amazing as it’s my 1st job in a new country. But as I said scary because it’s new, but with training I hope that I will not only enjoy the job but excel at it. Apart from that, this past weekend was Shavuot and it was a quiet one, but I was good and went to synagogue, still getting used to the fact that services are earlier here than in the UK as the service on Saturday for Shabbat was finished by 10.45... I got there at 10 as they were starting the Mussaf Amidah and Sunday the service started at 7.30 and was finished around 10.30. Still get used to it, like everything it takes time.

Fun week, busy one again

I seem to be getting a bit lazy in updating this blog, so sorry for those who read and hope to keep up with my adventures in Israel. Last Week was actually quite fun and busy, probably the busiest I've had in a while. Sunday started off with a visit to Tel Aviv to go and look for recruitment agencies and although I didn't find I got to hang out with friends. Monday was a visit to Tel Aviv again for a Job interview, which sadly I didn't get but, plenty more out there. On Tuesday I had a meeting with an Employment Counsellor to discuss what could be done to help me find a job. Then on Wednesday I went to Haifa to visit friends and pick up my Ulpan final exam grade and having started in Kita Aleph I finished in Kita Bet, so I did learn something from my time in Ulpan. I still have basic hebrew, but I'm sure I will pick up more as more time goes on. Then after that I hung out with various friends from my Ulpan who still live in Haifa. Then Thursday I went to the beach with a friend who lives in Bat Yam, also from Hull originally so that was cool, chilling out on the beach. Friday was fun as I went Fruit Picking in an event arranged by Nefesh B'Nefesh and Leket. And in the space of 1 hour 40 of us picked 800 kilos of Beets which were to go to the needy. Then Friday night I went for dinner with someone who lives in Rishon also from the old home town so that was cool. Then Saturday I relaxed for most of the day, before going to see the Avengers again and then heading into Tel Aviv to watch the Champions League Final and eventually getting home at 3am... which might sound like a good night out, but when you have to be up for 7am... not so good!!!. Still a very good week that I enjoyed and I hope its the first of many fun and busy weeks for me here in Israel.

Down but not out

Well its been a busy few weeks, applying for jobs here in Israel trying to find my 1st start and first wage here. Its a struggle, but I've had interviews which is more than I had back in the UK. Still very tough and getting the interviews but not getting past the final hurdle. Its quite disheartening and I hope that someone very soon will recognise my potential and give me the opportunity to work for them, in the meantime its keep applying and trying to stay positive. Though I admit that has been a bit of a struggle the last few days after some job interviews which I felt went really well and then I didn't get. But persevering I will continue to apply. Apart from that, been pretty quiet, its difficult to do much when you have little money so most of my time is on the PS3, Computer or watching DVDS, also feeling very isolated from friends I've made here in Israel, especially those in Haifa. I realise everyone has their own lives but in the 5 weeks since I left Haifa, I've barely heard a peep from any of my new friends and its hard not to feel a little abandoned and hurt that no-one isn't even interested in dropping a quick text to say 'Hi Adam, how are you?. Okay maybe that a bit of rant, but hey when you got no-one to talk to, got to voice your frustrations somewhere LOL. Apart from that, had a good Saturday night, went to play pool with a few new friends even though my Pool skills are shockingly poor LOL it was fun and today, hanging with David and Tal Allen was fun, nice distraction from the empty apartment of the last 3 days :-).

Memorial Day and Independence Day

Well its been a busy few days and now the weekend, or rather a long weekend here in Israel, on Tuesday night till Wednesday Evening it was Yom Hazikaron a day to remember those soldiers who have given their life for the protection of Israel and the civilians who also died during the years. It starts with the siren going at 8pm and lasting a minute, sees everything just stop, even cars, come to a halt and the drivers get out to observe the minute and there is a second silence at 11am the following day and the same happens. From someone who has never been in the country around now, its quite an amazing sight to see, that for just a few minutes there is silence. From the night fall of the day of Yom Hazikaron, its quite different as Yom Ha'atzmaut (Independence Day) begins here in Israel and its time to party, for me and my room-mate we attended 2 local parties, with music and stalls of food and kids having fun and fireworks going off and the parties going on long into the night. Yesterday on Yom Ha'atzmaut Day, I was invited to two Barbecue's, one here in Rishon after getting in contact with some fellow English Speakers, so that was fun to go to and I made some contacts as well, so that may help me down the road as I settle in here in Rishon. Then it was off with my roomie to a BBQ in Tel Aviv, both for Independence Day and for a birthday as well. One thing I noticed, wherever I walked and there was a park or somewhere nice to sit, there were people, enjoying the weather, the day and having their own barbecue's. From someone who has never seen this before, it was amazing to see and I hope that this is the first of many times I get to see this.

6 Months on

Well its been 6 months since I made Aliyah, still feels like only a few minutes since I boarded the plane to come here, its amazing how fast the time has gone, done so much in my 1st 6 months in the country. Started to learn the language, explore the country and make some really good new friends and have a lot of fun. It has been a lot of fun the last 6 months, but the hard work begins, I've got an amazing place here in Rishon LeZion near Tel Aviv, all I need now is a job and got to say I've had more interviews in the past 2 months of searching than I had back in England in nearly 5 years. Not sure what that says about the employment situation in the UK, but still, I'm not employed yet, but soon, someone will take the chance on me, like I did taking the chance coming here and when it does, I'm going to grab the opportunity with both hands, so look out job wherever you are, I'm coming to get you.

Hello England, Goodbye England and Hello Israel

Well its been a busyish couple of weeks, moved from Haifa to Rishon LeZion and then after a few days of settling in, it was off back to England for Pesach and see my parents and sister. It was a pretty quiet 12 days back with my family in Manchester, one difficulty of Pesach is not being able to go out to many places without taking food with us, so it was nice to kind of relax at home, watch english television and enjoy some quiet. I did see my cousins twice and that was nice and also went with my sister to see Hull City play, I still have a perfect record for games attended this season in that I've been to 5 and not seen them lose if I've been there... maybe if I'd been to more before I left we would have made the play-offs LOL.

Anyway as of yesterday evening I'm back in Israel and its nice to be back here, a lot warmer than England is. Today was a day of doing a lot of my administration things from having moved and most of them have been done, I just have a few things left to do tomorrow and in the next week or so. But now the hard part comes and the part that scares me finding working so I can pay and stay in Israel, I'm applying for jobs as I see them and if I feel I have a chance of getting somewhere, I'm even hoping to find somewhere to print off my CV'S so I can go round all of the stores in the Malls here in Rishon. Ideally I'd love a job at Cinema City, but I'd just as soon settle for a job as a shelf stacker, if only to help pay the bills while I find something more to my liking. So please keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck... oh and if you happen to win the lottery, send me a few quid please LOL.

Goodbye Haifa, Hello Rishon

Well it has happened, I've now moved from Haifa to Rishon LeZion near Tel Aviv. I drove myself and my new roomie Jovana in a car full of our stuff.. A bit scary to not only drive in Israel, but also drive a fair distance in a very full car, but I made it, I think once I got out on the main roads I was a lot more comfortable driving. After arriving and dropping our stuff off in the apartment, we took a trip to IKEA in Rishon to buy various bits needed for the apartment and finally before settling down a trip to a supermarket to buy various bits. Monday saw me return the car to the firm we had hired from and that was weird as this time I drove on my own and not with an instructor or even my friend. But I managed it and in some ways it proves that I can drive in Israel, I just need a bit of practice.

Following that Monday and Tuesday were spent getting the apartment suitable for us to live in it. It was clean but Jovana gave it a clean for her standards :-). And so far before I left the apartment on Wednesday, we had received all we ordered, with the exception of the Television and organising the Television, Phone and internet package. Also on Monday I actually returned to Haifa to pick up the last few bits we had left behind in Haifa and also retrieve a friend of ours Hena who was coming to stay for a couple of nights before she and I flew back to Manchester for Pesach.

Yep that is right people I've said goodbye to Israel for 12 days and returned to England to collect my DVD player and Playstation 3 and more DVDS...... okay and visit my parents and sister LOL. I've been back since Wednesday evening and it feels a bit weird to be back, I know only 5 months have passed, but still very strange to be back. Still its good to see the family. Then its back to Israel to continue my new life and find myself a job, fingers crossed I won't be too long out of work when I get back... though I will have my PS3, so I shouldn't get bored lol.

Finally Happy Easter and Chag Sameach