The Domestic Life

So Phil started work this week, which means that my 2 year stint as an Israeli housewife has now begun. Since I had no problems being an American housewife/housefiance' while we were in Oregon, I suspect that I will have no trouble with this. However, living in a different country where you do not speak the language does make just about everything you do a little bit more difficult. Now most people here do speak English, however, how much they actually understand and are able to communicate varies depending on the setting in which you are asking (ie. people in restaurants always speak English, grocery stores--maybe, maybe not.) When you ask someone if they speak English you usually get one of two responses. The first is the oh "just a little bit" response,which may mean they speak English just fine, they are just too shy to use it, or they are being honest and really don't know that much. The second is the why "of course" I speak English you idiot response. I much prefer the of course why would you even think for a moment that I didn't know English response when I am trying to figure out where they keep the baking soda and baking powder in the grocery store because for some reason it is in the aisle with the jam and not next to the flour where one might suspect.

So the other day I am in the store checking out the cocoa powder even though I have no desire to cook in my ghetto oven with the one baking pan I have until our shipment arrives. FYI--ETA on shipment, April 1st. (That's six weeks from our pack date, we were guaranteed no more than 10. I'd say that's pretty good, IF, it actually happens.) So I turn to the girl standing next to me and ask her if she speaks English. She says "yes, but I don't speak Hebrew." We started talking and turns our she and her husband are here for the same reason as us and our hubbies had already been in contact with one another over e-mail about house hunting trips, moving, etc. So we actually new OF each other but didn't know each others names. Small world. So we chatted for a while, mostly about the annoyances and frustrations we have experienced since getting here, as we searched the aisles for those oh-so-convenient cartons of chicken broth. Which in case your are wondering, they don't have here, just boullion cubes. It was nice to know that someone else is dealing with the same annoying issues, like a filthy apartment, as we are. So we are going to meet up tomorrow for lunch and some shopping because isn't that what housewives who don't have kids are supposed to do?

We have also met a couple of other people as well. We met a gentleman from Germany who lives in our apartment building with his girlfriend. Apparently he has nicer digs than us because he gave us his card and invited us up to his "rooftop" deck for a drink someday. He was quite nice though, and gave us some handy advice about the hot water. It's solar heated, except, obviously, when the sun is not out. Duh. Then you must turn it on yourself, and we were told by our ditzy relocation manager that if you leave it on too long it could blow. Well, apparently not the case. So Phil can switch it on at night and sleep well, knowing that a hot shower awaits him at 5:45 in the morning. (I'm sorry you have to get up so early in the morning baby!) Poor thing, he has to walk thirty minutes before getting on the shuttle for an hour!

We also met another American girl while we were in the hippie organic market. I never knew it was so easy to meet people in the grocery store. She actually does speak Hebrew, as she has lived here for the past year with her Israeli husband. It's comforting to know that after a year of working on her Hebrew she is able to get by pretty darn well. She offered to go with me to the local market that sells fresh produce and meat as well as clothes and other items. I may very well take her up on that offer. Especially if there is to be any bargaining involved. As Phil can attest to, I despise bargaining with people. Never liked it. Never will.

Other than meeting random people, I've been busy cleaning the apartment. Yes, still. I've just started tackling the dirty scuffed walls. Apparently we were so happy to finally see a decent apartment with nice appliances (which we never got and yes, I am still very very bitter) that we overlooked this little fault in the place when we were house hunting. I have been using a damp cloth to wipe them down, and at first it was going well, however, now I think I may actually be making them worse. So I gave up and sat down to watch bad TV and knit for while instead.

I also tested out our little washer and dryer. When I say little washer, I mean little . I am not even sure Phil could fit his head in there. The manual was in Hebrew and although the settings on the washer were in English, they were crazy wierd settings I had never heard of before. After a conversation with one of Phil's Israeli co-workers, I ended up putting it on Rapid Wash which proceeded to take, oh, about 3 hours. So then I tried the Mini Wash which only took about and hour and a half. Thank goodness I didn't go for the Full Wash and Pre Wash. I might still be on my first load. The dryer is in German, but even with my now quite rusty German skills, I was able to figure it out. So after about 8 tiny loads of laundry Phil finally had clean clothes for the week. Oh yeah, and I have a nifty little clothesline outside the bathroom window. I always liked the way linens smelled after being dryed in the sun. So I decided to hang some towels out there to dry. Then it rained. And I dropped a clothespin from our third floor apartment. Luckily no one was standing below. Guess maybe I am not so good at this housewife thing after all!

But at least I can cook! Here is a pic of me cooking our first meal on our rinky dink stove.....Penne with Chicken and Vodka sauce.