Artsy Fartsy

For those of you who have never been to Israel, you should know that it really is a beautiful space. The land itself exudes this natural beauty that can't be seen anywhere else, but that's not what I'm talking about today. I'm talking about the actual hand-drawn art that can be seen in the streets of this country. For instance, most of the electrical panels that are found outside people's homes are painted with beautiful imagery. I never saw anything like this living in California and people around these parts probably think I'm strange but every time I pass by an electrical panel I have to stop and look at the graceful painting on it. Seeing these paintings makes living in a town with no movie theatre or mall slightly less painful.

Aside from these electrical panels, there's this little sitting area right up the street from where I'm staying and it's utterly beautiful. Th

ese cement benches are covered with shattered tiles that create an image of birds and flowers.

It kind of looks like it belongs somewhere in Venice beach but don't be fooled, the nearest body of water is about an hour and a half away. This charming little space is surrounded by dry, scorched land. A simple glance over the fence reminds me that the people living in the homes below aren't exactly Israeli's biggest fans.

Nevertheless, I'm slowly getting the hang of living in this rather rural part of Israel. I feel like I get the best of both worlds because I go to school in tumultuous Tel Aviv and rest my head at night in airy Ariel.

TTFN XX

It Starts With a "T" and Ends With an "Aviv"

The bus was late today but when it arrived I was just relieved to feel the AC on my face. Like I previously mentioned, I live in Ariel, which I used to think was an hour and 15 minutes from where I need to be but I guess that's just on a good day. We drove through what felt like pure desert, a wasteland of horribly dry dirt. But eventually (2 hours later), a busy city full of life emerged. It was full of hustle and even some bustle; people walking to get to school or to work. Eager young men and women in traditional Army attire, which they miraculously manage to look amazing in, heading to their Army base carrying guns you usually only see in action films. Juice from real fruit is squeezed right before your eyes and poured into a tall plastic cup and placed in your hand, all for your enjoyment. Cuz you know what, it's hot out this bitch and this is Tel Aviv.
You can find American Apparel here but the employees are definitely not American. You can find pizza here but it'll taste better than that stuff that's "not delivery." Oh and the fashion here, well the fashion is fearless and the people who rock it are oozing confidence. But why did I come here? Couldn't I have stayed in Calihood and gone to Paul Mitchell's hair school? Perhaps, if I only wanted to be taught the technicalities of doing hair. But here, in this youthful city, people appreciate an intracate hair cut or a luminous coloring job. Hair school doesn't end when I step out of the Shuki Zikri Academy, I see it when I walk to the bus stop. I see people with fantastic hair walking the streets and shopping in the markets. Hair is king in Israel. I feel lucky to be studying such an art in such a beutiful city.

TTFN XX

It's On Like Donkey Kong

I'll be starting hair school at Shuki Zikri Duri tomorrow morning and I'm very excited. But it's that kind of excitement that has a hint of fear in it. Kind of like when you're done with Junior High and it's time to start High School. It's your first day, your mom drops you off and maybe you don't have many friends cuz most of your friends ended up going to school in a different city. Ultimately, you know you'll make friends but you also know you're gunna have to put some effort in and you're just not sure if these kids will like you. Yup, that's how I feel.

The administrators tell me that I'll be the only American at school this year (which they seemed very proud to report). They told me not to worry though, that there will be English speakers from India and England studying there as well. I really enjoy meeting new people, it's sort of thrilling to me so this should be a lot of fun. I had a meeting with the administrators yesterday and they all seemed very kind and welcoming but the other kids stared at me whenever I'd open my mouth and utter a word of English. I reckon they'll get used to it. Don't get me wrong, I speak Hebrew fluently but I feel that I can express myself more fully when I'm speaking English.

Black Uniform, Check.

Shades, Check.

Cool Hair, Check.

Ipod, Check . . .

Here goes something.

TTFN XX

Plans, They Change

But this isn't always a bad thing! I've only been here for about a week but I've already learned some new things about myself. For instance, I can't tolerate the smell of baby poop and I can take buses across Israel without getting lost (for those who know me, this is huge deal).
So ultimately, I was supposed to stay at my cousin's house, which is about a half hour from my school but that's not working out so I'll be staying here in Ariel with my sister and her fam bam. There are a few downsides and upsides to this decision. The upsides are that my brother-in-law's salon is down the street so I'll be getting a leg up working there while the other kidz at school are still learning how to hold a pair of scissors correctly. I'll also be able to spend some time with my niece, Abby (I'm already teaching her how to recognize Lady GaGa and Kanye West, it's pretty mind-blowing if you ask me). The downside is that Ariel is about an hour and 15 minutes away from school, which means 3 hours out of my day will be spent on a bus. But this got me thinking . . .
I've basically grown up in California, a place where almost everyone has a car, nobody really walks (c'mon there's even a song about it, yo) and by the age of 10, you probably already have a cell phone. These are things that make our life comfortable, one might even use the term "easy." But then I think about how, from a young age, we hear our favorite movie stars and recording artists telling us to follow our dreams and that we can do anything we put our mind to. But they don't tell you that following your dreams is not comfortable and it's definitely not easy. If it were so easy then we'd have more pop stars and movie stars than janitors but that's obviously not the case. You have to be willing to work harder than the people around you, you have to be so hungry for success that you go beyond what's asked of you. Remind yourself that the most successful people on this planet aren't lazy, they work hard and they don't quit. However, these are things you must consider before pursuing a dream. For not giving it your all would be a terrible tragedy. A dream is full of whimsy and wonder but a bit of elbow grease can turn that little bubble dream into reality.
So, yes, 3 hours on the bus will most likely be a pain but it's a tiny price to pay. I mean, I didn't leave my comfortable California life for nothing.

TTFN XX

RELEASE THE HOUNDS

Well, more like, release the puppies. Although I'm totally ready to do this thing, that flight took a lot out of me. Recycled air isn't exactly my prefered brand of air ;-) Luckily, our suitcases were one of the first out on the carousel, which nevvver happens to me!
Anyway, here I am at my sister's house. The air here is so humid you can literally slice through it with a knife, yo! But I'm slowly getting used to it, 5 showers a day oughta do it. Now that i'm here, everything feels more real; leaving the country I grew up in, my friends, part of my family. For the next 9 months, I'm a true Israeli, this ain't no vacay. In a few days I should be moving into my cousins house. She was generous enough to let me stay there while she goes to school in Jerusalem. The place is about a half hour from my school but it's whatevs cuz i have an ipod to keep me company. Yes, an ipod. i JUST bought one last week, my very first ipod. I have finally joined the rest of the universe :-)
Being here still feels a bit strange but as my sister watches "The Simpsons" in the next room, I realize that all the things I know and love aren't so far away after all.

TTFN XX

Pack, Pack, Pack it up

I'd like to start off by mentioning that I am a self-proclaimed shopaholic. With that said, I love every article of clothing, accessory or shoe that I own. It's safe to say that I don't actually have a room, I just happen to have a bed in my wardrobe. Now, with all these cherished items I have on my hands, I'm finding in painfully difficult to decide what to take on such a long trip!

I sincerely believe that the clothing that you wear is a strong expression of who you are. I like to express myself through my clothing so it's absolutely vital that I take amazing pieces with me. Here's where the difficult part comes in, I feel that all of my pieces are amazing. It's why I purchased them in the first place! What I'm trying to say is that packing for this trip has turned out to be quite a drag :-/ Now that I've got that confession off my chest, I guess I better get to it.

I have much to be excited about anyway. A new life in a new country awaits me tomorrow!

Can't wait to get settled.

TTFN XX

The Start of a Hairy Journey

My name's Liat and I will be moving to Israel in 3 days to follow my dream of becoming the greatest hair dresser in the Universe. I just graduated from Cal State University, Northridge with my Bachelor's Degree in Family and Consumer Sciences. Quite a stretch one might say, but I can't help it. I want to do hair and I want to be the best. Well, that's why I'm going to Israel after all. I will be attending an amazing hair school (imo) located in Tel Aviv called Shuki Zikri.

I am originally from Israel but I moved to California with my family when I was a year old. Now my sister lives in Israel and is about to give birth to her second child so I figured this would be the perfect chance to show the world what I can do with hair while offering babysitting services to my wonderful sister.

This very blog will chronicle the time that I spend in Israel, what the people are like, what I'm learning and how living in an entirely new country is effecting me.

If anyone is actually reading this, I would love to hear about your dreams and what you're doing to follow those dreams!

TTFN XX