Oh, Brother

I'm coming up on my 3 month mark here in Israel and I don't miss home as much as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong, I miss my friends and family immensely but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not on the next flight home. It's funny though, before I left I told my dad to cancel my cell phone line and he was like, "No, it's okay. You'll probably be back in 2 months anyway." But here I am, surviving. haha. I was born to prove this world wrong and I feel like that's exactly what I'm doing. Every time I meet someone new and they realize that I'm from California, I always get the same question, "Why?" well, why not?! Why should I stay in a bubble that is California when there is so much more of this earth that I have yet to discover? This brings me to the subject of this post.

I touched on this idea in one of my earlier posts but I didn't really provide many details. So here it is: I've seriously been considering moving to Israel . . . permanently. I guess the real pondering started about a week ago, during elections. I began thinking about how America is seeing a change but it's a change for the worst, while Israel is changing for the better. I'm a minority in America and that makes me feel uncomfortable. True, there are many minorities living in America, California especially, but everyone is still so segregated. I don't feel that my religion is entirely welcome in America and I honestly don't see that changing.

America has simply run out of 'opportunity' and now the American Dream is just to be able to pay your bills every month. The Israeli Dream is to love what you do and be there for your family. I want to have children in the future and I want them to be proud of being Jewish, not tuck their Star of David necklace under their shirt. I want them to know what it feels like to celebrate Yom Kippur as a nation or be able to walk into a restaurant and not worry if the food is Kosher or not. I remember how difficult it was to grow up Jewish in California. All the questions, not knowing really how to answer them. How do you explain to other 9-year-olds what 'Kosher' is or why you can't ignite fire on Saturdays? Living here has really made me aware of just how much of a problem being a minority could be. Being Jewish in Israel is absolutely effortless. If I do make the move here it'll be for my future.

With all of that said, moving across the world is a really huge decision and I'm totally aware of that. I'll definitely be coming back home after I complete my training here, regardless of my decision. However, I would like to come to a decision by the time I go back to California. I'm trying not to think too much about it right now because my main concern is to do well in school and enjoy the time that I'm spending here. So for right now I'm just going with the flow and taking in all the beauty and soul that Israel has to offer.

TTFN XX

What Language Do You Dream In?

I was speaking with my father on the phone the other day and he asked me if I was fitting in here in Israel and if I felt like an Israeli yet. I told him that I didn't and I stuck out like a sore thumb, a throbbing, sore thumb. He said to me, "Just wait, Liat, when you start dreaming in Hebrew, that's when you know you belong."

Last night, I had my first dream in Hebrew. Now, I'm not sure if it's because I talked about it with my father a few nights before and my brain was just doing its job, or if I really should feel like I belong. In all honestly, I feel more comfortable here than I did when I first arrived but I don't think that I can say that I feel like a native. There's still so much here that I'm not used to. Like, for instance, most people here act like they own the place (and it's because they truly feel like they own the place). They smoke and park wherever their heart desires and they don't say "please," "thank you," or "sorry." But they do speak from their heart; they say what they mean and they mean what they say. They're pretty harsh and everyone keeps telling me that they have to be that way in order to survive here.

Maybe I'll never behave or speak the way they do but I have come to admire and love this country. For she is beautiful, warm, energetic and full of attitude. Lately I've been thinking about what it would be like to live here permanently. I don't mean to startle my American friends! However, I feel that America is somewhat of a bubble. Life is easy there but when you're in America, you're on the America show and it's all America all the time. What I mean to say is that when you live in America you don't really concern yourself with what's going on in the rest of the world. While there is diversity in America, most cultures tend to stick with their own kind. But it's not like that here in Israel. Yes, most of us are Jewish but we come from all over the world and we don't segregate ourselves. That's my favorite thing about Israel (aside from the food).

So I guess I'm still not sure if I belong yet but i'm starting to feel more like it every day.

(oh, and don't forget to answer my question! What language do you dream in??)

TTFN XX

Did You Say Sizzurp? No, I Said Scissors!

So they won't make you fly like a G6 but they sure will make you look fly! That's right lovely readers, I am now the proud owner of my first pair of professional hair-cutting scissors. Although I've been attending the hair academy for 2 months, I didn't receive my scissors until today because scissors must be earned. The first two months emphasized the foundation of doing hair because as we know, a building is built from the ground up, not the other way around. Now that I know and understand the basis of doing hair, the details that surround the hair world, I can now become more familiar with my scissors. I'm actually glad I didn't get the scissors right off the bat because now I appreciate them so much more.

Now that our class has received our scissors, we will slowly be moving into the salon. There is a salon attached to our school in which all the the students will practice everything they learn. It is a fully working salon with real clients and real hair. I'm tremendously excited for what's to come and I hope that I can rise to the occasion even though I know I'll be very nervous. But nerves just make everything more interesting, right?! And anyway, I won't be doing this alone, I've got my handsome pair of scissors now ;-)

These scissors will take me to some beautiful places if I let them. It's all up to me now. I haven't decided what to name my scissors yet (yes, I will be naming them), but I'm definitely open to suggestions!

TTFN XX

Maybe I Really Do Have it in Me

So we've just passed the two month mark at school and we took our first exam. We were examined on everything we've learned in these past two months; parting the hair, highlights, lowlights, perming, chemical straightening, the finger wave, finger curls and rollers. I was nervous about it because doing hair isn't like solving a math problem or writing a research paper. It's a skill that one possesses and either you have it or you don't. We obviously don't begin as the best hairdresser in the world and there is always something to learn, like with any other occupation. However, I do believe that it's somewhat of an innate skill. You probably grew up loving to play with people's hair and create beautiful pieces of hair art (if you will). When someone would ask you to straighten their hair, even if you had a ton of other things to do, a bright smile would show up on your face and you'd say, "with pleasure." Well, that was me at least. But I wasn't quite sure if i'd cut it when it actually came to the technical stuff, that is, until today.

As the instructor read our scores aloud I thought, crap, this is about to be embarrassing, because receiving test scores is usually a private matter. Before he started reading off the scores, he distinctly stated that no one in the class received a score of 100 and that the highest score was a 98. As he called my name, I could feel my heart pound a little quicker, "Liat, 98." A feeling of pride began to wash over me and I couldn't help but smile. The news instantly made me feel like I want to work even harder and that maybe I really can be the best.

I've been feeling kind of down in the dumps lately because of all the licensing issues and the fact that I can't get my license to work in Israel because the state's test is only available in Hebrew and I can't read or write in Hebrew. But I guess it's not that bad because in all honestly, I don't plan on opening a salon here in Israel. Anyway, I was beginning to feel like going to class was pointless because all the other kids were going to get a license at the end and I wasn't. But now that I know that I really am good at this, well, it would be absolutely foolish of me to quit now. The other kids in class don't really talk to me much, especially now, but honestly, I don't care anymore. My hands will show them what I'm made of and they can eat it.

TTFN XX

Confidence is a Stain That Can't be Removed

Most of you probably already understand that there is a difference between confidence and cockiness. For instance, George Clooney is confident while Kanye West is cocky. Confidence is respected while cockiness annoys and is often not taken seriously. Confidence is a force not to be reckoned with; confident people usually get what they're after in an efficient manner. I bring this subject up because in the last couple of months that I've been living in Israel, I've noticed that many of the young people here are quite cocky. I've also become aware that it's something that they probably grow out of because most of the older people who live here lack that overbearing arrogance.

It's interesting to watch a cocky attitude in action; it's all in their choice of words. Example, there's a test coming up in class, a confident person would say, "I studied the subject matter. I feel good about this test, I'm going to do well." A cocky person would say, "You might as well give me that A now, I haven't studied one bit but I've got it in the bag." Don't get me wrong, cockiness is very amusing, it's one of the reasons I'm so fascinated by Kanye West. I mean, the man doesn't quit; he's so cocky that he IS respected for it. People forgive him for his cocky behavior because they know he'll be at it again. But let's face it, there's only one Kanye West on this planet and we can't all make a cocky attitude look that sharp. Most of the time, cocky people make me feel disgusted, they think they have all the answers and make assumptions about things they really have no clue about.

I guess young people all over the world have a lot to learn but it got me wondering, where does that attitude come from? Is it because they sincerely believe that they got it goin' on, or are they deeply self-conscious inside and this is just one of the ways they deal with it? The thing about cockiness is that it fades, one hit below the belt and the person becomes defensive, sloppy and weakened. But confidence, well, like I said, it's a stain that can't be removed.

TTFN XX

How do You Get From A to B?

Transportation. It's pretty awesome, really. I mean, if it weren't for transportation then we'd just be losers sitting at home all day. There are a myriad of ways to get to your desired destinations but up until my big move I hadn't really explored these different means. You see, having a car in Israel is mind-blowingly expensive, not to mention the fact that there is no oil in this country so gas is also going to eat a hole in that wallet of yours. You basically have to go into debt in order to own a car, which is why a lot of people here ride the bus everywhere.

Before moving to Israel, I had only taken the bus a few times in High School but now I take it every day. I love to ride the bus. It's like my own personal driver takes me to wherever my heart desires. Yeah, sometimes I have to end up sitting next to someone with an unbearable stench to them but it's worth all the beautiful scenery I get to admire as we ride along the narrow streets of Israel. California doesn't have the best public transportation so it's nice to live in a place where the bus can take me basically anywhere. The only main drawback is that the buses don't run on Shabbat (Friday sundown - Saturday sundown). Despite this, my favorite part about taking the bus is that I rarely feel worried that I'll get lost. I can always ask the bus driver where something is and meanwhile I get to enjoy a nice relaxing ride as the music from my ipod surrounds me.

The oldest sort of transportation, you all may be familiar with, is walking. Yes, Californians, people walk here and no, it's not just to get the mail from their mail boxes. Man, I walk so much here that I don't really care how much bread I eat anymore. It really is a fantastic feeling to be able to eat a plate of hummus with a big slice of fluffy pita bread and not feel guilty about it. Why should I feel guilty if I'm going to walk it off in the next hour or so?! Not to mention, there's a superb bakery on almost every corner and I don't have to whimper as I pass by them anymore. "Why yes, I will have that cookie AND a muffin." How you like them apples, America? But I digress, what I'm really trying to point out is that I'm really beginning to enjoy taking the bus and walking everywhere. I feel like I'm helping the environment and myself at the same time. I never thought something so simple could feel so empowering.

TTFN XX

How Do I Get My Mojo Back?

I guess the best word to describe what I feel at this moment is, "deflated." I started this trip with all the confidence in the world. Knowing that it would be difficult but still hungry for the struggle as well as the success.

Some people may not be aware of this but in order to do hair for a fee, you need a license to work in a particular state, or country for that matter. Every state has different rules and you need to take the exam in which ever state you plan on working in. Now, California, being the wonderful state that it is, made it so that anyone wanting to be a hairdresser would also have to be tested on makeup, nails, waxing and facial care. WTF. That was my first thought. Why is it necessary for me to know all that other crap if I don't plan on providing those other services in my salon?! Not only that but I've also just been informed that after I complete my training here in Israel, I will be evaluated by the California State Board before I can even APPLY to take the exam in California. But they won't tell me what exactly I'll be evaluated on. All that's (somewhat) clear is that I must complete 1,500 hours of training before taking the exam. Basically, I've created quite a large mess for myself and I'm starting to second guess everything I've done, all the work and effort I've invested, up until this point.

When I discovered all of this, the first thing I did was go into fix-it-mode. But that got exhausting because no one from the state board was giving me any clear answers. Now I'm just starting to feel defeated and unsure. I hate being unsure, it is truly an awful feeling. Usually what keeps me going is knowing that it'll all work out in the end but this time I really don't know if it'll all work out. All I know is that I want to do hair. I want to make people feel good about how their hair looks. That's why I started this and that's why I'm not going to give up. Why should I give up on my dream because of some technicalities?! That is not how I roll, nor is it how I will ever roll. Onward and upward, right?! I will continue to DO WERRK and GO HARD until I get some answers and direction from California's end. I know I didn't leave everything I knew for nothing. I guess I just found my Mojo, it was on the tips of my fingers the whole time.

TTFN XX