On the boulevard

I had a few hours to myself today. Sat down at the beach staring at the end of the world. When I got up to walk back I met Tomer. 67 years old, former policeman. Biking along the boulevard on his silver mountain bike. We start walking and talking together and he points out the bottles that he is collecting. 'For the homeless' he explains 'I collect bottles for the homeless'. He bends over and picks up a screw that he adds to his basket. Shows me pictures of his wife and son, they look like old pictures, very old. When we say goodbye he asks me for a contribution. 'Some money for the homeless?' I empty my wallet into his hands. Like he said, it's not good to be without a job. His toothless mouth smiles me a goodbye as I walk on.

Landing Zone

Our first two weeks in Israel are almost over. Walking around in town is easy peasy now, even I know my way around...

I'm used now to my sofa in the living room, listening to the sounds of our neighborhood while falling asleep. Walking to our lectures in the morning I recognize the people in the street. The taxi driver taking a nap in his car, the owner of the café on the corner, the Sudanese that sit on the lawn, waiting for something to happen.

During the day we have had lectures from all kinds of people. About Zen meditation, about future centers, about the mastermind method. But more than anything we have listened to all kinds of life stories of people that chose to be different.

We have spent our evenings in Tsila's garden, discussing our project, watching a movie with the director. But also gone for dinners, explored the beach, learned about conducting orchestra's and a hundred other things.

Today is Pesach, which started Wednesday evening with a grand dinner at Ora's place. Her ancient father read the holy verses, the girls served 10 different courses all with their own special meaning and we sang songs reminiscing the exodus from Egypt. Everyone shouted at the same time about what to do next, total chaos in the house.

Sunday we are off to Jalkamus, a village of 2000 people in the Westbank, near Jenin. That's when our project really takes off...

Lunch at the Hub

Tel Aviv!

So here we are, day one of the outpost almost over. in our new home somewhere in Tel Aviv, in a street called Khakhmei Israel, [chAchmai isrAel) in one of the poorest, most colorful neighborhoods of the city. (funny how color and lack of money go together) Everything is written in Arab, Hebrew and Russian, neither of one I understand. Every corner of the street we feel in a different continent, Africa, Asia, Russia, and at times there's a traditional Jewish family pushing a baby cart.

Tomorrow is our first 'official' gathering, so far we hung out with all kinds of people, all similar in the sense that they're all very welcoming, interesting and kind. Shabat is just about over, shops have opened again, buses started to go their rounds again and people start their working week tomorrow.