Facing My Fears

I have returned to Tel Aviv, and it is just as chaotic as it was a year and half ago We took a bus from Ronen's kibbutz back to the city and the whole process really made me question whether or not I'd be able to get by with out him by my side to translate. Even something as simple as figuring out what the bus fare is makes me want to run for the hills when I don't speak the language. But that fearful quality I have is exactly why I wanted to come to Israel and Europe alone. It will teach me to be able to rely on myself in uncomfortable or scary situations. Still, I know it will take time to adjust.

For example, Ronen had to work on Sunday night so he left me his key and told me I could come to the bar if I wanted to. By the time I mustered the courage to leave the apartment, it was dark out, and my head was filled with worst-case scenarios. I kept peering out through his shades at the strangers on the streets of the Yemen village wondering what might happen to me if I took a wrong turn somewhere. Afterall, I had no map, and was in an unfamiliar area. Finally, with Ronen's directions in one hand and my pepper spray in the other I left for the Ozen bar.

According to Ronen, his neighborhood is one of the oldest in Tel Aviv, and it hasn't aged very well. At every turn there are boarded up buildings with graffiti, dark alleyways filled with unclaimed, worn clothing, and piles of garbage rummaged through by hundreds of stray cats that fill the moonlit streets. But ironically enough, it also happens to be one of the safest parts of Tel Aviv to be at night. And much to my surprise, nobody bothered me at all. In fact, everyone was quite friendly. Ronen's directions turned out to be wrong and I had to rely on the people on the street to direct me to the Ozen. After three wrong turns and a lot of walking I finally made it and was rewarded with free drinks all night and free entry to an experimental rock music show at the bar.

The concert was definitely out there..but in the best way. Strange melodies with Hebrew spoken word. Even though I didn't understand the words, the vibe of the crowd was not lost in translation, and I felt it. There was a women in a patent leather coat walking around with a bowl of marshmellows, feeding everybody in the audience. Shortly after she took a roll of string and attempted to tangle everyone in the audience together-all adding to the general oddity of the performance. It was an experience for sure.

I befriended a 31-yr-old woman and her boyfriend (who was in the band), and spent the rest of the night talking to her and drinking Goldstar. She told me I could take a bus from Tel Aviv to Cairo for something like 100NIS, not bad at all. I'd love to go to Egypt. I'm going to try to make that happen before I set off for Rome.