Last Days On The Kibbutz

Ok, this has sat unfinished for a month now and I think its time I get it out and wrap up my time in Israel. Seeing as the 4 people who might read this have already heard all this from yours-truely's lips, this is purely for me.

...........

 

I can not believe I have left Israel. It doesn’t seem real. It became my home. I am very blessed to feel like I have family all over the world. It starts in UT with a support of family, and friends that are family, that I carry with me everywhere and I know no matter how long we are apart the love is just as strong and care for each other is deeper then before.

I moved to San Francisco and didn’t realize till I was there 5 months ago, that this is a branch of family too. I am so welcomed there: everyone supporting and guiding me on my career path. This will always feel like my dance home.

Now I have Israel to add to this tree of homes. I don’t know how to describe it yet. When I left it felt like I was leaving my family and I don’t know if I will ever see some of them again. I am certain I will be back in Israel in the next year. There’s not even a question. So many of my friends have stayed for jobs, but some people have gone back to their countries and we all are moving on with our lives.

It was a bitter sweet last week. Hali and I stayed on the kibbutz a couple extra days, so my goodbyes were dragged out.

We had our final dinner where everyone made incredible food. I will miss that about our group; Their cooking is amazing!!! Ieva, our resident artist, made these unbelievable cards for the important people of our program. I can't get over how cute they are. I wrote something from MASA to all the teachers and we presented them with a bottle of wine, chocolate, and a little tribute to each.

Emily did the skit that her group made a while back in improv. It was right after our hike in the Golan Heights. We were like Indiana Jones and Luke Skywalker smashed into one as we trecked through a stream up to our waist for an hour. It was so cute and referenced all the funny things we love about Eran. (Our tour guide) For Yuko we made a cologe of our favorite songs that inspired greatness in our improv classes and dedicated our last 3 minute improv jam to her. For our dear Mika and Roni, Iris and Sophia took on the task of making a video of all of us speaking about our experience here with them. It was so sweet! Then Hali and I got on the screen...of course we did ours together because we are 'The Chalis' and we can't take anything seriously. There is a blooper reel at the end that is mainly us...being us. I'm so glad Iris and Sophia did that, and I'll charish it forever.

Might I suggest watching from 15:12-15:43 to get of preview of what Hali and I were like...all year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LENrImSr6KE

*Side note: I am excellent at holding it together when I expect tears, but its the unexpected ones that got me. We were back stage before our final show and Emili gave a lovely speech to the audience thanking everyone and sharing her experience. Out of no where I start crying! I look at my friends who have never seen me cry and they start laughing (remember I'm referred to as "the Hulk") The music starts, and I can't stop crying. Luckily, the first number was an epic one with walking and crying just add a tich of drama in my opinion;) hahaha!

Anyways, we laughed and cried, and said our goodbyes.

The next day everyone had to be out of the rooms. We dumped all our stuff in Ruby's room and headed to dinner at a friends house. It was so fun to relax and spend time with everyone out of the studio. We ate dinner, talked till the wee hours of the morning, spent the night because of the excessive talking, and soaked up our last hours together. After this evening I realized why I am so sad to leave this place: I feel spoiled with love. That absolutely sums it up. My dad pointed out to me today that not everyone feels that way and I am so blessed to have these people in my life. Parting after this get together was my undoing. The lucky people in Sherut got to stare as I silently weep behind my sunglasses. hahaha great. We got back to the kibbutz and went straight to Roni's for our last Shabbat dinner. Double sad. I'm afraid we weren't the best guest that night. As always it was so fun to be with her family.  Roni seriously doubts my return to Israel. I can't wait to prove here wrong:)

Hali and I didn't want Mika and Roni to forget what we looked like so we blew up a BEAUTIFUL picture of ourselves and stuck where they will have it always.

Hali, Becca, and I left Ruby at kibbutz car drop off and that was my last sight of the wonderful Kibbutz Ga'aton. I will miss everyone there the most, but I WILL BE BACK SOON!!! Many of my best memories of life have been made there and I'm so blessed to have lived there. 

SHALOM!!!

Final Perfomance on Kibbutz Ga'aton

It's taken me a while to start writing these last post of Israel because I am not ready for it to be over.

The shows were killer. I am very proud of my stamina, although it could always be better. I think it's an accomplishment to have made it through the 105 minute show (in which I was on stage 85 of those minutes)

There are things about being a dancer that will never change, and my life will be easier when I just except them. One being, a week before the show, shit ain't gonna to be done;) It happened in high school (I thought, can't wait to be a professional and not deal with this) At Lines (better but still felt panicked a week before the show) and in Israel (Learned a piece 2 days before the show. xo dancer life) I reminded myself I had complete faith in Mika and knew it would all come together, I just had to trust.

By Thursday we had all lost our minds and it was apparent. It's great when dancers in their 20's decide the best way to deal with stress is to dress up like a dork

We also adopted Hali's game of 'Shoe Golf' the last few weeks of Masa.

The first run we did, I had serious doubts of my stamina and ability to make it through TWO shows in a row.

Two days before our show, after last run=utter exhaustion

*THESE ARE REAL LIFE PICTURES.

NO STAGING INVOLVED.

We all deal with it differently...

Literally passed out before the bag could come off

 By show day, I felt optimistic, and with a quick prayer for my survival, we jumped into the shows. The first day of shows went well, but after the show we all sat on our balcony and stared at each other in utter defeat.

hahahahahaha!!!!!!

The next day, I felt a million times better. I think adrenaline from the show, knowing it was our last day, and said toe injury (details to come) gave me the stamina of a...I'm going to go with wolf.

Time for the toe story. Beginning of the first show, second day, I was on stage when I felt my toenail rip. I looked down and there was blood on the stage. Luckily there was a black out 10 seconds later, so I wiped up the blood and ran off stage for my 60 second costume change. As I ran of stage the tech guy came over to see what I was wrong. I told him, "It's fine. Gotta change." I start stripping and he shines a light down at my toes. I take one quick glance and see blood and an entire nail in the wrong direction. He tells me I don't have to go on stage (at which I think I rolled my eyes) and said, "Yup, it's just a toenail. Get me tape" He comes back with tape and I slab it on and run back on stage. I guess he told one of the choreographers, and she told Mika I had an emergency. (I've never, ever gone to Mika for help, and she told me later that when she heard I 'needed' her, she thought, I was dying) Well, she can't leave the light booth so Roni comes taring back stage asking where I am. She finds me waiting for another entrance and starts patting me down, asking what's wrong. I was so confused and gave her a dear-in-head-lights look I'm sure. I told her, "I broke my toenail" I start laughing and tell her it got blown out of proportion. I made it through the show although it was very pain full, and my foot wasn't pointed half the time I'm sure. Mika came back stage right after the show to check on me and I gave her the same explanation. She laughs, gives me hug, and I admitted that I got blood on the mattresses we had to dance on. By the end of the shows 'MASA roomer' was I had to go to the ER in the middle of show...even though I was on stage the whole time. It's nice to know everyone cares so much though. 

. The second show, I was so pumped up on adrenaline, I barely noticed my toe. When I got home though, I had the fun task of getting the toe off my nail and assessing the damage. It was pretty gory and the next few days I developed awesome toe muscles from holding my toe up while I walked;)

As of today, my toe is healing great. I was worried it wouldn’t heal quickly (and have auditions in 3 weeks) but it’s all going great.

We finished our shows with our dinner in the café and some bubbly to celebrate. I’m so glad I got be in this show. It was challenging in every way, and the last infusion of KCDC I need before I left. I am so proud of all of our work we've done in the last 5 months with this group. We ended with an awesome group of people and friends for life. 

Go MASA Spring 2011!

Lama Kaha? (Why like this?)

It hit me today,

6 days till I leave my friends.

10 days till I leave Israel.

Tonight is my last Shabbat dinner with my amazing building.

The list goes on, but thinking about it honestly feels like I am getting ready to leave my family.

Lechiem!!

I was reminded today that the best way to get out of my grungies,

is service.

Emotions are running high with the show in 4 days, JUST finishing learning the pieces, leaving in 7 days, and fatigue. Today was my day to feel all of this and no matter how many times I would consciously choose to change my mood, I would find myself back in the in between of yelling and crying. haha, gotta love show time;)

We were let out of classes to go and do an impromptu performance. A few of us got on a mini bus and went to a kibbutz 30 mins from here. When we got there, it turned out to be a home for the mentally disabled. I was instantly snapped out of all my stuff that actually isn't important, and walked into the home ready to serve. We performed in the cafeteria and the music didn't work half the time, but the smiles on the people’s faces as we improved to fill time, and as I looked at each one in the eye as we waited for our music to start, was priceless. Some ood and ahhed, while others sat quietly. One woman stood in the center, front row the whole time and conducted us. She loved it. Another man gave me the thumbs up sign the entire time. As we walked out, they gave us wood banks that they had painted as thank you's.

This evening assisted me to shift and be outward focused again, ready for our shows. It reminded me how important I think it is for dance to be available for everyone. It's just as important for me to be the one giving that gift. Since being here I have been so blessed to have danced and worked in the beautiful theater on the kibbutz, performed in the biggest theater in Israel, been on national TV twice, and danced on the worst stage (I think possible) My absolute favorite performing experiences have been dancing for the children of the kibbutz and the home today.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve, especially in a country that is not my own.

It is the biggest high of life.

To many, many more experience.

Lechiem!!!

(Which means, 'to life')

Shavuot

I celebrated my last holiday in Israel last week, Shavuot. This fun holiday is all about the kibbutzim. Their farming, food, babies, and abundance. We started this holiday by...go ahead, guess...eating. For some reason, to celebrate this harvest holiday, you eat dairy. To be more exact, dairy with carbs. (My kind of holiday) The women of the kibbutz made tons of incredible desserts and the kibbutz had an outdoor movie night. We peaced for the movie since the subtitles were in Hebrew as well as the dialog, great help for us, and got ready to go to our one and only pub. Everyone wears white (like dairy) so we braved the white at the pub and had great time dancing the night away.

Taking a breather after I became a sweat bomb. Israeli heat.

The next day was an outdoor ceremony of sorts with the participation of some of our Nitzotzot pieces. The crowd loved them!

Look at those eyes:)

I think this was my favorite 'together feeling' holiday.

I am going to miss my kibbutz when I leave!

Nitzotzot Round 2

It has been a crazy month full of extra rehearsals, hours hunting down the costume lady (a positive and negative thing about living on a kibbutz: you don't need to be anywhere at any time. We just yell loudly and someone will come...in theory) more hours in rehearsals, and a few hours sitting on the porch hoping someone will appear to be my personal chef.

 

As always it was a fun week in tech rehearsals, and hours of sitting in the dark. My kibbutz is fancy and has wireless internet in the cafe, hence in the theater. So, I took my computer and planned my life out...until August 1st.

The shows went well over all. The first two shows we had a grand total of 5 people in the audience and 3 were our teachers. It didn't bother me; this is about the process not the performance. The second day was much better in the number of audience members.

Mika made a video for us and played it at the show. It was pictures of all of us with our names and countries. Later on, another video pops up and I hear the sounds of our giggles as we made our famous "fish face" video one wild night on the kibbutz. Here is the link if you want to check it out:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht2BYIEraFQ

Later, later on, I hear my laugh on repeat over the sound system. Mika had put my part of this video on repeat, which then led into another slide show. My earth shattering laugh as a soundtrack, great.

We ended the shows with a toast to our success and a surprise party for the sweetest nugget I have ever met, Natasha.

It was a great round 2 for Nitzotzot and in 2 weeks were back in the theater for the show we are literally just pulling together. I love a good challenge. It will be a fun week of intense dancing and time together.

Bring it on!

Time Has Flown

Time is flying!

In six weeks I will be leaving Israel and starting

my journey back to the States.

These last few weeks have been long days but the weeks are flying by. Rehearsals have been crazy with our student show coming up in 10 days. My schedule has consisted of rehearsals before our 9:30 class, costume and clothing orders during lunch hour, and 4-5 hours of rehearsals after classes are done for the day. I love being busy and the tiredness that comes each night when I give myself permission to come down off the all day adrenaline rush. In this crazy schedule though, I have neglected to stay in communication with a lot of my friends and family. As I say in Hebrew, Sleekha! (My skills are mad crazy, I know)

In the last few weeks we have had Holocaust Remembrance Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day. Being here for Memorial Day really opened my eyes and heart. I could go on for a long while, but am getting ready to go back to rehearsal and this will never get up if I don't do it now. I will always remember this day and have learned so much from observing it here in Israel

Independence Day was the very next day, which was a huge shift and a little weird I think, but I spent the day at a Israeli style BBQ at Roni's house. I ate way to much (American style) played with her kids, and had a lovely day with friends.

I spent a weekend in Tel Aviv where we rode a bus to the boonies on accident, saw a great show, ate Indian food, walked in the rain, sat in a cafe for hours, shopped at the shuk, went with friends to get things pierced, slept in a not so great hostel, and haggled (in Hebrew) our way back to the kibbutz via bus/car. Good weekend.

My barber parlor is back in business. We got hair cutting scissors and the list of clients is long. The other day included 3 haircuts and 2 waxes. I really should be charging for this service. I could make a butt load;) I really want to do something to my own hair... I got the itch.

All in all, everything is going great, and I am soaking up my last weeks in Israel just in time for summer. (Got some nice sun time in this friday and I'll cherish it)

I've done my best to make my scattered thoughts make sense to more then just Stacylyn, who is an expert at deciphering my crazy emails, but in the now...8 mins I have taken to write this, you get what you get.

Six Weeks Left!