After a 10 hour flight with a few hundred 18-20 year olds (doing a year study in Israel) partying in the aisles for at least half of the time, we arrived at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv! We immediately caught a taxi to Rehovot, and picked up our apartment keys from the gate of the Weizmann Institute of Science. On our keys, they'd put the address of the apartment that they promised to provide us for a month while we looked around Rehovot for a more permanent residence, and so our driver dropped us and our 6 bags, 3 carry-ons and two strollers off at our doorstep. While I paid the driver, Maria went in to check out our place. The driver then took off while I started to haul the bags in. Suddenly Maria came running out and said "Our keys don't work!" So we were standing out on the sidewalk in a country where we barely speak the language with a huge amount of luggage and keys that didn't work.... well, I decided to try for myself. Sure enough, I found that the keys didn't work, but they did work in our neighbor's door... so I knocked a few times and with no answer, just walked in. The apartment was mostly bare, but one of the bedrooms was locked. I took the opportunity to call the number on a paper that was provided with the keys. I told them that we got the wrong keys, and that they opened our neighbor's apartment. The lady on the phone said "Oh no! You're not supposed to be there! We had an opening in another apartment in another complex and we wanted to put you there!" Well, so I began to haul all of our bags to the other complex (which fortunately wasn't too far). We made quite the spectacle, lugging around all those bags! Once we got to the right place, we were happily surprised to find out that the apartment we were assigned was not only open for a month, but was available for the whole 10 months we are going to be here. Yeah!!!!
Maria and I both felt a load lift off our shoulders as we accepted the apartment. We felt that this opening was a small miracle and great blessing, especially since the lady from the Visiting Scientist department made it very clear that there were no openings and we would have to find something off campus. We are so grateful for the many people who have helped us along this great adventure. Sure, we have been ignored, yelled at, and scowled at along the way by not so pleasant people. But the lasting impression we have been left with throughout this experience is that there are still many people out there who will reach out, lift up, and brighten others' day simply because they can. We are grateful for our family, friends, and perfect strangers, who have gone out of their way to help us.
After a 10 hour flight with a few hundred 18-20 year olds (doing a year study in Israel) partying in the aisles for at least half of the time, we arrived at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv! We immediately caught a taxi to Rehovot, and picked up our apartment keys from the gate of the Weizmann Institute of Science. On our keys, they'd put the address of the apartment that they promised to provide us for a month while we looked around Rehovot for a more permanent residence, and so our driver dropped us and our 6 bags, 3 carry-ons and two strollers off at our doorstep. While I paid the driver, Maria went in to check out our place. The driver then took off while I started to haul the bags in. Suddenly Maria came running out and said "Our keys don't work!" So we were standing out on the sidewalk in a country where we barely speak the language with a huge amount of luggage and keys that didn't work.... well, I decided to try for myself. Sure enough, I found that the keys didn't work, but they did work in our neighbor's door... so I knocked a few times and with no answer, just walked in. The apartment was mostly bare, but one of the bedrooms was locked. I took the opportunity to call the number on a paper that was provided with the keys. I told them that we got the wrong keys, and that they opened our neighbor's apartment. The lady on the phone said "Oh no! You're not supposed to be there! We had an opening in another apartment in another complex and we wanted to put you there!" Well, so I began to haul all of our bags to the other complex (which fortunately wasn't too far). We made quite the spectacle, lugging around all those bags! Once we got to the right place, we were happily surprised to find out that the apartment we were assigned was not only open for a month, but was available for the whole 10 months we are going to be here. Yeah!!!! 
Maria and I both felt a load lift off our shoulders as we accepted the apartment. We felt that this opening was a small miracle and great blessing, especially since the lady from the Visiting Scientist department made it very clear that there were no openings and we would have to find something off campus. We are so grateful for the many people who have helped us along this great adventure. Sure, we have been ignored, yelled at, and scowled at along the way by not so pleasant people. But the lasting impression we have been left with throughout this experience is that there are still many people out there who will reach out, lift up, and brighten others' day simply because they can. We are grateful for our family, friends, and perfect strangers, who have gone out of their way to help us.
3 comments:
We miss you.
Wow, sounds like you guys are going to have lots of adventures the next ten months!
Hi Nate! I found you on Dixie's reunion site. Snow Canyon did one too, but not as many people posted. It's awesome to read about the adventure you're starting and about your family. My son is a little younger (17 months) than your cute and smart little girl. Good luck with all!
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