Domestic bliss - at last May 20, 2007 |
Looking back, the last few weeks have been a complete blur. It started with the nail-biting last minute arrival of my container - a whole 24 hours before my mother arrived. I had a whole one day to unpack and vaguely organise my delivery of 57 boxes.
As the two sturdy young men wheeled in box after box, I wondered to myself, "did I really pack up this much stuff in Australia?"
Crossing off each box against the inventory, I instructed the men to either dump them in the living room, bedroom, kitchen or in the end, any piece of spare floor they could find.
I could have cried with joy when my beloved bed was carried in. They put it together for me while I made them a cup of coffee and brought them some homemade brownies (after they left I realised they hated my coffee and devoured my brownies).
Within an hour, the life I had so bewilderingly packed up six months ago in Australia (see my earlier blog) was now strewn across my Jerusalem apartment and I barely knew where to begin.
To really put the icing on the cake, it was a swelteringly hot day and I had neither air-conditioner, nor fan. I was in for a long, hot day.
By about midnight I had basically unpacked most of the boxes and amazingly found homes for almost everything. After washing some bedding, I was able to make my bed - although Syd, my cat, had discovered the comfort of my queen size mattress almost as soon as the men had assembled it. Smart cat.
I really don't think I can describe to you the sheer unadulterated pleasure of sleeping in my own bed again that night. I would have stayed there quite happily for the next week if I had been able to. Unfortunately I had to get up for work the next morning, but it was still the best sleep I had had in months.
My mum arrived in Israel the next morning (told you it was a nail biter!) but thankfully I had managed to get my apartment in reasonable order in time for her arrival.
My mother's trip was primarily for work, but naturally it was also to see me. In the end, it worked out very well with both of us essentially working on the same days and then being able to take a few days out just for us. We had a lovely couple of days visiting the Southern Golan Heights and Jordan Valley. One night we stayed in a beautiful cabin on Kibbutz Charuv which had a spectacular view overlooking the Kinneret (Sea of Galillee). In the morning, our breakfast was delivered in a wicker basket and filled with all sorts of goodies; freshly baked bread and croissants, homemade jams, cheese, olives, yoghurt, juice - even the morning paper.
Through an Israeli friend, based in Melbourne, we were incredibly fortunate to be driven and personally guided by a lovely woman called Sari for two days while we visited the Golan Heights.
Sari took us to visit a number of talented artists all working in the region. We met with a jewelry designer, a ceramic artist and tile maker, a mosaic artist and we even had the opportunity to visit the workshop of one of only three people in Israel who make shofarim (the horns that are used as a musical instruments and blown primarily on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur).
The less than two weeks with my mother seemed to disappear in an instant and before I knew it, she was heading back home again. Now, saying goodbye to my family is nothing new. I moved overseas on my own for the first time when I was only 19 years old and I have basically been on the move ever since. However, there was something about this time that felt different. Never before have I gone to such lengths (not to mention expense!) to move, and seeing all my things here in Israel certainly created a sense of permanency for both of us as we realised that in all likelihood, this was not a "brief jaunt" overseas.
This was something far greater than that. Me, my life and all that I own is now in Israel. As much as it was a relief for me to finally have everything here, I can also see how my mother would see it as a very obvious and visible sign that I won't be coming back to Australia any time soon.
As I approach my six month anniversary in Israel, I can already start to look back and appreciate all that I have achieved and how far I have already come. Right now it is only natural that I should miss my family even more than usual and I am dealing with the unique heartache that comes with making aliyah and leaving your loved ones behind.
Intertwined with my sadness is the joy I receive whenever I look at my things and realise that contained in everything around me is a little piece of my family and friends and finally I feel that my fractured heart is slowly and invisibly mending itself.