Hebrew University

 I'm sure that you have all been dying to know what life is like at Hebrew University. One of my friends emailed me a while ago and said that because of my post about Hebrew Ulpan, she pictured me in cramped hot classrooms with people putting their arms on my desk.

Thankfully, it wasn't that bad all year long, but my time at Hebrew University has certainly been interesting, to say the least.

The most important thing you need to know about Hebrew University is that there are cats everywhere. A long time ago there was a rat problem in Jerusalem. And what do you do about rat problems? You import cats. But what do you do about cat problems? That, my friends, was a problem that on one thought of the answer to. But at least half of the cats in the city, it seems like, have found a home in the university. They are EVERYWHERE--on the counters, sitting in the chairs, walking through the halls, sitting on the microwaves...

   

Some mornings when I get to the university, there are more cats there than people. Seriously. One day I saw a woman feeding the cats. No joke. And I wanted to run up and shout, Don't feed the cats! Don't you know that they have germs? And probably rabies? And worms? And they're filthy! They don't need any encouragement to stay at the university! But I couldn't figure out how to say all that in Hebrew, so I just kept walking.

I'm going to apologize right now for the bad picture quality. I took these pictures with my ipod, but they're better than nothing, right? Hebrew University isn't always filled with this creepy green light.

These next few pictures are of the Humanities building, where I had my Ulpan. It is seriously the most confusing building on campus (and that's saying a lot!). Each classroom and office is four numbers long--the first number is the section, the second number is the floor, and the third and fourth numbers are where it is supposedly located in relation to the other classrooms. Or is the first number the floor and the second number the section? I can't ever keep those two straight.

It sounds simple enough, but the 3-5 floors are a maze of offices and random sitting areas. I can never find the stairs down or up and often have to just take the elevator (which is not, contrary to common sense, next to the stairs--it's usually next to the bathrooms).

At the start of second semester, I was looking for my classes. I had decided to take classes only in Hebrew, so I was on main campus, with the rest of the Israelis. And guess what? I couldn't find my classrooms. I also couldn't find the administration offices. I finally found some office and asked, in my painfully inadequate Hebrew, where to find this classroom, feeling nervous the whole time that the woman would say, "What in the heck are you taking classes in Hebrew for? You can't even ask for directions!" But instead, she said, "That's not my department. You have to go to another floor and another hall and ask them."

Seriously, woman? Can't you just look it up on your computer? So I finally found the other office and asked them where this room number was. "It doesn't exist." Well, yes. I kind of figured that out, thanks. "What's the class?" I told them the teacher's name and they looked it up. "Oh, looks like you've got the room number backwards. It's actually 4273, not 3724."

ME? I've got the room number backward? No. Nope, that's exactly what they put on my schedule. So here I was being worried about my inadequate Hebrew, but feeling much better about myself because these people obviously have an inadequate system. I might not be able to ask for directions in Hebrew, but at least I can write my numbers the right way!!!

  

 

 
This is the inside of my classroom that I had during Ulpan. Imagine: 95 degrees, filled with students, stuffy room, neighbor's arm is on your desk, and you have to sit here for 5 hours a day learning Hebrew. Torture. Also, those desks aren't even big enough to hold a piece of paper, in case you were wondering. I guess they figure that we take notes on sticky notes?

These next few pictures are priceless. I guess someone had the brilliant idea to paint some of the pillars in the Humanities building, but then the project run out of money and they just decided to leave them like that. Or something.

 

  

 
What the weird. It's been like that all year.

My main complaint about Hebrew University is that they have RIDICULOUS library hours. Seriously, these people must never study. The library opens at 9 am every day (9 am!! Classes start at 8:30!), closes at 7:45 on Thursday nights, and is CLOSED Friday and Saturday. Ok. I can understand the library being closed on the Jewish Shabbat. The BYU library is closed on Sunday. But can you imagine if the BYU library was closed on Saturday and Sunday, and then closed at 7:45 on Friday nights? When would you ever do your research? And I think it closes at 10 pm or some other early hour the rest of the week.

The next few pictures will take you on a short tour of the north side of campus--where the international students' building, Rothberg, is located.

Looking east from Rothberg toward the Dead Sea.

The Hebrew University communications tower, visible from most parts of the city.

 
The view from Rothberg--an Arab neighborhood/village in East Jerusalem and a nice view of the separation wall.

Rothberg--the building for the international students.

It says "Shalom L-Israel" in Paleo-Hebrew.

 
The outside stairs of Rothberg.

Does that green door lead to some creepy garbage dumpster spot? Nope, that's an entrance into the building...the only one on this side!

What's inside those creepy doors (located inside the creepy green doors), the back of a kitchen?

Nope, guess it's just a hallway.

The Rothberg international building has its own library, although it's quite small. It has 5 computers and I am sitting on the far side of the room looking at the whole library.

Anyway, expect another post about Hebrew University. But now you at least have some context for my stories!