FINALLY, 2020 Is Coming To An End!
Hello to all of my old and new followers on this platform that allows me to keep in contact with all of you lovely people! Boy, what a crazy past few months I have had! These several updates have been in my drafts for months on end, unfinished because life has become such a rollercoaster lately. Recently, I have been trying not to focus so much on the things that I started and haven't gotten the chance to finish yet. I have been focusing inward instead of broadcasting outward. I have spent the months since my last post learning a lot about myself, about Israel, and about my purpose here in the Holy Land.
Friday, September 18th was not only the beginning of the second country-wide סגר/seger (lockdown), it was also shabbat AND Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year! On September 18th we began year 5781 on the Jewish calendar, a time of year where Jews reflect on the year we are closing, what aspects we want to purge and let go of as we enter the new year, and what we want to take with us from the last year into the next. The time of ringing in the Jewish new year with new beginnings paired with the intense restrictions of the סגר/seger (lockdown) gave me plenty of time to reflect and set goals for the year ahead.
A bit of a touchy subject for me, but something I feel necessary to share, as it played a large part of the reason why there has been a several month gap since you have heard from me last -- the beginning of my time in Israel had many setbacks. Upon arrival, I had a very long three months of unemployment here in Israel. From August when I arrived until November 1st, I was unemployed, like many people both here in Israel and in the states. I spent the months applying for nearly 10 jobs each day, and caring for my mental health by focusing the energy I had to create art of many kinds. I painted many pieces, and even started up a new hobby of macrame! I sold a few custom pieces, and am still working on some today. I made so much art in those three months that I covered nearly every wall in our apartment in my artwork!
After three months that felt like an eternity, I FOUND A JOB! For the past two months now, I have been writing a TON, just not here on this platform. I now work as a Creative Writer for IMGN Media. I spend my days in a beautiful office in Tel Aviv writing for three different platforms managed by IMGN. If you have ever read anything from the websites comedy.com, daquan.tv or myjournal.com, that is my company! For you social media buffs, if you follow or have seen posts on Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat highlights from Comedy, Journal, So Satisfying or Daquan, that’s me too! Since I have devoted so many hours to writing many articles for work, I thought I would include the links to some of them here! If you feel so inclined, take a look at any of these articles, and let me know what you think by commenting on this post below!
An Inside Look at The Life Of Gianni Versace: https://www.myjournal.com/collections/stories/an-inside-look-at-the-life-of-gianni-versace
The Tragic Love Story of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette: https://comedy.com/collections/stories/love-story-of-jfk-jr-and-carolyn-bessette
Princess Diana’s Most Iconic Fashion Moments: https://www.myjournal.com/collections/fashion/princess-diana-iconic-fashion-moments
They Love Rock ‘n Roll: The Wives of Famous Rockstars: https://daquan.tv/collections/celebs/wives-of-rockstars
Sophia Loren: From Rags To Riches: https://www.myjournal.com/collections/stories/sophia-loren-from-rags-to-riches
Mystery Author Agatha Christie’s Unexplained Disappearance: https://www.myjournal.com/collections/stories/mystery-of-agatha-christie-mysterious-disappearance
The Untold Story of David Dobrik: https://comedy.com/collections/celebs/the-untold-story-of-david-dobrik
From Hip-Hop To Big Screen: Rappers Who Landed Movie Roles: https://daquan.tv/collections/celebs/hip-hop-artist-who-acted-in-movies
On a different note, I feel like it’s important for me to say that as much as I am enjoying my time in Israel learning many new skills and having many new realizations about myself and my capabilities, I miss my friends and family so very much. Since being in Israel I have missed birthdays, family celebrations, engagements, births of new cousins, and weddings. Now, I know that each of these events have, of course, looked different this year due to Covid-19, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that my heart has longed to be present for each of the celebrations. I think many of these feelings have been masked by my continuous realizations of culture shock. As an example, due to culture shock and adjusting to Israeli life, I completely forgot that it was Thanksgiving until that very night. I forgot that it was Christmas until I saw my Instagram flooded with photos of lit up trees and matching pajamas. These realizations have definitely made me more aware that even though I am in Israel, I still need to be keeping up with the American calendar, because a majority of my loved ones are in the states; and even if the only kind of celebration I can offer or join into is a text message, FaceTime, phone, or Zoom call, it’s very important to me that I continue to do that.
So, to my friends and family -- thank you so much for your patience with me as I adjust to life in Israel. Thank you for adjusting to the massive time difference with me, and thank you for continuing to show me love and remain so understanding when my communication waivers. The truth of the matter is, my heart relies on those little moments of communication when they do happen. They mean the world to me, and so do you!
In the month of December, I had the lovely experience of partaking in an art swap with another budding female artist here in Israel. A lovely gal named Gabriella, who is on the same program as I am, took up jewelry making when Covid-19 began. In exchange for a mother-nature themed custom painting, Gabriella made me two beautiful necklaces. One is a choker full of beaded sunflowers (my favorite flower, of course), and the other is a long Y-shaped necklace of the chakras. It was so much fun to swap crafts with Gabriella! If you’d like to see the painting I made her or necklaces she made me, check them out on my art Instagram account: @Art.on.art!
A third סגר/seger (lockdown) began in Israel on Sunday, December 27th. Covid-19 case numbers had reached a whopping 3,000 per day when the government decided to enter into a third country-wide lockdown. The restrictions limit us from traveling further than 1 kilometer, about .61 miles away from our residences, and do not permit us to be outside unless we are exercising, grocery shopping, going to a doctor, or going to work for essential workers. This, of course, is not the most ideal situation, as the government has said that we will remain in סגר/seger (lockdown) until cases drop to 1,000 cases per day at least. My roommates and I spent one last night on the beach watching the beautiful sunset before the lockdown began. For the sake of public safety, we are all now adjusting here in our apartment once again. So, for now, I will be continuing to work from home, while painting and crafting in my free time to keep myself sane.
Gosh, am I sure ready for a new year and a fresh start. I want to gain a new perspective in the year ahead, and am excited to keep to one of my New Year’s resolutions of blogging on a more consistent basis. I’ll talk to all of you lovely people soon in 2021; cheers to all of us for making it through the treacherous times that 2020 brought. May we all find renewed happiness and continued good health in 2021.
All my love, Jules
