hola desde jerusalen

[bennyg10]

Hi all,

In 2004 my then girlfriend (now fiance) and I spent 7 months traveling in South america. We visited Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. IT WAS AMAZING! I don't know if any of you have run into the israeli trekking tradition, but in short, after a 3 year military service there is no way one can make the switch and start university right away. It's just to hard. Over the years it has become customary for young Israelis after the army to take off for a long trip, usually in the far east or South america for obvious economical reasons. This custom has its advantages and disadvantages, but that's not for now.
Anyway, prior to our trip we purchased an Israeli "teach yourself spanish" book, got our grammar straight, and then spent 7 months practicing. I even read all of the then available Harry Potters in spanish, after picking them up at local markets. It was so fun - by the end we spoke rather fluently, and people treat you entirely differently when you bother to learn their language...
Then came biology studies, and no time, no time, and the spanish slowly deteriorated. I recently came up with the idea of finding a podcast to practice with. It seems like with this site I've found so much more!
Have yet to actually listen to the casts - I just finished downloading them, but I'm definitley looking forward to it.
That's all for now,

Benny.

[que]

Welcome to the forum!

The podcasts will not dissapoint. And the transcripts can be helpful also.

So, what were the highlights of South America? Any place/places stand out amoung the rest?

Sounds a great trip to have done

[bennyg10]

wow - I could go on for 6 months just talking about it. I think the one week that definitley stands out is the one we spent in Shipitiari - a small native comunity of machigenga indians on the madre del dios (a tributary of the amazon). The people there spoke the same level spanish we did, and the whole experience was just amazing. I have never encountered such warm and special people. It's depressing that their culture is disappearing so rappidly. rather than posting photos here I'd reffer you to http://www.flickr.com/photos/bennyg10/ for pics from the trip.

[Edith]

I don't know if any of you have run into the israeli trekking tradition.

Hola Benny, and welcome to the forum! I spent two summers on kibbutz Erez near Ashkelon in 1979 and 1982, and I had a wonderful time there. I picked galia melons for three months the first time and returned home with a mahogany tan. :) The kibbutzniks told us about their 'sabbaticals' during which they were able to do some traveling. You have been to some amazing places in South America, they are still on my wish list! (but I don't complain as I have been to some other interesting places)

In Israel you should be able to find plenty of people who speak Spanish, i.e. the Argentinian immigrants.

The podcasts are great tools for brushing up on your Spanish. Sometimes I wish the Internet would have existed thirty years ago! So tell us a bit more about your traveling experiences in South America. Lehitrahot!

[Marina]

Hi Benny and welcome to the forums.
I've really enjoyed your nature pictures.... what a wonderful trip!!!

[bennyg10]

bueno, por que no escribo en espaniol (y hago montones de erores)? Aqui en mi trabajo no tengo las accentas o tildas, entonces disculpame.

Edith, los kibuzim, ah, que bueno. Como se dice en ingles, esos eran los dias... (hay algo semejante en espaniol?), aunque yo era solo un bebe :)
Mucho ha cambiado desde eso tiempo. Ya no hay voluntarios, y la ideal de los kibutzim es casi perdido. Que pena.

Y sobre el viaje - debes ir al estas lugares. Las paisajes son hermosas, la cultura es tan interesante en los andes y la amazona, y lo mejor - todos hablan castellano!

[Flexichick]

Hola, Benny!

I loved your photos as well.

Welcome to the forum!

[ValenciaSon]

Benny, tienes un ojo para fotos. Welcome to NFS!