k’far ha’studentim (the students’ village) + my digs

I guess it’s about time everyone gets a general idea of where and how I’m living, hence this lovely virtual tour of my ‘hood.  First up, we have a view of the k’far from the south gate.

Every time I enter the k’far, I have to go  through either this gate or the north gate, which both have security checkpoints.  On the right you can see a bit of an incline.  This is because the k’far is located on Mt. Scopus, or Har Ha’Tzofim, which is this really big hill that I have to climb up and down every day for ulpan.  During the regular school year a shuttle runs between the k’far and the Hebrew University campus, but of course they decided to not give us that option during the hottest months of the year.  Alas, my calves will thank me in the end.

Here’s a view of the k’far from a gazebo-balcony sort of thing.  As you can see, all of the buildings look the same.  This is because there’s actually a law here that any building erected in Jerusalem must be built with Jerusalem stone.   And here’s my building, Building 6:

Next up is the playground, which is where everyone congregates to do homework, access the various free wireless networks, and relax in the mild nighttime climate:

And now, what you’ve all been waiting for: the inside!  Please don’t mind the blinding white paint/appliance scheme, and if you have any decorating suggestions please comment!

The above is the view from the front door, and farther to the left (not in the picture) is a sofa and two chairs.  My mother must be ecstatic that the Clorox wipes have the preeminent perch on the counter top.  All that’s left is my room:

It’s a mess, I know, but I’m still settling in.  The room is really nice and really clean, and I have tons of closet space and almost too much shelving.  In case you wanted to know, the window shutters are heavy metal, just in case of bomb threats.

I think that’s everything, but check back for more updates soon.  I have pretty pictures and interesting tidbits from my weekend up north!