munzalicious

Without being TOO obvious, this is my first time posting a thread on travelpunk, tho ive been an avid browser for about two years now. I discovered this site just weeks before i embarked on the one year "working" holiday down under. It helped me out considerably then, and now its time for the next phase of my travels. I decided to become a full on member cause i will most definitely need some answers on some pressing questions i have, which i will ask in the appropriate forum.
Just a little aboot me, im from Edmonton Alberta Canada (which explains my desire to travel!!). I spent 2004 living and werkin in australia, mostly Manly Beach in Sydney (if you go to sydney Its a MUST see). I became quite dissallusioned with Oz and developed a very strong love/hate relationship with it. so it was in this place that my desire to search out the road less traveled was borne. Starting May 19 i am embarking on my journey through North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, ??Lybia??Egypt) spending roughly 4 months there, and on to Israel to work and live on a Kibbutz for as long as theyll have me.
Well i am very excited to get to know some of you, talk to you soooooon

Munzi

blinkchick2134

Wow sounds like you had quite an adventure in OZ. I hope one day I'm in a country long enough to develop a love/hate relationship with it (other than the US that is). Only one month to departure! I'm so jealous!

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Amber

"If I had a kid I'd f**k it. Then kill it. Then f**k it again." Seattle 2006

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Currently located in HAWAII

Been to: Alaska, Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Hawaii, Spain, Switzerland - - also meetups in Chicago, LA, and Seattle

beergal

Wlcome to the boards Munzi...

I hope you will be able to share your thoughts and pictures on your love/hate realtionship with aus...(did the hate thing have anything to do with vegemite because i remember my friend natalie telling me about a canadian girl (yare you a girl) they played a trick on and told her vegemite was a form of chocolate spread - just hoping thats not you lol)

I have also been to Tunisia, its a very beautiful country especially if you get into the orange groves and ride through on a horse. The beaches and architecture are amazing but not nearly as much as haggling with the market stall holders!

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munzalicious

Yah it was definitely an adventure, thats for sure!!! But u can only party up the east coast for so long b4 it makes u nutty!! Manly was my solitude, best place in oz by far. Met the best people there, lifelong friends.
Also if it wasnt for Tasmania, i think i seriously wouldve gone mentally insane there!!! Tassie was just empty, NO (well hardly) tourists to distract you, perfect!!

Yah jealousy is a very strong motivating emotion, just go for it!!

Munz

munzalicious

Thanks for the welcoming Beergal, tho ill clear this up quick, i am Not a girl, in fact the complete opposite!! Now i may not be sharpest crayon, but i believe that makes me a doode, doesnt it?? hehehe

So Tunisia eh?? Im quite excited to go there, just not sure the best way to get there from morocco. If all else fails, i guess i could hop on a camel, pull out my GPS and just hope for the best eh??

goyincognito

Welcome and baruch haba from the official Tpunk Middle East correspondent! :P

I'm also going to be volunteering on a kibbutz probably around September, bezrat hashem, and have already dealt with the kibbutz office a bunch of times in person so let me know if you have any questions about that or about Israel or Middle East travel in general!

As for getting to Tunisia from Morocco, if you want to do so by land you of course have to transit Algeria, and as far as I can tell from my research, that's simply not gonna happen - the two border crossings have been shut down since 1994, and relations aren't really improving. So, your only real option is a flight on Tunisair or something like that from Casablanca to Tunis (also Royal Jordanian services between Casablanca and Tunis sometimes).

If you have a decent bit of extra cash (and energy due to all the fast-paced craziness you'll experience) after your whirlwind tour of North Africa, head over to Jordan before going to the kibbutz; Petra is truly mind blowing in every sense, and words/pictures just aren't capable of describing its majesty.

Anywho...welcome aboard and feel free to reply/pm me if you have any questions! Peace!

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munzalicious

I really appreciate the welcomings that im getting, its makin me really happy i decided to join this community!! Goy, i would appreciate any and all advice about Israel, its number 1 on my destination list, with Egypt a close second. I rather enjoy seeing the looks on my friends/families faces when i tell them that im going to Israel, and not just for a weeek, hopefully at least two months if not longer!! While im navigating the mazes of the Old City theyll be here living the same life theyve lived for years. I hear the "what ifs" and laugh to myself thinkin if i lived my life according to "what if..." i would never leave my house. Then i start thinkin "what if..." i fall completely in love with the country and nothin inside me is the same ever again. Or "what if..." i connect with one palestinian person over tea and get an insight into the life he lives, one that i would never have understood had i not came here. Ive decided the "what if" game is exactly why i wanna go to israel, the unknown, the exciting. Just focus on the positive what ifs and leave the negativity at home

Munz

goyincognito

If you come here with that attitude, I swear to you you will not be disappointed...in fact everything you thought is going to prove to fall short of the magnitude of the reality of it.

It's an experience, for sure...are you thinking of studying Hebrew at a kibbutz ulpan? I recommend trying to pick up at least some Hebrew if you want to stay here a while...I can help you also if need be

Kibbutzim actually prefer you to commit to longer volunteerships--so shoot for longer than two months if you can! The longer you commit to, the more jobs open up (some, such as working with cattle, require at least a 3 month commitment, for example).

There is more here than I can possibly confine to one message...but the best way I can describe Israel is the way it was described to me before I flew here..."crazy."

80 different nations/cultures are represented here all united solely by their Jewish heritage. Then on top of that, there are Israeli Arabs in places like Jaffa that are Israelis by citizenship or birth, but Arabs and not Jewish (and many Palestinians consider them traitors...), Druze who have their own villages and subculture but must serve in the military, and then the Palestinian situation, where the Palestinians essentially have their own semblence of a state now with a government but no borders and Israeli military occupation, as well as widespread corruption and an inability to provide basic services to its people, factional infighting and constant attempts by factions to murder Israeli civilians in shopping malls and public sites deep within Israel's undisputable territory (attempts that are thankfully almost always stopped by military and security services).

And to top it all off, all of this mess centers very much around Jerusalem, and when you go there you'll see the clash of cultures, history, governments and civilizations first hand. It's impossible to describe exactly the feeling it imparts, though...

All I can say is that you'll see. Ten million words in every language on the planet won't be sufficient to describe it after you see for yourself. You're coming here with the perfect attitude and the perfect desire to let this place speak to you and change you as it has spoken to and changed so many others, myself included!

Anyway, it's great to have you here man! Write me a PM or IM sometime if you wanna chat!

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munzalicious

yah man, im very lucky to have u as a resource b4 i go on this adventure. I just said two months because i know thats the minimum, im planning on going for the maximum which is 6months i think, and i absolutley want to learn hebrew while im there. I think it would be a total shame to miss out on that part of the life. As for places to visit, im not a hundred percent, but i wanna see everyting i can conceivably see.
Thanks for the support and im sure we'll be talkin in the near future.

Jacob-my real name!! (munzi)

futboller

Welcome to the Boards!
And see? You already found someone to answer tons of questions.

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bluepea

Nooo! Not another Jake/Jacob!! We'll have to give you a better name. Alright, we'll accept you for who you are! Anyhow, welcome to the boards! Love your plans.

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TheJake

And contrary to what goy "thinks" he is doing he is actually coming back stateside to work and travel the world with me. So he is in fact a liar. but don't tell him i told ya...

goyincognito

As long as you're paying for it. :D

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kingcrazylegs

Welcome

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florencia9699

Munz, Welcome!!

What if I told you you're gonna have the time of your life on this journey?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? CAUSE YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!

The Middle East is Amazing, absolutely.... increadibly great! And so is Egypt, never been to other African countries, but with that attitude of yours you're in for the time of your life!!

Welcome abroad/aboard! :D

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munzalicious

I know two Jacobs might get a little confusing so u can just call me what everyone else calls me... Munzi, munz, or any combination thereafter. Its a play on my last name, have had the nickname for what seems like years!!
Thanks for the welcome Jamie, its always nice to be loved

simply_angelic

v. jealous of your plans, you'll have a blast. I like your nickname too...Munzi's fun. WELCOME TO THE BOARDS!!!!

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~Laura
GO CANADA!!!!

If you walk backwards, you'll find out that you can go forward and people won't know if you're coming or going.

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
-James Dean

Countries I've Visited: Austria, Botswana, Canada, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy. Malawi, Mexico, Portugal, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, USA, UK, Vatican City, Zambia

munzalicious

cheers for the welcome angelic, im gettin really excited about leavin the dark expanses of Canada again. oh and the nicknames not the only part about me thats fun, munzi truly IS fun!!!!

simply_angelic

lol, we'll see about that

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~Laura
GO CANADA!!!!

If you walk backwards, you'll find out that you can go forward and people won't know if you're coming or going.

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
-James Dean

Countries I've Visited: Austria, Botswana, Canada, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy. Malawi, Mexico, Portugal, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, USA, UK, Vatican City, Zambia