Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Oh! One more thing!

I found another oleh's blog-- Gefilte Fish Out of Water-- http://gfishoutofwater.wordpress.com/ -- (which, if he has Google Alerts, will show up that I linked to his blog). I started reading the beginning entries, which are helpful because now I know that I will be screwed over by beaurocracy. If I wasn't sure until now...anywho, really going to have dinner now and will continue reading said blog later.

More aliyah paperwork

Got an email today from Nefesh B'Nefesh about Summer 2009 flight dates...bummed me out...but whatever, it's better that I stay here the extra six months...I just keep telling myself that, even though it doesn't really make me feel much better.

Emailed in more paperwork-- updated passport stamps from my pilot trip, updated (from my pilot trip) entrance-exit form, Proof of Living Overseas in the form of a report card and honor roll letter (not bragging, just couldn't find my senior year report card so I used that. Hope they accept it!), the financial affidavit that Zvi signed as the accountant, and what else? I think that's it...yeah, 5 things...

I'm waiting for the Proof of Judaism letter from my cousin, and I also have to send in 3 hard copy passport photos. But I might just bring them to the office directly because I don't really trust the mail...

On another Israel-related note, someone asked me about teaching CPR and First Aid. Definitely will have to do chovshim/nahagim (Israeli medic course) when I'm there...once I, you know, speak the language enough...I also have to study the chovshim/nahagim material that I have from Sharon. That should help too.

And also, I'm taking an NDT (movement theory) course and one of the OTs instructing it also teaches in Israel! And she's going to put me in touch with some OTs there! Yay for connections!

All right, dinner time. And mom mentioned something about a pita in the freezer. Chumus, here I come!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Medical Updates

So...uh...meeting with the Health Ministry deputy director-general Chezi Levi did not go as well as I had hoped.

I had hoped to get more information about the exam and the law, but I didn't get much. I did, however, get the email address of the OT person in Misrad Habriut (Health Ministry). I also found out that the exam will be "American questions"-- aka, multiple choice. And that the Ministry doesn't know too much about the exam, and won't have one ready for the summer. Oh, and also, that I can't take the exam if I'm not a citizen. Meh.

So...right, this is just going to take time...it's a good thing I'm working for a year-- that way there won't be a question of having done staj (internship) or not. But I'm going to get a letter anyway.


To register for the exam I will need:

2 passport pictures.
A copy of your Teudat Zehut, including the appendix with your address (“sefakh”).
Final diploma or a certificate from the university indicating completion of studies, fulfillment of all of the university’s requirements and eligibility for a diploma in the relevant field, which will be granted at a specified date.
Official certification indicating the start and end date of studies.
Official certification of completion of an internship (“stage”) or, alternatively, for people who studied abroad, official certification about work done in the field abroad, with a valid license, for at least one year.
Official certifications of work experience, from the relevant medical institutions, indicating the start and end date of work in each institution.
Valid license.
A letter of good standing from the relevant authorities in the country that you made Aliyah from, proving that you never received complaints about discipline, negligence or professional ethics.
An application requesting to be tested in the relevant field. The forms are available online at: http://www.health.gov.il/pages/default.asp?maincat=4&catid=42&pageid=3784


And if the documents are in a language other than Hebrew or Arabic, they must be translated and notarized (which, by the way, is a lot of money. because I did some-- the ones I have). So far I have (translated and notarized):
Final diploma (BS and MS)
Valid license

Yeah, not much...

I still need:
2 passport pictures.
A copy of your Teudat Zehut, including the appendix with your address (“sefakh”).
Official certification indicating the start and end date of studies.
Official certification of completion of an internship (“stage”) or, alternatively, for people who studied abroad, official certification about work done in the field abroad, with a valid license, for at least one year.
Official certifications of work experience, from the relevant medical institutions, indicating the start and end date of work in each institution.
A letter of good standing from the relevant authorities in the country that you made Aliyah from, proving that you never received complaints about discipline, negligence or professional ethics.
An application requesting to be tested in the relevant field. The forms are available online at: http://www.health.gov.il/pages/default.asp?maincat=4&catid=42&pageid=3784



The passport pictures aren't a big deal, I just have to get them done (and shoudl go to Israel with a small stack of them-- like 20 or so). I can't get the teudat zehut (ID card) until...well, I get citizenship. I have to get a letter from my school stating the start and end dates of studies. I have to get letters from the DOE and OTANY (I really hope I get to work there again, it's a great place). And I'm going to send a request for the letter of good standing to the Licensing Board in NY and the NBCOT (the national board that certified OTs and OTAs) probably in September. The application I just print out and fill in/out.


Shwaya, shwaya...

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Northern Life updates

Had a meeting with the Go North representative yesterday.
She suggested that I don't do the Go North initiative, because I'm not settled, and if I take the grant, I'm obligated to live in the North for 3 years-- and I might be able to apply for the grant later on, after I'm already in Israel.


Medical meetings to follow.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Updates on the exam

Got an email back from an OT who just had a meeting with the OT rep from Misrad Habriut. The results:

-Exam will be given twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter) probably July and January).
-Everyone who does not have an Israeli license (anyone who graduated within the past 5 years or just never got a license) will have to take an exam, even if they have worked for the five years.
-No reciprocity with other countries exams.
-Exam will be given only in Hebrew.


I know I'm making the right decision, postponing my aliyah for 6 months...but I still don't like it. At least I have the disc from Gila to study. It's a lot of terms I don't know...I hope they come out with some prep material soon.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Serious emotional aliyah issues

Not the "I'm going to miss my family," which I will, but the "I can't deal with being here another 11 months, not when I got so excited about moving this July."

I really...I just...don't want to be here. Not that I don't want to be here, I want to be there.

And it's really frustrating that there's no information about the licensing law other than, "there will be an exam, most likely in Hebrew."

I wonder if I could go in, like November or December. Student Week is too early-- I really want to go on a NBN flight, which happen mostly in the summer. I can go on any flight, but I'd rather go on a flight with lots of olim-- or at least other olim...and I can't start a new school in the fall and then leave 4 months later...but I really don't like some people at my school who I have to deal with.

Is it running away?