Tabeetha School

In Sharem el-Sheik(Israel), Mike skippered Sajo, Stu skippered Margot Maree, Kap worked on the Sun Boat, and I was still stuck on Franda II with Mum and Dad. I was angry at being: the youngest, consistently wrong, in love, lonely and thought life was generally unfair. A 17-year-old teenager with all the teenage issues but no support and no peers to talk to, even Jory, my boyfriend, had returned to Amal II and Tel Aviv. Although phone calls from the pay phones ashore allowed me to occasionally talk with him, some weeks had a higher success rate. To aid with the cost of the calls, I was shown how to tie a piece of my long hair on the phone token (Asimon) so it did not fall into the bowels of the phone but just sat on the lip for me to retrieve after the call ended.

Sigal visited for a few weeks of sun, sailing and snorkelling as the Israeli school teachers were still on strike. I returned to Tel Aviv with Sigal for a break. I visited a friend, George, in the Tel Aviv marina. The last time I saw him was in Cyprus. Among other things, I learnt that he was enjoying school in Jaffa. His mum suggested I attend school, but my immediate reaction was that my mum wouldn't allow it" However, I pondered the idea, and it grew and warmed within me. Excitedly I returned to Sharm El-Sheik and asked my parents, expounding how good school would be for me.

Wow! They agreed. Plans were hurriedly put in place. A phone call to Sigal's parents found me a place to live, then a phone call to (Tabeetha School)(https://tabeethaschool.org){: .exit} to ensure they had space. Within two days, my bag, mum, and I were on the bus to Tel Aviv. The headmistress of this Scottish school, Miss Goodwin, was dubious of my ability when hearing that I had left formal schooling at age eleven, five and a half years before. So, Miss Goodwin recommended I study for my English "O" levels rather than be in my age-appropriate class. The "O" levels curriculum is generally studied over two years. I would only be learning the last year, so many foundation learnings would be unknown. However, if I passed, I would have an internationally recognised certificate.

Finally, Mum helped me buy my uniform, installed me in the Wine household, and then returned to Sharm El-Sheik and Franda II.

Within the week, my life had taken a significant turn. I slowly settled into a very different life. I was living away from my family for the first time, and it did not take long to realise that I missed them. My Jewish host family was less cohesive than mine. By this, I mean that family meals were few and far between. Everyone just helped themselves to food if there was any in the fridge. On some weekends, Sigal's mum would prepare Gifilte fish, which tasted nothing like fish and was very bland and eaten cold. A traditional Jewish food.

I seemed to live in the house but outside of family life. I was used to cooking, laundry, cleaning and caring for myself. That was easy, but I missed the warmth and closeness of my family life. Sigal's mother had no English, so we could not communicate much and maybe because of this, I found her distant and cool. However, her father's English was excellent, and he shared some warmth with me.

School in the ancient city of Jaffa differed from my old school at Russel. In fact, there was nothing the same. The difference started at the street level. On stepping through the small gate inset into the solid wall of busy Yefit Street, the guard marked me as "entered" in his large book. Next, I walked through a small green courtyard and through to the 100-year-old main 2-story building, a large open assembly hall with classrooms off to the side and more upstairs. Paths on the southwest side, skirting the building, led straight to the playground. All concrete, with no grass to be seen. The furthest half was lower, so it had a natural divide and was the basketball court or soccer "field". A tall gum tree offered some softness and life to the harsh surroundings. All this, boxed in by tall solid, bland walls.

My only other school experience was so vastly different, a rural primary school with enough concrete for a double netball court, a grass football field, a grass playing field, and room to run, hide and chase. Grass everywhere, green, friendly, inviting. A wire fence to contain students and balls, no huge wall, locked gate, or book to sign in and out.

Concrete was everywhere and so confronting to me. Are the gate and wall keeping students in or others out? I felt out of place, and although surrounded by students, I was terribly alone. I was unsure of the conversation etiquette, and taking the initiative was terrifying. So I stood alone. Starting the school year late and as a newbie ensured that most friendships were already cemented. Therefore that first week, I was so alone, and misgivings hounded me. Doubt crowded, swamping me. Was I up to the challenge? My first big decision, I'd argued for. Therefore quitting was not an option. I may be a misfit and alone, but that would surely change. Whereas the embarrassment of withdrawing would haunt me always.

As routine took over, I relaxed, remembered names, learnt the rules, and became involved. Being co-opted into the play "The Importance of Being Earnest" as Miss Prism forced me to engage with other students. Many nationalities and locals of different religions attended the school. Still, that year there were very few new high school students. It was like a large family everyone knew each other.

I had just turned seventeen and had been out of mainstream school for five and a half years. To make matters even harder, I had started school 6 weeks late. I struggled mainly with math but also really struggled with structuring my writing well. Geography made sense, and English Literature was also easy because I was interested in the books we had to study. However, I had no idea about physics, so I was recommended to drop that subject and concentrate on the others. As an idea of how far behind I was, I received 18% on my first maths quiz and was deeply discouraged. With hard work and extra help from my excellent teacher, my grades slowly improved until I managed to top my class in one exam towards the end of the school year. I really enjoyed maths, and after all the other homework, I would put extra time into completing all similar examples in the maths book. I struggled with making friends. Although a lot of the students were foreigners, I did not gel. My lifestyle had been so different, so void of peers, that I now had trouble relating to them. I was still lonely, but schoolwork took up most of my time.

I was free from parental guidance and discipline. However, I was now a more demanding taskmaster on myself than my parents had been. I put all I had into my studies, only allowing one hour a night for television. Having TV was a novelty. So when I returned home on the bus, I watched "Huckleberry Fin" in English and then spent the rest of the evening on my homework. I always did more than required as I had so much catching up to do.

Another of my pastimes was talking to Stephen Lockley on the phone. I used the excuse of asking him to explain the maths problems to me. Julie, Stephen's sister, became my friend and the person I spent the most time with. They were an English family living in Israel while their father repaired carpet-making machines. Julie had been born there and had only attended Tabeetha School. Several times, I was invited to their house and got friendly with their mother, Margaret.

During the holidays, I would travel by bus to Eliat and then catch another bus down to Sharm El-Sheik to visit my family. Julie accompanied me on one holiday and then was joined by her whole family for a few days on the boat.

I sometimes visited George in the marina, as we seldom saw each other at school; he was several classes above me. Although I admit to not always understanding him, we occasionally went out to movies, more because of our similar background and the differences with the other students than any deep friendship.

Although I enjoyed my time at school and the school work, I still felt like a misfit and spent several lunchtimes alone, wondering what was wrong with me.

Just before final exams, I felt unwell, nauseous and lacking energy. I had also lost my appetite. Mum flew up from Sharm el-Shiek to look after me. A visit to the doctor discovered jaundice and Hepatitis A. Coca-cola was prescribed as it has an anti nauseous element and is full of sugar. I was off school for the remainder of the term, and the headmistress, Miss Goodwin, arranged the exams where possible so that there was only one a day and a few days in between. On the day when there were two exams, Miss Goodwin made me an egg nog and organised a space for me to rest between exams.

When Franda II was due to return to Tel Aviv via the Suez Canal, I was in the middle of exams. However, Israeli teachers were still or, again, on strike, and Sigal joined Franda II for the exciting journey through the Suez Canal.

Finally, we were ready to continue on from Isreal. However, being June, we would need to winter in Cyprus before heading for New Zealand.

The school had been an excellent interlude for me. A taste of independence had whetted my appetite. Finally, just before leaving Tel Aviv, I received my letter with the results. I had passed all subjects and had my O-level certificate.