Return trip to Ariel

I planned a return trip to Ariel University to see how I might help them manage their student growth, which is significant.  You can see panoramic photos from my earlier blog on Ariel.  I took the train from Beer Sheva to Tel Aviv Savidor station, where I could catch a bus to Ariel.  I mistakenly boarded a bus to Jerusalem because Anna F. said a bus from Ariel went through Ofra on its way to Jerusalem, and I asked if they went to Ariel, and the driver said yes.  But the bus fare was NIS 19, not NIS 11, and I double-checked my Moovit app, and then quickly alighted from the bus.  Apparently there is an Ariel Street or something in Jerusalem.  I should have asked for the City of Ariel!  So just chalk those 19 shekels up to "stupid tax."  At least I got off before the bus moved!  Next problem - where is the bus to Ariel?  Some construction moved the one station (the big bus companies leave from proper bus stops in a station area - the little companies, like Afikim, just stop on the big streets like the local buses), so I missed the first #286, but luckily they run fairly often, so I got another in about 15 min.  The bus said "Ariel" (in Hebrew), and the fare was NIS 11.1.  Ahh.

Here's a photo of the entry and security kiosk for the city:

This bus dropped me off at a different location than my first visit (different bus), and this is the welcome sign for the campus (a little difficult to read).

I got my bearings and found my way to Prof. Yuri Ribakov's office for our meeting.  I had texted him that I was running late, so we got right to it.  Their civil engineering enrollment has exploded, growing from 300 students five years ago to 1000 now.  Wow.  Of course, their faculty ranks have not kept up with the growth.  They have 16 faculty now.  192 students graduated last week.  He had a final exam to administer at 1300, so we just assembled statistics, and planned to meet with the dean at 1500.  I headed off for some lunch and he headed to his exam.

There was a קרנף down on the lower campus (we have one of those at BGU, but I had only purchased coffee from them).  I decided on a salad (big surprise), but the procedure was baffling and my Hebrew was inadequate.  A student helped me out with the cashier, who didn't speak English, then I was ready to choose my salad with another young woman, who declared that she did speak English.  What a waste because I know my vegetables in Hebrew!  If only their roles had been switched!  Anyway, a salad was chosen and then it needed a salad dressing. There was a pink-orange one, and I asked what it was.  She said "אלף האיים" with a questioning tone.  I understood enough, the אלף part along with the color, to know it was Thousand Islands (which is what the Hebrew says).  I actually make a killer Thousand Islands dressing from scratch at home (in the US).

The great thing about campuses is that there are lots of bathrooms and water fountains.  And the campus security was very simple - I guess since there is security at the city entrance (that is very serious).  I hung out, finished a book on my phone's Kindle app, drank my water, and enjoyed the weather in the shade.  Here's a photo of the building where the dean's office is:

At 1500, Yuri and I met with Dean Joseph Pinhasi to discuss my offer of assistance.  He suggested that I can help them design an environmental engineering subspecialty, serve as an outside referee for promotion dossiers and accreditation packages, and possibly collaborate on joint research proposals.  He was quite pleased to learn of my willingness to help.  Yuri will be stepping down as department chair in several weeks, and the dean with be pinch-hitting next year as the CE chairman (he's an EE).

I had dinner plans to meet Prof. Rivka Gilat in Petach Tikvah with a plan for the bus, where she would meet me in Petach Tikvah (she was on a day off).  Yuri offered to go with me, so we sought a bus to Petach Tikvah, and decided on the #486.  Well, then the fireworks began, because Yuri offered to pay my fare (ooh, NIS 11.1 = $3.20) from his RavKav, but his card didn't read on the bus's card reader.  And the yelling began, then the bus drove over to the Afikim office on site (but it was after 1700), and they couldn't help, but one person joined the loud argument, and the site manager decided that Yuri and I could ride for free (although I could have paid!?) and Yuri could straighten out his card tomorrow.  He, of course, said, "יום טוב, נסיעה טובה, etc" (have a good day, have a good trip, (get out of here))  Of course, even then, Yuri wouldn't let it go, but the bus was moving, and no Krav Maga was employed. 

Rivka did meet us at the stop, and she remembered my crazy dietary restrictions so we went to a dairy place in the big Petach Tikvah mall.  We had a nice dinner, although Yuri doesn't let the shop-talk go.  What are you going to do?  And after dinner, Rivka took us outside to see the pedestrian Calatrava bridge:

and then to the train station.