Hello from Israel...

Ahhh!  I have been totally avoiding this blog entry.  I've been putting it off for weeks now. I guess I have been too stimulated and overwhelmed to actually sit down with my thoughts and write about everything going on within me and around me.

So, where do I begin.  I'd like to put out the fact that this is a public blog and because of this certain details regarding places, things, names, etc are underrepresented or left out completely, blah blah blah.  You get the picture.

Let's start at the beginning. I had an absolutely stressful and totally chaotic trip over to this side of the world. How ironic that the day that I need to leave SF one of the largest storms in history takes over the region.  Originally, I had two hours between my connecting flights in Philly. I get to the airport, after almost not surviving the drive due to high winds, falling trees, and dead birds scurrying through the skies, and they inform me that my flight is around 3 hours late. What does this mean? Won't make my connecting flight and will have to wait 24 hours, outside of security, in the lobby, for the next flight to Israel out of Philadelphia.  F U U.S. Airways.  As it turned out, my first flight ended up leaving 1 hour after scheduled departure. I'm going to cut this story short and tell you that I only had 12 minutes to BOOK IT through Philly's airport to make my flight to the holy land. AND I DID IT! I was the last person that got on the plane -- totally sweaty and frazzled. I spent the proceeding 12 hours talking to Chavarifkashomana and yedidyamalikablahblah about Israel, their orthodoxy, and their apartment in the old city. They informed me that they knew that I would find religiosity in Israel.

Ori and Ofer met me at the airport.  SO STRESSED OUT. Somehow, after surviving a train full of soldiers with rifles, we made it to Haifa. I spent the next four days hanging out with Ofer, his family, and Adi. Really pleasant.

So, I just realized that I really don't have time to talk about everything going on -- but I will make a better effort to write in this thing when incredible things happen.

So the short story: I was totally thrown off my feet -- physically, emotionally, etc. I was in culture shock, sleep deprivation, and totally hormonal. I forgot how to make friends, feel confident, and be in a new environment. It was like my first day of high school or college again. Like, really, I feel like i took three steps back in that first week.  Things have really picked up.  I'm living in a campus dorm with 5 other girls -- 3 Israelis, 1 Cherkasy Arab, and 1 German Ukrainian.  I spend five hours a day taking Ulpan. They put me in a low level  (sorry JCHS) and then it was too easy. After they didn't want to move me up after my request, I got angry because I didn't think they should feel so powerful. After a huge struggle they moved me up higher. Then, it was too hard. But, I've used my noggin' and caught up.  So hard. I really like Chava, my ridiculous Israeli teacher, and all the people in my class.  

Israel is amazing on so many different levels. I do not make this statement in a zionist kind of way, but in an energy type of manner.  There is something here that we just don't have at home. It's magic. Like, really. I can't really explain it. There is a passion here that seeps from the water, the land, and the air. It's something unbelievable and contagious.

So, what's up for today?  Hebrew class for five hours and then a hike to see Elijah's cave!  Who is Elijah? Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah  Then, they are taking us to some hip bar where they can place 40 Americans into a corner and convince them to drink. Ha!

Off to shower. Pictures to come later today.  More entries on their way.