So.. I never thought that it would be this difficult to blog. I can't get myself to ever do it! I've just been so busy and overwhelmed and stimulated that I have been putting off this blogging thing more and more. I'm trying to force myself to do it right now...but we will see how far that will go.
So guys.. big news. 1) I bought my tickets to Ukraine. OH MY GOD. Totally epic. I'm going to be there in just over a month. OH MY GOD. March 25-April 5 will be magical and life-affirming. I've been waiting for this since I was 8 months old. I really can't believe it is actually happening. And, the funny thing is that I will be leaving the country I was born in on my 23rd birthday... only to spend a million hours on a layover in the Prague airport. But, it's okay. it's going to be more than worth it.
Life in Israel is coming together pretty nicely. I really like the people i spend my time with. We're an interesting group filled with crazy people who make me laugh and really feel comfortable in this place... you know, most of the time. I feel semi bipolar here. One minute i'm laughing hysterically and the next I am incredibly homesick for my fools back on the west coast. I think life has been moving so quickly and I haven't been able to really catch up. But, its challenging and fabulous in a lot of different ways.
Tomorrow is the last day of my intensive Hebrew ulpan. THANK THE LORD. I am so over it. I really enjoyed my teacher Chava. She's this forty-ish year old orthodox Israeli woman who loves Hebrew and conjugating everything she can get her hands on. She really pronounces the "xxxxxx" sound and glares at you when you sigh a little too deeply. We all had to do project presentations (aka present a dialogue with bad acting) and my partner and I played two grandmothers making a cake. It was great. Well XXXxava... peace out as of tomorrow. Hebrew has been real, but my mind is rotting and I can't wait to be stimulated academically in a totally different way... my kinda way. Anyway, enough about that.
I really thought that living here would be different. I can't even explain it. I feel like such a foreigner in the U.s. but here, I'm such an American. Academically speaking I came into this experience with a particular mindset of this place and I have been proved wrong over and over again. This country is not black and white and there is no way around that. There are so many things going on in so many manifistations and there is no way to categorize anything into any kind of box or shape or anything. I'm having such a love hate relationship with this place. I still don't know how to really express what I am thinking or feeling.
This campus is gorgeous but so separated from the city. You need to take a bus to get anywhere -- which is totally weird for me. So many Russians. I can't get over it.
Last week, we went on a trip to Zicharon Yaakov -- the site of the first Aliyah and then to Cesearea. Zicharon Yaakov was really interesting. One of the Rothschild brothers heavily financially supported the establishment of many immigrant settlements in this region and it is interesting to think a about what this place would be like had these financial investments not been made. Again, totally confused in a lot of different ways. Politically, emotionally, academically, blah blah. I am never going to forget this place because I broke my camera here. I almost cried. Luckily, I was able to buy the exact same one. Not gonna cry over spilled milk... bug man! Common!
Cesearea was AMAZING. I can't believe we were there.... just breathtaking. Except we almost got locked in.
And, I dont know if it is Israel...but I am SO CLUMSY. holy shit. I cant stop staining my clothes, falling, or consistently losing my balance. WTF?
Okay, I'm tired. My pitiful attempt at a post. I promise I'll post as soon as I get back from istanbul.
love.
lila tov haverim! My hebrew skillz have totes improved. woolah!
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