Practicing My Linguistic Skills

Class was pretty uninteresting today.  It was a long hot day, without much to comment on.

After class I helped two friends with scholarship letters for Venezuelan students.  I have two more to help later.  Then, I went over to Tawa's and helped her with more resume and application stuff.  I've been a bit of a busy bee.

Now it's off to dinner, and then meeting up some new friends I met from Daphna.  We're going to go see a movie.  I have no idea what it is, but I'm just glad to be getting of the Kibbutz for a bit and hang out with some new Israelis.  Perhaps practice my Hebrew?

Congrats again to Sarah!!!  So excited for you!

And Mom, the Pumpkin bread was my breakfast and snack today.  Ze lechem taim!!  (It's delicious bread).

Latraot!

Thanks Mom!

You are the best!  Pumpkin bread and cookies came in today!  SOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!

Culinary Satisfaction and Company in the Shower

This weekend I went to Benyamina and visited my mother's cousin Roni and his family.  It was a really great time! After a fantastic lunch, a walk on Dor beach, and gleeda (ice cream), Daphna (my second cousin) and I went to Haifa for drinks.  We met a few of her friends from Technion (It's like the Israeli MIT or CalTech).

We had a good time at a place called Eli's Pub although our waitress did not understand either Hebrew or English very well.  So my rum and Coke was just plain Coke.  :)

Next morning took a tour or the Ralli Museum in Caseara (16th-18th Century European Biblical paintings) and of a park owned by the Rothchild family.

French restaurant for lunch, was delish!  Then an amazing time at a place called Art DeCoco, which is a dessert place that made me salivate.  I had triple chocolate mousse and died.  So good!  And a plus, I was able to get some Thai take out to bring back to the Kibbutz.  It was nice to have something other than cottage cheese and cucumbers for once.  But hey, that's Kibbutz living for you.  Here, I've learned to deal with things that normally I would freak out about.  Like sharing my shower with a Praying Mantis....  Now days, I let it go and just chuckle.


Latraot!

My Day in Haiku

Early morning wake
Laundry folding we pursue
Fruit salad laughter

Meet new family
Lunch cava al fresca fun
Beach ice cream gmail

Important Things in No Particular Order: Pita Pizzas, Israeli Basketball Players and Sparkling Wine

Today's rundown:

• Kitah hiytah tov (Class was good)
• Lunch was decent
• Worked on flashcards
• Went to a lecture on the Golan Heights.  Very interesting. 
• It rained today.
• Ran out of my own books.  Began a Nora Roberts novel.  (Insert pithy commentary here).  
• Dinner.  Pita Pizzas.  Enough said.
• First Israeli basketball game with Kibbutz semi-pro team against Meggido's team.  Teams are half Israeli and half American.  Close game, 84-82.  We won.  Actually watched the game and was interested.  Shocking I know.
• Split a bottle of sparkling wine with Grasya and watched While You Were Sleeping.  Twenty minute giggle fit in the middle of the movie because I scratched my shoulder with my chin whilst yawning.  Really, only funny when one has split a bottle of wine.  
• Now, rapid fire blog, shower, sleep, and then back to work in the AM. 

I think I covered all the basis. 

Latraot! 

Apparently I'm Too Good at Introspection

Lots of feedback from yesterday's post!  Soooo I guess my reflection and contemplation comes off a little too sad.  Rest assured, I am totally fine, happy, healthy and all those positive and chipper things.   Thanks, for the love sent in regards to the last post.  Your words of encouragement are appreciated and always welcome.

Today was a busy day at work.  So much to do!  But I actually really enjoy working there.

Later in the day I helped Tawa (the Macbesa manager) and her boyfriend work on the English versions of their resumes.   It was fun!

Going to read a book at Grasya's while she does homework.  Then perhaps a chick flick?

Latraot!

Mixed Feelings

I have been experiencing some mixed feelings since last night.  It's difficult to explain.  Normally, I would call one of you up and said, "Let's go get some Pinkberry" and have a good heart to heart.  Talking to you would help me explain my feelings so that I actually understand the root (shoresh in Hebrew) of what's bothering me.  Since I can't call you, and Pinkberry doesn't exist in Israel, this forum will have to suffice.

It was Independence Day in Israel last night and today (Jewish holidays run evening to evening) and there were many events on the Kibbutz to celebrate.  You may remember my "Bird Dance."  Well, we performed the dance (opening act in fact) for the entire Kibbutz after a lovely holiday meal on the lawn.  I will make note that all of the tables were "reserved" and only after 15 of us stood dumbly with trays in our hands in search of seating did someone abdicate and empty table for us.  But I digress, the dance went well (as well as such a dance can go) and after we rejoined our fellow Ulpanists to watch the rest of the show.

It was great!  There was dancing, singing, kids performing on bicycles and dancing to old Israeli folk music.  As I sat on the grass with 900 Kibbutzniks I felt a sense of unity, camaraderie, and an overall warm and fuzzy feeling.  It was what I always imagined Israel was supposed to be.  I definitely felt a swell of pride and sense of belonging as I watched.  As with all Independence celebrations, the show ended with a fantastic fireworks display.  It was a special experience, and I even started to think "so this is why people make Aliyah..."  (Aliyah= Immigration to Israel, and interesting lingustic fact.  Aliyah comes from the verb "To Ascend.")

Riding the high my friends and I went to Zandali (the Kibbutz pub) where there would be a sing-a-long to Israeli songs followed by a dance.  We walked in to a crowd of mixed ages and made our way to an empty table in the back.  Immediately I felt all eyes on us.  We weren't being particularly loud (only two of us infamously loud Americans were in the group).  No one was dressed inappropriately, and everyone was behaving respectfully.  Yet, every pair of eyes gave us the once over, as if to say "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Now, many people in the Ulpan and Israel as a whole accuse Kibbutzniks of being snobby--especially to Ulpanists.  Until last night, I hadn't really felt that.  I feel welcomed by the people I work with, and have had lovely conversations with some of the older members of the Kibbutz.  The young people simply ignore us, which I take no personal offense to.  After all, the Ulpanists leave after 5 months, and they're still here.  But I've never felt unwanted, or out of place, until last night.  In fact, while I'd like to think I'm a respectful, aware, and polite person, I felt like an obnoxiously loud delinquent in offensively florescent clothes by the way I was being looked at.  That, or I had something really nasty in my teeth.  I wont say that all Kibbutzniks are snobs.  Or even most.  Don't get the wrong idea--they're good people.  It was just a a really disappointing end to what was a really great and unifying experience.

Today we had a BBQ just for the Ulpan.  Lots of food, some wine and beer.  It promised to be really fun.  It was... nice?  Even though it had potential, it just seemed to fall flat.  Like a bad dinner party, people didn't mingle, conversations weren't shared, and as soon as people finished their plates they left.   The group is pretty fragmented.  It reminds me a lot of high school.  Cliques are formed easily, but are not dissolved as simply.

Perhaps I've been spoiled in recent years by having diverse open-minded friends.  But here, it sometimes feels silly and trite.  I'm being myself, enjoying most everyone's company, but sometimes I lack the energy to deal with juvenile dramatics.  Okay, I've never had the energy to deal with juvenile dramatics.  I'd rather walk away and spend time with a book.

Too bad I ran out of all of my books.  My aunt gave me my Mom's English romance novels that she left the last time she was in Israel.  I may be forced to read some until I find a bookstore.  (I love you Mom, but we have entirely different taste in literature.)  So despite the available reading material, I sometimes just want to escape for a bit.  It's difficult to leave such a fortunate social network of people who "get me."  Curiously, no one here seems interested in learning too much about each other.  Most of them would rather talk about guns and boobs.   Shockingly enough, my interest in either topic is rather limited.   It's been a while since I've had a really decent conversation.

Someone mentioned Stanley Fischer in class the other day and I was pretty excited.  A few of you may know that I wrote my Economics senor comps on Fischer and the Israeli Central Bank.  And a select few of you may even remember I used him as my role model in my USC interview.  So clearly, I was thrilled at the potential conversation starter.  Unfortunately, no one seemed interested in learning about how he took Israel off of exchange rate targeting and thereby strengthened the value of the currency.  I'm sure most of you wouldn't be interested in having this conversation with me either.  However, you would at least shrug and roll your eyes good-naturedly and say "That's Shosh for you."  It's that endearingly understanding eye roll and shoulder shrug that I miss so much.  Even when you were only humoring me.

As I mentioned earlier, this entry is more of a processing outlet for the mixed emotions I've experienced the last two days.  I'm still having an amazing time here.  My goals for the trip are already being met:
1) Learn Hebrew, in progress
2) Get a tan, check (sunburn counts right?)
3) Have fun, definite check

Even though I've been here six weeks already with about twelve to go, I can't wait to see all of your faces.  I've never doubted how lucky I've been in life.  I am in a beautiful place, learning and challenging myself in ways I never thought possible.  Yet, it makes me feel good to know that no matter how out of place I may feel at times, I have the perfect place to come home to--B-school, something I've wanted for so long, and more importantly people who I love and make me happy.

So thanks for sitting down with me and letting me talk it out.  It was great.  Next time, we need to get Pinkberry.


PS.  For those of you looking for a book recommendation please check out Jonathan Ames' My Not So Secret Life.  It's a fantastic collection of essays from a sarcastic, neurotic, over-thinking Jewish writer from NYC.  I've decided he's the male version of the writer I want to be.  Hilarious and inappropriate, a guaranteed laugh.  (I got looks on the beach in Tel Aviv from laughing so loud at this book).

Today's Rundown

Sunburn.  Bad.

80% on my Hebrew test.  Good, considering I knew next to nothing 6 weeks ago.

Deliriously tired arguments in Hebrew over chocolate cake.  Awesome.

Me going to sleep now.  Hyperbolizingly good.  (That one's for you Chris & Sam)

"You're pretty dark for an American"

A Belgian, Venezuelan, two Turks, and an American walk into a bar...   No, it's not the start of a joke, but rather the start of a very fun girls' weekend in Tel-Aviv.  I say weekend, but keep in mind that Kibbutz weekends end Saturday night.  Back to kitah (class) in the morning!

Yesterday our lovely boss was kind enough to let us off an hour early so that we could pack and catch the 12:00 bus to Afula, where we could then take the Express to Tel Aviv.  We scramble in the heat to pack and make it to the bus stop only to wait 30 minutes before realizing there is no 12:00 bus on Friday.   Figures.  For those who may not know, Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest is taken literally by Israeli transportation.  There are no buses from Friday at sundown until Saturday.  Most restaurants, stores, etc. are also closed.  This makes transportation fairly complicated on Fridays as you are racing the sunset to your destination.

No worries, we thought.  We can take the bus to Yochnam and then a bus or sheyroot (group taxi) to Tel Aviv.  Another 30 minutes of Glee sing-a-longs and waiting in the heat, we climb aboard the 8 shekel ($2) bus to Yochnam.  Once arriving in Yochnam we question everyone about connecting buses to Tel Aviv.

"Yesh," they tell us.  "There is."  Aval (but) no one knew when exactly.  So we waited.  And waited.  Nikole checked the times with her boyfriend on BBM (Blackberry Messenger) and we learned there will be a bus in 20 minutes.  By this time our stomachs were grumbling and cranky (no food since breakfast and it was approaching 2 PM).  Stupidly we walk around the corner to the MacDonald's (I know, it saddens me too) only to miss our bus by 30 seconds.  Go us.  More BBM consulting and Nikole was convinced another bus would come in 20 minutes.  It did.  It was the wrong bus.  

Have no fear, we're not easily deterred.  We boarded another 10 shekel bus to Afula, and found an Express there.  We also picked up Clara on the way as our bus went back to our kibbutz.  After a Coke-a-Cola and Bamba break, we negotiated a deal for a 25 shekel sheyroot to Tel Aviv.


We arrived in one piece, tired, hot, and hungry at Momo's Hostel on Ben Yehuda Street.   Two private rooms, right across from the lovely communal bathrooms.  I've seen worse, and I've seen better.  As in any hostel, the clientele were diverse.  South African Ulpanists, German tourists, Israeli trannies, you name it...  The employees at the desk were clearly Americans.  I guessed somewhere from the Northwest based on their accents and demeanor.  (I'm getting really good at picking out Americans.  We're really easy to spot.  Totally scored imaginary points when I picked out a couple on the beach from Connecticut today.)

Grasya, Etel, and Nikole and I immediately set off to walk around.  As we wandered in search of food and fun I realized more than ever, how unique Tel Aviv is compared to other big cities.  Traffic, yes.  Honking horns, yes.  Barking dogs, yes.  But the people who fill the streets are different.  The women are Amazonian and wear what you would expect from Bohemian New Yorkers in the summer.  The men wear sandals and pants that are too short to be trousers and too long to be shorts--with sandals.  They laugh, they gesture like Italians, and speak so loudly that you're not ever sure if they're talking casually or arguing politics.  What's more, you'll find a multitude of languages here from tourists and residents alike.  There is a large Thai population in Israel and Tel Aviv.  Wouldn't have guessed that would you?   Despite the beauty of the people and the city, what did I notice right away?  There are no homeless people to be seen.  Not one.  Not sure exactly what the reason is, as I'm sure there are a myriad of possibilities.  But it immediately struck me that unlike NYC, downtown Los Angeles, Bucharest, Prague, etc. I didn't see a single homeless person.

Cats on the other hand, are everywhere.

We soon found the Tel Aviv equivalent of Pinkberry.  (I would have gone to the place with champagne and cupcakes in the window, but it was closed from Shabbat).  But wow, is Tel Aviv Pinkberry good.  Tut (strawberries), avatea (watermelon) and melon (honeydew) on top of refreshing tart yogurt.  I died and went to dairy heaven.

After the brain-freeze and boy watching subsided we adjourned to the hostel, split a bottle of Cava and chatted about international gas prices, oil cartels and the pricing model in the airline industry.  (I love it when girl time can also be educational).

Piccola Pasta, is my new favorite Italian place. Snuggled in an unassuming corner, the restaurant smelled like garlic on performance enhancing steroids as soon as we opened the door.  We knew we had to eat there.  Inside, it looks like a small European apartment.  Gilded mirrors, dark woods, and brightly colored tiles.  Wine racks lined the walls.  Intuitively we knew the meal would be good.  One plate of crostini and four various yet tayim (delicious) pastas later we were stuffed.  We all waddled happily back to our hostel, except for Nikole who went to meet a friend from Venezuela.

My body, still on Kibbutz time, woke me up at 6 AM.  Sat in bed until 9.  Shaved my legs in the communal shower and brushed my teeth in the hallway.  Used face moisturizer as body lotion.  (I'm really resourceful here.  Keep reading, I'll prove it.)

Breakfast of champions in the hostel lobby.  Tea and packaged chocolate pastry of some sort.  Check out, store the bags in lockers, and off to the beach.

We paid 12 shekels (3 dollars) to sit on the lawn chairs of Lamar Beach.  (The beach in the opening credits of Don't Mess with the Zohan.)  We then commenced five hours of sun, books, iPods, body surfing, hummus, avatea (watermelon) and playing "Guess the language."   There was also a lot of talk about tans.    The Turks gave me some flak for how pale I am (or should I say was).  But Clara helped me out and said, "you're pretty dark for an American," even as I sat between Grasya and Nikole.  Now it's definitely true.

Back on the sheyroot, then a taxi, and dance rehearsal for a performance Monday night (Israeli Independence Day).

Then, the all important question... what to eat?  The chader ochel is closed Saturday nights on the Kibbutz so we usually snag extra at lunch.  Today no such like.  Etel suggested making Mumti (Turkish ravioli and yogurt dish) again.  Sadly, the heating plate surged the power and cut off all power to the Ulpan porch leaving us hungry and in the dark.  (Insert hand smacking forehead noise here.)  Luckily, Shoshi (not me, the Ulpan director) was able to turn the power back on.  I suggested we make the pasta by boiling water in a hot water kettle and then adding it to a bowl with the pasta.  The Turks and Venezuelans looked at me with raised eyebrows and said, "Are you crazy?  No!"  Silly American.

Yet, you all know once I get an idea into my head I'm not easily dissuaded.  After fifteen minutes of explaining that water boils at the same temperature in a kettle or a pot, they agreed to try.  Five rounds of boiled water later, the past was finished and dinner was served.  I tried not to gloat, but may or may not have sung "We are the champions" while serving the pasta....

Now I'm writing this epicly long blog (too bad it's not in iambic pentameter, then it truly would be epic) instead of unpacking and getting ready for class.  I did most of my homework, can always do the rest in the AM at breakfast.

In other news, the Bird dance continues. We have wings now.  It's hard not to laugh.

The Kibbutzim newspaper published a cover story of the Ulpanists specifically myself, Nikole, Ilan and Joe.  We're now famous.  Seriously.  Only problem is, I still haven't read it as it's entirely in Hebrew.  In embarrassing, yet obviously Shosh-like way, one of the main taglines is me saying "No, no one has hit on me yet.  Not that I'm complaining." (In reference to Kibbutzniks, not Israelis in general.)  I'll have to thank the writer for asking my that question.  Out of all the things they asked me about Israel, my life, anti-Semitism in America, Hebrew, Obama, the Ulpan, etc. they chose to talk about my dating life.  Salacious.

I get my second Hebrew test back tomorrow.  Grades really don't matter here.  But let's be honest, they matter to me for some inescapable reason.

I did lots of laughing this weekend.  It was fantastic.  I love it here.

But most of all, I love you guys.  Hope you're great!

Latraot!

Important Note

I realized I haven't truly lived until just now.  Try eating potato chips in the shower.  Seriously.  Good.

Off to the Bird Dance dress rehearsal.

Do or do not. There is no try.

Been studying like mad for the Hebrew test tomorrow.  Apparently, even in stress-free no pressure situations I still have the slightly irrational need to be the best.  Shocking I know.

500 points for guessing the reference.


Latraot!

Giggles and Conjugations

I've been studying like crazy for the test tomorrow.  Probably more so than most people in Kitah Bet, which is ironic considering I'm the only one who doesn't need to learn Hebrew.  Everyone else is planning to stay in Israel, so a mastery of the language is a bit of a prerequisite.  I suppose no matter where I am, I am still a bit of a nerd.  Always have that urge to do things right.  I am what I am.

The new girl, Clara arrived yesterday.  She's only here "trying it out."  She's not French, but French Belgian.  Actually she spent half her life in Boston and went to college in London.  I hope she stays because she seems like a nice person, and she shared her licorice with me.  So clearly we were destined to be friends. :)

She arrived just in time for our class to decompose into a fit of the giggles.  Not really sure why but no one could focus or keep a straight face yesterday.  Even Yochi, our morah (teacher), was laughing like a little kid.

Today it's back to work in the Macbesa (laundry) and then more practice for "The Bird Dance."  Later all the Ulpanists are getting together to watch "Walk on Water."  Sometime in between all this I plan on studying.  Totally bringing my flashcards to work.

I'm a nerd.  Don't you miss that?

Love and conjugation,
Shosh

Flight of the Ulpanists and Random Rantings by Yours Truly

I may have forgotten to mention that we volunteered to be a part of a dance to celebrate Israeli Independence Day on the 20th.  We didn't quite realize what we were getting ourselves into, and are part of what we have come to call "The Bird Dance."  Imagine 90 women dressed in white, with wings, flapping their arms and dancing around like birds.  I will be destroying any photographic evidence of this event.

In other news... patience wore thin today.  (Understatement, I know.  However, I'm trying to be diplomatic here.) Frankly I'm just annoyed with intellectual peons of society spouting archaic, slanderous, hegemonic, Philistine comments.  (Oh look, diplomacy is on vacation.) Join the century, and think before you speak.

Thank you, and goodnight.

In other, other news.... my Hebrew is getting better.  Spent the last two days making 150 flashcards of the past and present of verbs we learned in class.  Or should I say, Ani limadti 150...  Nikole and Ilan helped me with flashcards while we had down time at work today.  Nothing like cramming in between laundry loads.  Later Nikole and I spent the afternoon studying the Hebrew versions of: for, with, to at, etc.  There aren't direct English to Hebrew translations for many of these words.

However, after Nikole explained the Spanish equivalent to me I understood.  Gracias Senora Williams!  So I'm now writing notes in Spanish tambien.  Que divertido! (Don't you love learning time with Shosh?)  We also finalized our plans for the weekend.  Girls' trip to Tel Aviv! Shopping, dancing, beaching.  It's going to be... wait for it.... legendary! As usual, 100 points for getting the reference correctly.

In the final news of the day, my English grammar is rapidly declining.  I have noticed the caliber of my facebook posts is embarrassing.  Not to mention I spent 30 seconds debating whether or not to use "are" or  "is"  in the previous sentence.  Had GMAT flashbacks.  (Apparently not using "I" when writing anymore either...)

New girl comes tomorrow from France.  Should be interesting, we need more women around here.


Love and fragment sentences,
Shosh

SO much to say

I've been absent this week from the blog due to business and fatigue.  My apologies.  To make up for the past week, and in the interest of time, please enjoy the following rapid updates.

1. I'm actually getting better at Hebrew.... another test on Thursday.  Made 150 flashcards.  
2. Work is still awesome
3. Yoga on the grass on Tuesday was amazing
4. Really tired last week and had dreams of dogs covered in pigeon feathers attacking my feet.  I think it has something to do with my fear of the unknown touching my feet. 
5. Went to Afula last night ate pizza and the best chocolate souffle ever!
6. Today was Holocaust Remembrance Day.  There is a beautiful monument on the Kibbutz and everyone goes together and puts flowers in remembrance.  There was also a beautiful service and an art exhibit in the Chader Ochel (Dining Hall).  It was a very emotional and powerful thing, especially hearing from survivor members of the Kibbutz.
7. New girl came from Venezuela last week.  She's great.
8. New girl from France is coming tomorrow.  We're evening out the odds.  I love it.
9. The newspaper Marav is doing an article on the Ulpan and interviewed Nikole, Ilan, Joe and I.  They took pictures of us playing basketball today.... why I have no idea.  Should be interesting. 
10. The power went out today when I was in the shower.  Reminded me of a bad horror movie. 
11. Going to go watch a chick flick with Grasya and Etel. 
12. Enjoy more of Nico's adorableness.  
13. I learned why I look younger here... I'm not stressed and wearing an exhausted haggard look on my face.  Fun is the new Botox. 

Miss you and Love you!

Latraot! 

Kol Tov

Kol Tov (It's All Good)

Today really was.  It's gorgeous outside.  I have a tan.  I'm wearing shorts for the first time since July 4th 2008, and they're loose.  Kitah (class) was really great today.  People were (mostly) quiet, and I understood 95% of what was going on.  I had a few mitzuyan (excellent) call outs from the mora (teacher).  Now I'm off to do yoga on the grass in the sun with the girls.

Kol Tov haverim.

Latraot!

Weird

Everyone here thinks I look 18.  Weird.

Let's go to the movies...

As we drove to the movie theater last night I expected a semblance of home.  After all, movies are the same everywhere are they not?

I was incorrect in this assumption.  I'm enjoying new experiences even when I least expect it!  Firstly,  as in most public places security checks your bags before entering the building.  When was the last time you saw that in that States?  Also unlike the US, movie times are listed for when the doors of the theater open, not the start of the movie.

Once the doors do open, even though there are assigned seats, people mill around the doorway pushing to get in first.  Lines just don't seem to happen in this country.  It's more of the funnel and push mentality.  People will put out hands to block you and shove you "unintentionally" if you are in the way.  I have no yet perfected this method of getting around.  Moreover, unlike the US 3 foot personal space bubble, Israelis prefer much closer proximity to strangers.  Try three inches.  It's not considered rude, it just is.

The previews start around no particular time after door opening.  By the time we were seated the previews were halfway finished, which I found to be slightly disappointing as someone who adores previews.

Less than two minutes into the start of the movie the lights suddenly turn on and the movie stops.  I think there must be something wrong with the projector.  Why else would the movie stop?  Incorrect again, Shosh.  The movie was stopped becuase not all of the customers had been seated.  They stopped the movie to let ten more people find their seats.  One more occurance that was surprising to me.

Once the movie officially started I was really enjoying it!  Alice in Wonderland was an amazing film, and one of the first Tim Burton movies that really resonated with me.  If you haven't seen it, you should.  Right as Alice is managing another exciting escape of wits and guts the movie again stops.  This time for sure I thought the projector was broken.  Wrong again.  In Israel, they take "breaks" during the movies!  There's a five to ten minute intermission in the middle of every film.  People go to the bathroom, buy more popcorn, catch up on texting, etc...  Shiri was surprised when I told her that we don't do the same in the States. "What is someone has to go to the bathroom?" she asked me.  I told her you go or you hold it, no one is going to wait for you.

At the end of the movie, I was in for one more surprise.  You exit an entirely different way than you enter.  The theater exit goes around the back in a long poorly lit hallway that drops you off into the middle of the shopping center.  So many new things in just two hours!  It goes to show that nothing is ever how you expect it to be.

The Misses and the Miss-Nots

Things I miss about home (in no particular order):

• Going to Pink Taco for Margaritas with Dianne after a bad workweek
• Twilight (the time of day not the book) walks with Sarah and Anisha
• Random walks on the Venice boardwalk with myself and my ipod
• Girls' night/brunch/whatever with Chris, Jessie and Katie
• Shopping at the Grove with my mom and spending way too much money in Antropologie
• Daily phone conversations with Adie
• Arguing in circles over politics with my Dad
• My moms cooking and baking
• My car and the liberty and self-sufficiency that goes along with it
• DVR
• BBQ's with Jeff and Dave and their beer-battered burgers
• Coffeebean walks with Clea
• Wine night with Court
• Weekday lunches with Steph
• My kitchen and the ability to cook whatever I want whenever I want.
• Texting about the random things that occur in the day
• Sleepovers with Emme
• Walking accross the street for pedicures
• The ability to hold a conversation with a stranger
• The ability to hold any conversation for that matter
• Orange juice.  Real, not watered down, orange juice
• Fruit
• Work... hahah just kidding.  I wanted to make sure you were paying attention.
• Watching Glee and drinking wine
• Intellectual conversation.  While I can learn a lot as the underdog, it would be nice to feel smart every once in a while.
• People who "get me" and don't require explanations of my sarcasm or idiosyncrasies.
• Tony's Salad and Red Velvet cupcakes at Toast

Things I don't miss (also in no particular order):

• GMAT's
• B-School Apps
• Work
• Being leashed to a Blackberry
• Stress
• No free time
• My lack of tan
• Florescent lighting
• Cubicles

I Enjoy Being a Girl

After yesterday's sandfest today I especially enjoyed my girly outing with Shiri and Grasya today.  Shiri and I took the train toTel Aviv to meet Grasya at Asreli (it's a big mall).  We shopped and were utterly girly all day.  It was fantastic!  I bought a new bag, got a mani/pedi, and even ate a Waldorf Salad.  I know, I know... don't be so jealous.  Girl time was awesome and it feels really good to have painted toenails.

Yes I enjoy being a girl.


Must go... my cousin's daughters are crawling all over me speaking rapid Hebrew in the most adorable way.

Latraot!

Indiana Shosh and the Temple of Awesome

Just kidding there was no temple. But I did feel like I was in an Indiana Jones movie yesterday.  I went hiking in the Negev desert with Sergiu, Ilan and Ziv.  We went to a big crater and hiked these amazingly old trails and ate matzah and nutella at the top of the peak.  Can't really get any better than that right?

So wrong.  We went to natural pools in the crater and watched as crazy people jumped in the freezing water.  We then hiked up another peak, which entailed some rock climbing and dodging of scorpions.  Okay, it was only one scorpion, but still....  We ate lunch with a swiss army knife under the shade of a ridge that looked like a dinasour spine.  I'm sure you're asking who is writing this, let alone doing this, but I assure you it's all me.  Crazy, I know.

We later grabbed some gleeda (ice cream) and played in the colored sand.  There were mounds of red, purple, yellow, and white sand and kids running around with babookim (bottles) making sand art.  Ziv made a really nice one.  Mine ended up full or rocks so I gave up.

Overall it was a fantastic day.  The sunburn doesn't matter, it was a total blast scorpions and all.   Pictures  here!

Latraot!