Shalom Sesame

So as I expected I suck at blogging because I’ve been here for more than a week and I haven’t written at all. Between my lack of internet and surplus of trying persian foods it’s just been impossible. But as my days are slowly becoming routine I find myself with time to write again.
I arrived in sunny Tel Aviv and made it to Jerusalem with a couple of hours before Shabbat started. I showered and went to synagogue with the boyfriend and his family. I should mention that I refer to him as “the boyfriend” because he requested that the world not read about him here. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s embarrassed to be associated with me, or because he’s involved in top-secret Israeli operations that would be jeopardized by the high volume of readers I have knowing that he’s in a relationship with a girl who writes a silly blog. Either way his name is not Sahar Zada, and I don’t refer to him as “the boyfriend” because I think it makes me sound like Carrie Bradshaw.
Anyway the boyfriend’s family is Persian, and they belong to a synagogue that is very different than mine. This makes me miss my father very much because he loves going to synagogues where the singing sounds like crying, I mean middle eastern synagogues. The service was a little different, but I managed to follow with the help of the boyfriend’s little sisters.
My first weekend with his family was pretty overwhelming because they don’t speak English, and I don’t eat radishes like apples. But having now spent quite a bit of time with them I feel very at home, and I really enjoy the time we spend together. I can tell they’re comfortable with me too because they asked me to make them broccoli at 9 PM on a Thursday. Being a descendent of European Jewry I’m only somewhat familiar with Persian traditions, but I do believe this was a test, and I do believe I got an A- on it.
This week I also started my program! We began our ulpan classes, which is basically a five-hour intensive language program five days a week. I really like the people in my class and I really like the teachers. That’s right, we have two teachers, it’s too much work for one person to teach, but it’s a reasonable amount for us to learn. The good news is their names are Gila and Brooria. Brooria. Brooria. Imagine that in an Israeli accent. I love it. It’s like the offspring of a broom and Gloria from Modern Family.
I’ve gotten pretty settled into my dorm, and I’m getting ready to register for classes. I’ve signed up for a couple of trips. This is one of the best things about studying abroad in Israel. There are so many wealthy observant Jews who are willing to subsidize trips around the country to encourage happy Jewish lifestyles and alcoholism. (More on these trips after I actually go on them.)
Being in Jerusalem is really special. I can hear the muslim call to prayer outside my window, which hasn’t gotten annoying yet, and I can hop on over to the kotel anytime I’m feeling spiritually inspired. There’s also sesame seeds on everything, and I love sesame-coverd-carbs.
I’m really starting to feel comfortable in my new routine, and sometimes I catch myself thinking in Hebrew. Even though things are really great I still miss home a lot. I miss my kitties, and parents, and I really miss all my friends in Boston. They’re having so much fun without me and there’s someone else sleeping in my bed. It’s too weird to think about. The good news is, Modern Family this week was amazing, and Alexis’ blackberry started working in Spain.
P.S. If anybody knows how to make Persian rice please let me know. I checked my syllabus and it’s next on my curriculum.