I probably should apologize for not updating for so long, but I think it's important that I make it clear that this will probably happen all the time. So sorry, but find many things to read in between the times I update my blog.
There is so much news to share. First of all we finished ulpan! I moved from level bet to level gimmel and am now expected to act like a university student in my Hebrew class. For those of you who have taken a Hebrew class, I'm sure you will agree with me that this is ridiculous. Hebrew teachers are always Israeli pushovers who want to love you and feed you and maybe do some conjugations. Homework's have debatable due-dates and all questions on exams come with suggestion answers if you properly prompt the teacher. Today when my teacher reprimanded my friend and me for giggling in class she suggested that we go in the hall if we can't handle university atmospheres. I wanted to point out that she lacked a PHD and that we were playing bingo, but I decided to pick my battles so that she'd give me answers on the next test.
I'm taking three other classes, Belief and Ritual in Islam, A Comparative Analysis of Jewish Education in North America and Israel, and Jewish and Non-Jewish Relations and Rescue During the Holocaust. On the whole my classes and professors are great and I'm learning interesting things. The homework load is reasonable, and that makes me feel like I'm abroad.
Since I last wrote, I've also made a lot of new friends. I knew that when I got here I'd make some friends and I'd be fine, but I really didn't think that I'd make such wonderful friends. I feel so lucky to have found people who I can have meaningful conversations with and hours of laughter with. It's also awesome to have such great travel buddies. A couple weeks ago we went on a trip to the North of Israel.
We repelled off of a cave/mountain into a giant herd of goats and mounds and mounds of their pellets. We then did an unannounced 45 minute hike that included scaling a mountain in order to return to the world outside of the poop cave. The goats were pretty cool though. One of them jumped on my leg and went in for the snuggle. I don't like being affectionate with animals that don't have a home and a human concerned with their hygiene, so I neglected to return his fondness.
This coming weekend I'm going hiking in the south and the next week I'll be going to Prague. I'm pretty excited about that, and I hope I'll have good stories to share about that here.
Since I last wrote I also secured an internship for this summer at Yad Vashem. Yad Vashem is not only one of the most amazing museums in the world, it's also THE place for Holocaust research, archives, discussions, literally everything. It is to Holocaust studies what Ellis Island is to immigration to the United States. (Sorry I didn't come up with a funnier analogy). I'm going to be working as an extra set of hands on their annual summer conference. This is a conference of brilliant Holocaust scholars who come to Israel to give each other lectures and travel around. It's an amazing opportunity to be a part of it, and I can't wait to get to listen in on all the lectures, and meet all the scholars. So now I'll be here until August, and then I'll go home and wear the prettiest bridesmaids dress ever at my brother's wedding to a wonderful redhead who just got her dream puppy!
If I had been regularly updating my blog, one thing I would have talked about is what it's like to be an American here. When I go out at night with the boyfriend and his friends and a loud group of 18-year old American Yeshiva students passes us they all roll their eyes. I roll mine too because loud pre-college teenagers always think they're cooler than they are, but I'm not sure if I'm associated with them when I walk around Jerusalem. I do all the cool local things because I have a cool local boyfriend, but I also do all the silly touristy things with my friends.
The more I think about it the more I think that I'm the coolest because I'm not Israeli, but I have an Israeli boyfriend. Cab drivers don't cheat me, but I can still get an English menu. It’s been really cool getting to experience Jerusalem from both aspects. When I walk around with my Israeli soldier everyone thinks I'm a genuine Sabra, and then when they hear him speak English to me they assume I'm a birthright slut. I feel like I'm getting to spy on Israeli culture as an uncategorized tourist/resident.
I'm gonna have to wrap it up now on account of I have class in ten minutes and have to reread to make sure that I'm not embarrassing myself TOO much! Before I go I want to mention that I really miss my friends and family at home, specifically (right now) my SDT family, who are taking in two new babies this week. If you girls are reading this, I want you to know I am SO excited about your addition to our family, and I cannot wait to meet you in the fall. I've heard so many good things about you and Molly and Stacie couldn't be happier to be your bigs. I also really miss Jill Thorsen because she answers my phone calls like I'm Jesus. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
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