The Final Days of Break

Now that the week is once more done, I still have no clue as to where time went. Hey it’s okay though since my journey has still just begun. I am now off to my cousin leah’s house again but this time I am bringing Kaylee along for the ride. I can’t wait to spend some quality time with her. Our relationship has been a roller coaster ride for the past 18 years. I love her to death but she used to drive me crazy, so when this weekend proved to be not only a fun time but also a chance for us to bond and share things about our lives a huge smile crept unto my face. Leah loved having us over and meeting more of the family. I was able to get Reuven on the phone since he just came back to Israel but unfortunately it was brief since he had to run to the hospital to visit his daughter Anat who just had a baby. Once again family proved to be an unbelievable place that I was lucky to have here in Israel. I was even lucky enough to have my laundry done there and then hoped back on a bus to Jerusalem with Kaylee to complete the full circle of our adventure. As we parted, we both knew that our relationship had taken a turn for the better.

The setting was Jerusalem during Motzi Shabbat, the time was 10:00pm, the date was January 23rd, the importance was my 21st birthday was commencing. Needless to say I was pretty stocked for another important marker in my life to be celebrated. It began with the ritual eating of dinner, fortunately for me I was not alone and actually accompanied by sweet friends. Shosh, Molly, Adina Rosen and her roommate Alana were all there to support me. We went out and got the some sushi at a local restaurant and I had my first drink at the stroke of midnight. It was a momentous occasion to say the least. I felt as though the celebration was more than just a turning point of time but more a rite of passage that accompanies with the age. The rest of the night was just a rush of excitement and fun. I went hopping from place to place running into new people that I literally met for less than 24 hours since the program had just begun. I ran into Leslie on Yaffo and she was so stocked to see me for the first time that she almost peed in her pants. Of course we had to take a picture the 3 of us together to show our mini wheels staff reunion. The night progressed super quickly and before I knew it I was up at 9:00 the next day to official register as a student at the Hebrew University.

The day was long and filled with tedious information that I needed to remember. It was the most hectic time ever trying to figure out what needed to be done. Starting on the first floor to check in, then going to the 3rd floor for paperwork, sent back down to the 2nd floor to get approval, then to the 5th floor to get rooming assignments, finally ending up where I started at the Cfar to get my room keys. I hate Israeli bureaucracy but I guess for the next 5 months I will have to get used to it. Finally dropping all my stuff in my new room I wanted to pass out and take a nap but unfortunately that was not a possibility since I had orientation that was a mandatory event. I sat through the next 2 hours of the vice-provost telling all the facts of the school that no one cared about with absolutely zero interest. Finally freedom came to me around dinner time and I of course took the moment to have a nice dinner with my friends. We all went out to grab some pizza (seriously American but not even close to as good as they make it in the states). Afterwards, I just came back to unpack the rest of my possessions and relax. Of course my birthday was not complete without Adam coming to see me. I could not have asked for a more meaningful day. I don’t feel older but now I am at the tier of adulthood that I am excited to see what happens up here. Tomorrow I finally start learning and can no longer just slack off..wish me luck!!!!