Time With Uncle Dennis

While my original plan was to just copy and paste what Uncle Dennis been emailing to everyone I decided that was a bad idea for a number of reasons... 1) For those of you already getting his email... it's just plain boring to read it again 2) I am not actually with him for most of the stuff he is doing because, yes, Jaqui is at school. Anyhoo... we have been having a good time. Trying to eat out as much as possible but it's proving to be very difficult since many days I don't get home from school till about 6ish on some days and then I immediately have to get going on my homework. It's actually nice for someone to see why I rarely update my blog... I DO THE SAME THINGS EVERY DAY!!!!!!!! While sleeping on the couch doesn't seem to be too bad, the worst part is that I am getting eaten alive by mosquitoes... who created those things anyway?

I have made a new friend. His name is Muhammed, he is an Arab Israeli. It is actually really cool to have an Arab friend because it gives me a completely different perspective about Israeli society that I never would have gotten otherwise and also adds a dynamic to my year in Israel that very few people would be able to get. While there are many times we talk about what it is I am doing here and what it's like for him to be an Arab living in Jerusalem most of out talks having nothing to do with religion, politics, or challenges we are each facing...we just talk as if we are old friends. It is nice to have a friend that is in no way associated with school, Judaism, or anything else I am doing here. Muhammed is a bus driver so about once a week I will hop on the bus (the #18) during the last route of his night and stand and talk with him. I keep him entertained to say the least :D After he route we hop into his car and go to a local park or back to my apartment (depending on the weather) and smoke Hookah. After we smoke he drops me off at my apartment and then heads back to his village. There are many times when he asks me how I am doing so far away from home and I always give him the same answer, "it's so hard being away from my family because my family is the most important thing to me, but I am very fortunate to get this opportunity that I would have never gotten otherwise" to which he responds, "well you are part of my family, so you have family here now too." As bizarre and crazy as that may sound when he says it, there is a slight feeling of warmth that comes over me, knowing that I have 'family" here in Israel. This is usually followed by the, so when are you leaving again question or the are you planning on coming back to Israel. I tell him my return to the states is not for another 6 months and that we shouldn't worry about it now. I will keep you all updated about that friendship.

Midterms are just about over... and by just about over i mean I have one more due tomorrow and thats it. I am not used to so many tests... as and English major and even with the Judaic studies major a lot of my midterms and finals were papers, so I am having to develop my study skills all over again (at least it feels that way). Luckily I already have one of my finals so I am already going to start working on that so that when mom comes I will have one less thing to worry about... oh ya, mom will be here in 1 month and 2 days!!!!! sooo excited!!! (side note mom: if you plan on using my computer... don't plan on using it very much)

Uncle Dennis and I are heading up a little north this weekend for shabbat so we will let you all know how that goes.

I miss you all soooooooooooooooooooo much!

xoxo

J