TUESDAY

My mom woke me up around 8:30ish asking if I wanted to go walk with her, bubbe, and her friends. Last night I was planning on it, but I was just too tired. I slept in until 10ish and watched some more of “Sex and the City.” Then my mom came back with Shlomo so I got dressed and then all 4 of us went out to the same place where we have gone every day for breakfast. We had the same waitress…so embarrassing! We took some pictures and this one group of Israeli bikers (motorcycles) were looking and laughing at us. The waitresses also laughed at us because we were probably annoying them. Oh well. Shlomo had to go, but then Bubbe’s friend came. She was really nice and told me to call her if I had any problem. It is so nice how open everyone is. She also gave me her daughter’s number and told me to call her and go out for coffee with her (because she lives in Jerusalem). I then went back to the apartment with Bubbe because my mom forgot that she left her charge card in the apartment. Ill just say that Bubbe was funny, rather than giving details because I forgot to mention that the other night my mom informed me that it isnt just a couple of people that read my blog…her friends and my rabbis read this every now and then. I don’t even proof read what I write! Oy!
When Bubbe walked back to my mom and Tzippi, I went for a walk/jog. I brought my iPod and it was pretty nice. I didn’t go for long, but ran along the water and it was so pretty. When I got back to the apartment I listened to some music and finshed watching “Sex and the City.” Tami came over after a little with her son and brought with her pita and falafel! So good. Before we ate, we watched the sunset...it was so pretty!!! Then Zev and Batya stopped by and after talking with them for a little, I began to pack up. When we all finished packing up, we watched tv in the tv room...instead of bubbe's room. We watched one of my fav movies--Becoming Jane!!! Right when it finished, David came with his girlfriend. We then said bye to the apartment and took our bags into David's car. We had dinner at the place Bubbe loves to eat at. After dinner David drove me to the train/bus station (I TOOK THE BUS, NOT THE TRAIN. THERE IS A BUS STOP AT THE TRAIN STATION! is that clear enough, Bubbe?! hahahha). It was weird saying bye to mom and bubbe. I wasnt too upset, but it was weird that I might see them in april. But, that is only my mom, not bubbe. Once I got home, I hung out with roommates and didnt get to bed too late.

WEDNESDAY

I got to sleep in a bit and got to the school at 9ish. We got lucky and found out that the bus comes at 8:48ish, and it's fine if we are late. During the long break we hung out with some of our new senior friends. For the last 2 hours we sat on a bench, surrounded my israelis who didnt feel like going to class or got kicked out of their class. We were supposed to be out there to read passages or questions to students who were taking a practice bagrut test. I tried my hardest to read it slowly and enunciate. Pamela let us go early and when I got home I went with Katie and a few others to go grocery shopping. On the way I got an ice cream...so good. We ended up seeing the same guy that checked us out the last time we were here, so we went into his line. Of course we were behind someone who had a lot of things..we could have easily gone into another line that would have been much quicker, but we wanted to see our friend! haha. When he saw us he didnt recognize us, but then remembered that we had the weird credit card. He was really friendly and was asking us about our program, etc. When we told him we were leaving soon he told us that we would have to come back to visit him. hahaha. Then arab teens (around our age or older) that work at the grocery store started to talk to us. They were practicing their english. Because our card is weird, they make us write down our number. So while i was writing down my number the arab was reading it and then joking around with his friend and me by repeating some of my number. After I walked out he said the first couple of numbers and we all started to crack up. Dont worry-i didnt get a call from him.

When we came back and unpacked the groceries, i went back with rachel so we could buy our own yogurt and for me, ice cream. We were looking for our guy, but he wasnt there, so a different guy checked us out. While I was paying, our friend came over and spoke to us a little about why we didnt go to him! After finally getting back to our apartment I had some lunch and then i went with Katie and Rachel to the shuk and we went to ben yehuda. It was nice to go to the shuk after not being there for so long. A guy was trying to sell us his clementines and saying how beautiful it was. katie at first thought she was talking about him and got so pissed off! hahahaha. We also looked for some skirts and rachel and katie bought stretchy ones.

We rushed home and cut up veggies to have with hummus as part of our dinner. We had schnitzel, but needed to go on a bus to go to a seminary as part of shevet, so we took the schnitzel to go. I napped on the bus and listened to music. I think we were right outside of jerusalem and we learned with a rabbi who was nice and some students. For some reason Katie and i were in a weird mood and it was so hard for us to control ourselves. We were just cracking up all the time. We discussed vegetarianism and one thing i learned was the reason why God allowed us to eat animals after the flood was because it would show us that we are not animals and shouldnt act like them. Before the flood, people acted like animals and even married animals! When we got the Torah, we got restrictions on what animals we can and cannot eat. The reason for this is to start the process of us not eating meat. When the messiah comes, we will all become vegetarians because we will no longer need the reminder.

When we left the seminary, we didnt have a coach and had to go to the bus stop. It was so cold out and I was not dressed right! It is warm in the day, but gets so so so cold as soon as the sun goes down. We finally got a bus and we were right passed the central bus station. When we got home, even though we were exhausted, we decided to go to ben yehuda for a little. It was nice to finally go out and when we got back britty and i couldnt resist but watch gossip girl. It was unbelievable! I was in bed by 1ish, which isnt bad at all.

THURSDAY

Ashley and I decided to go in late, because we wanted to sleep in. Pamela ended up having no idea or she just didnt say anything. We went to Namah's classes and she was giving a test. We would walk around and try to help them because the test was really hard. In between classes, we hung out with our friends, but now more and more people talk to us. Ashley and I dont want to leave them! During the next class we graded the tests while the other class was taking it. I felt so weird grading! I feel like teachers have a certain handwriting and do checks a certain way. I think my grading looked like it could be a teachers! haha. We got to leave early and when we were leaving students outside called us over and asked if we wanted to smoke. Ashley and I are still taken aback about how here it is normal for babies to smoke. When we got back to the apartment I took a 20 minute nap and then went to lunch and learn. I made a good sandwich and we discussed the significance that Rebekah was asked if she wanted to marry Isaac and she said okay without even meeting him. I felt bad, but we were all distracted by the food (there were chips!) and katie made earrings out of pretzels that made me not able to breathe. I had to switch seats with moran because i just could not look at katie without cracking up. She is so funny!!!!

After lunch and learn we didnt have any classes! It was so nice. Instead we had this auction thing at 3ish for charity. I brought tzedukah and we tried to vote on where it would go and im not sure which one is going to. The auction was really unorganized and people wouldnt shut up or bid, so it went really slow. After about an hour and a half we all just left and it ended. I didnt bid for anything, but just gave my tzedukah to someone who was running it. Rach and I then took a nap and forced ourselves to go running. It was cold and I didnt want to get out of bed, but i did. Rach and I ran with Katie 2 times around the block. It was a good run. When we got back I showered and then had dinner. After dinner we got dressed to go to an art show of a teacher of ours (he's not my teacher though). I was a little dehydrated so i didnt have a lot of energy, but it was nice. After looking at the paintings we sat outside and listened to the typical art show music. We talked with this guy for most of the night who had a big personality, but was an interesting, funny guy. I was really cold, so walked quickly back to the apartment. We then changed clothes to go out and went to ben yehuda.

It was a fun night and I ended up bumping into my security guard from the 2005 family mission! I was saying to friends at a bar and sitting at the table next to them was him! I waved and at first we didnt remember me, but then he did. We exchanged numbers and he told me to call him if i need anything. so nice! We talked for a little (told him that mom and bubbe were just here) and then i left. I walked back down there later that night and then he called my name and followed me. After getting out of the crowd we started to talk and he asked how everyone was. I told him how im going to be rooming with ellie next year and he was saying how he needs to go back and visit michigan again. He told me that he just became friends with uncle jack on facebook. it was so funny that i saw him!!

Katie, Gabi, and i decided to not take the last bus so we could walk home. While we were walking, Gabi realized she didnt have her bus pass or her license. She was sure that the last time she saw it was at the pizza place we were at right before we left. We walked all the way back and on the way would go up to people and ask if they had seen her id. Some were sleezy, drunk guys. Looking back, although we were desperate, it probably was stupid to ask these men. When we got to the pizza place it was closed and they wouldnt open the door and listen to us. Finally they did, but they kept on saying that they dont have anymore pizza. WE DONT WANT PIZZA! we kept on saying that so many times. They quickly said that they didnt find anything and shut the door on us. We decided to look around the bar she was at. Everything was closed and it was so weird to see ben yehuda/crack square like that. Broken glass was everywhere. We then went back to the pizza place and Katie goes through the garbage, but no luck.

Someone told us to go to the police and say it was stolen, so we just decide to go. We ask people and at one point i see soldiers so i walk up to them and ask them where it is. They were standing next to a police car and said that they were the police. they thought i was an idiot. They told us where the office was, so we walked there. just an fyi- he told me the directions in hebrew and i understood. check me out!!!! We finally find it and after getting made fun of the police and i think people being prosecuted, we leave. (note to self: Katie asking "who works here?") They told us to come back in the morning and then another guy told us to go to a different police station later in the morning. They kept on telling us to go to sleep, they probably thought we were drunk. We then walk all the way back and none of us are wearing good shoes and i gave michal my jacket so i was just wearing a sweater and a scarf. We were all exhausted and cold. On the way home the sun rose and we kept on making jokes about how we need our sunglasses. Gabi also stepped on a snail! We all were cracking up out of exhaustion. The buses started to run and we were walking with people who were walking their dogs or just exercising. I dont think you realize how late/early we were out until. We could have taken a taxi but just really didnt feel like spending money. We didnt get back until 7am. Katie set her alarm for that time to get up because her and julia were going away for the weekend. Luckily i chose to stay here. first all nighter! what what! (even though i went straight to bed)

note to self: fgtf! hahahaha