I know it's been ages and ages since I've posted. Sorry about that. I was uninspired for a while and unsure of what was worth writing about. I think I've finally accepted that it doesn't always need to be all that deep--and it may be better if it's not.
Since we last met, my parents came to visit for two weeks, which was a really nice time. They spent nearly a week with me in Jerusalem seeing some of the sites and experiencing some of my life here: my friends, the Yeshiva, and a Shabbat. Then we traveled around the country as far south as Eilat and as far north as Nahariya. We even went to Petra, which was phenomenal. I wouldn't exactly call the visit relaxing, but it was a great opportunity to see a little more of Jerusalem and of Israel. And, after four months, to see my parents.
My Hebrew, while still a struggle, has improved by leaps and bounds. Every time I'm feeling frustrated by how slow-going it is, I just remember what I started with (nothing, שום דבר in Hebrew), and I'm kind of amazed at myself. My spoken Hebrew is still a struggle, but my understanding is improving everyday and my translation skills have gotten good enough that I can begin to argue about how something should be read with classmates. It makes me very happy.
I remember the first day that I arrived here, I went to a coffee shop (called Coffeeshop) to start this blog. I was so uncomfortable just walking in, sure that someone might try to speak to me in Hebrew (not a bad instinct), and totally unsure of what I could possibly do in response (speak in English was the answer to that). The other day I walked into a Coffeeshop, got a table, decided what I wanted, and ordered without using any English. And when the Hebrew went over my head, I wasn't afraid to express that, either.
I have no intention of picking up and moving here, but I amazed at how far I've come in five months and how comfortable I've become in my life here. I'm happy to admit that, for the moment, this place is home.
