So since we last chatted (that is what we do, you and I, it's a dialog, I just happen to talk a lot) I've just been hanging 'round the mercaz, stayed here for a second weekend in a row. I've yet to figure out what kind of logic I applied to come up with that decision, but such as life. Thursday night a few of us (the cute ones of course, orrr just the ones who also opted to stay here in Be'er Sheva) decided to go late night bowling. So after my test in ulpan (you know while I was still invited to attend class), which I obviously aced *edit - aced here could mean many different things, not all of which are positive* I thought it pertinent to quickly drink something along the lines of exactly 6 Stella's (good choice right, and a .2% higher alcohol content than Carlsburg, not that I looked)
, put on the best damned bowling outfit I could find, toasted Michaela and had an entire beer bottle explode onto my adorable cowboy sheets (operative word BOTTLE 
, that means glass...everywhere, in small shards, ugh I had to wash my sheets...well I mean for the first time...and three days later once Sharon got home from her sensible weekend on the OUTSIDE and I couldn't realistically sleep in her bed any more), and headed to HaBig - which honestly has turned out to have the solution to all of life's problems. It is quite possibly the largest strip mall I've about ever seen, and I've never seen so many knock off American store chains like best buy (lowercase letters obviously, they wouldn't want to be cited for copyright infringement, they are two DIFFERENT companies, with the same name that sell virtually the exact same things, it's coincidence). Anyways of course above the grocery store is a pool hall, which not that we need another aside in this drawn out blog, but pool tables in Israel must be at least twice the size of a regulation size table and the balls smaller, in a completely unrelated matter they charge you for the balls by the hour...ANYWAYS again, next to the pool hall is a bowling alley, so we saddled up with a few half pints and some nifty shoes. For some reason my coordination wasn't up to par, I think I broke 25 so thats an accomplishment.
(Sarah Cohen, go get 'em girl!)Point being, we made it out of the mercaz and did something fun, it was a good time. I'm relatively certain I called both of my parents several times, incidentally I think it was some of the better conversation we've had.
The rest of the weekend there's not much to share, I don't remember leaving my apartment often, Be'er Sheva does that to you, it's kind of like a dementor, sometimes it just sucks all the happiness out of the room
(I'm aware I used a Harry Potter reference, and all I have to say about that is that I'm not quite sure why it took so long). In defense of the weekend I will say that Jen, Sarah, Sam, Michaela, Tzeira and I did put together a nice little Shabbat evening. A lovely mish mish (apricot), honey chicken with kosher mashed potatoes (thanks me), and Tzeira's chicken noodle soup, which has gained quite a cult following already. Good times. Oh and how could I forget the freezer dramz, of course our freezer completely iced over and it was a CRISIS. Sam, Sarah and I, in our Be'er Sheva induced delirium hacked away at the ice with knives and boiled water in the kum kum and thought somehow we could just poor that all over the ice. After like a half hour, of what could be summed up as insanity, we did manage to finally thaw enough of it that our refrigerator would actually close, so all in all a success (for now, I give it like a week until it happens again). Yesterday, I went to class, had a few meetings, prepped for some volunteer stuff, managed not to sleep again - it's becoming something of a talent, nay an art.But today was really pretty wonderful, I woke up bazman (on time), had some yogurt with dates, made my usual cup of coffee with kane sugar and soy milk and headed to ulpan. During first break it just really wasn't working out today, so I went home to nap before Atidim. Woke up again bazman for that, and it was really honestly amazing. Leore, Eric, Lauren and I went to Tel Sheva (an Arab Bedouin village about 20 minutes cab ride from here) with chocolate in tow (it really is the answer to all balagan (chaos)), and we finally met with our students. Not to trash the Israeli Jewish kids but sometimes they are just too cool, and I know you know what I mean, but these kids were different, they're degree of separation from us was just that tiny bit greater that they really appreciated us being there. I think they might have asked me more questions than I asked them. We went around the room and gave everyone a different (well choice of four) piece of chocolate, the kind corresponded with a specific question and we made all of the kids tell us their name and then their favorite movie/music/hobby/food.
(lesson plans!)For being 15 years old, in an isolated Arab village in Israel, where the teachers are all on strike and having to already have prior knowledge of both Arabic and Hebrew, these kids were amazing. A couple of them were completely fluent and the ones who struggled still put forth honest effort. A couple of the girls told me they'd teach me to cook Arabic foods, and the boys bragged about their girlfriends, the girls of course didn't have boyfriends as per cultural restraints and they were horrified that me, a 20 year old girl, wasn't married or at least in a relationship. One of the kids fathers has three wives, and all of the girls but one were wearing at least hijab and complete body covering. 
(some of our kids) Not your typical Monday afternoon I suppose, but so worthwhile. It was the first time I really felt my impact in any real sense, trying to figure out with my broken Hebrew what word they needed me to explain to them in English, and laughing with them when we didn't connect the languages but still understood what the other meant. I don't know it's difficult to explain in words, I just really remember the cab ride back where all four of us were hurriedly telling one another all of the amazing things we heard and gushing about how wonderful we thought the kids were. (I can count to ten in Arabic now, look out).When we got back I had a meeting with MASA for a graduate seminar that meets over the course of three weekends to build future leadership in the Jewish community strengthening the ties between the diaspora communities and Israel. I think my interview went really well and I hopefully don't have anything to worry about, but I'll know for sure tomorrow. That led into our weekly meeting with our madrakah (counselor) Jenny and an informational session by Livnot (the final option we have for track 1.5). It sounded really, really fascinated, but I'm still pretty focused on getting into Pardes, I think three weeks of 8 hours a day intensive text study, as insane as I know that sounds, is exactly what I need to finally be able to know that I am a Jew - with all that that entails. But more interestingly, after the meetings Jenny asked me, Sam, Kate, Aaron and Stephanie to stay after. Seeing as we were the five people who either didn't show up or left class early today it was relatively obvious what that was about. Welllllll, we are all currently banned from going back to class until we meet with the manager of all of mercaz klita ye'elim ulpan EDNA. That should be interesting, you win this round Meerit (and I'd assume all following rounds, power game well played). So I have that to look forward to tomorrow morning before I obviously get re-accepted into ulpan, and then have to disrupt everyone when I come in 45 minutes late. Oh life, oh, Israel, you would, you just would.
Ughgh well after that incident, Lauren and I made what could potentially be considered the best salad in the history of salads, or at least of salads on OTZMA 22. Field greens, sauteed mushrooms/red onions/red, orange and yellow bell peppers/potatoes, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes and of course homemade honey-Dijon vinaigrette. Then those of use working at the modified soup kitchen put together a giant puzzle out of poster board that the kids can color in and put together tomorrow after dinner, cutttte.
That's all for now
I'll let you know if for any reason I don't regain my postition in kita alef, wouldn't that just be something.
update - I did get accepted to the BFL MASA graduate seminar, I mean not surprisingly, I am (not) a college graduate, who has(n't) had lots of experience working in the Jewish world at large. I jest, I jest, this should be a really great experience and I'm looking forward to my first weekend, starting Thursday, in Jerusalem. (take that Meerit, looks like I HAVE to miss class now!)
not this MASA, although I'd like to find out more...A PE G-P
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