Back in Nashville
Shalom, Y'all! I'm back at work today, after getting home yesterday via El Al and JetBlue. Can't stop thinking about the people I met (one man in particular), and the things I did and saw and conversations I had. Once I upload my photos and figure out how to post some for you, you can see the bomb shelters we painted and the friends I met...and the burnt brush we cleared and new trees we planted.
I have a lot of mixed emotions running through my head about the last three weeks. Most of all, I feel lucky to live in the US and that I don't have to have a bomb shelter in my house. I slept in one on Thursday night in Tel Aviv. The family I stayed with uses it as their office/guest room.
More later; got to get through a lot of email, mail and voicemail at work.
By the way, can't stop listening to Hadag Nachash (The Fish Snake), an incredible Israeli band. Y'all should check them out. Saw them in Kiryat Shmona on Wednesday night as part of our propaganda tour. (The day started with speeches and photo ops while planting trees in the Naftali Mountains we'd cleared brush from for a few days prior, then more speeches and music, and lunch, followed my more speeches, a short break to shower and changes, and then a long night in a hanger that was torn down on Thursday after the concert and festival in it. That was where I met a fireman from Kiryat Shmona who decided I should marry him. I laughed. Maybe I shouldn't have. He was a professional soccer player, and pretty cute. Oh, well. Wouldn't be a trip to Israel without a greencard-driven proposal.
Please for all that is holy stay away from that Kodak friends / share thing. Very hard to use and incompatible with everything else. Flickr is the way to go.
glad yr back!
Haven't heard from him since I left, but I know he was working in Eilat, then planning to go on vacation to Egypt or South America for a couple of weeks. Trying to be cool and not put much of my head into it, but I miss him, and being over there.
If you want details, email or call me.
In front of the kibbutz gates where I was staying, a ketusha rocket hit a platoon of artillery reservists, guys with families, and killed 12 of them. The rocket shells and an informal memorial are still there. My "friend" knew two of them. The guide on my bus has a brother that's still in the hospital critical care unit after stepping on a landmine in Lebanon this summer.
One of my roommates has worked with Magen David Adom (Israeli "red cross" and ambulance service) on several bombings and the collapsed function hall a few years ago. She's tough, and one of the most alive people I've ever known. Very lucky to know her and count her as amongst the best of the people in the world. She's also a brilliant bio-chemist and gorgeous to boot!
Next time you look at a map of Israel, check out Kfar Giladi; that's where I was staying. We worked every day in Kiryat Shmona. We cleared brush along Tel Hai and the Naftali Mountains, and looked across to Lebanon, Syria and a snow-capped Mount Hermon every morning.
I'm not tough. Being there this summer with the threat of another war would be tough. Who knows, maybe I'll be there for that, too.
Currently weighing my options: go back to school (where and in what); sell everything and move to a kibbutz; sell most everything, rent out my house and move to a kibbutz; stay where I am, buy that car I've been talking about for months and maintain status quo; other.
The fella I met is still surprising me with attention I didn't expect. It's nice to have that kind of attention. I forgot.
These are out of order, but I think the dates on the photos are there. Will try to post more soon. If you want to see NOLA photos, go to <a href=http://www.jewishnashville.org> this and click on the slideshow. </a>
Enjoy!
Were there any shots of your young man?
He tells me I should learn more Hebrew. Guess that's fair. Maybe I will if he quits smoking!
...e-mail me. Or call. :-)
Conspiratorily,
pamsterdam
He's just showing me attention I forgot could be so comforting and nice. He warned me that he's all about his freedom, but he's making overtures that he's full of shit on that count. Either way, it's nice. If I decide to move, it wouldn't be because of him. He's made me no promises, and I've made none to him.
We'll see where it goes. Regardless, my ego is boosted, and I'm not opposed to stroking his.
Check out expat forums for the area(s) you're interested in. I'll try to find one (or a few) for you. You may need immigration advice, but I got mine for free and in English just by checking expat sites.
So far, the most helpful link I've found is <a href="http://www.aaci.org.il">this</a>.
In any case, I'm delighted that you're safe & sound and had what sounds like both an eye-opening and - dare I say it? - enjoyable time.