<existential crisis is postponed and I begin to write the second half of this post in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon>
Anyway the reason I haven’t written to the world (ok, Gaby and all my other 10 stalkers) yet is that i've been out. "What?? You have a Life?" you might be asking. Well no, but I've certainly begun to find Joy, a bit of Adventure and maybe even have Fun. Even when I have to do it by force. And it is for this reason, that I have been unable to write everysingleday as I have been doing.
So, heres whats been up-dawg:
On tuesday, I had plans to meet an Israeli-associate, which I had been looking forward to, not having friends/a life/anywhere to go/anyone to go anywhere with/ spoken to people of my generation/etc. But at the last minute she called and said that she's either have to cancell and I was to return to Yavne with no hope of any future social engagements for the near future, OR (she said) if I were to go for "coffee with someone from work" then she could come play later. Now personally I think its a bit presumtious to assume that I could befriend people from work but what choice did I have...
A few hours later not only did I have multiple plans for the night, but for the next night too. Thats right, me, the social butterfly.
Now I dont really CONNECT with my newfound homies, or anything like that. But still, they're there. And with it my eyelids have been peeled open to the friendliness and love that is out there if one simply looks.(and by looks I mean, if you FORCE YOURSELF onto people, more often or not they'll respond in a friendly manner....)
I should study sociology.
So Tuesday night I saw Tel Aviv for the first time. My first scary step out the bus-station that has become my home. I also drank tea made my real brittish people, and drank Goldstar (yup, tastes Just Like Zamalek-my life is now complete) on the pavements of Tel Aviv. Many beautiful moments. The next night I went out to an incredible Eritrean restuarant with people from work, it was down many a dodgey alley, through a park, and round the side of a building. The room was filled with Hubbly-smoke and the food was the most delicious! It was ruined a little by my work-homie's friends who refused to eat and kept pointing out the miniscule cockroach on the wall. But we'll return there without the haters hopefully. ..
Then Thursday I was exhuasted at work. Much to do for a change, but crazy-tired. To add insult to injury I had decided a few days ago to attempt to learn Hebrew, and crash one of the Hebrew classes we hold at the Refugee centre. It was all a blur, I ended up in the intermediate class, and I couldnt understand ANYTHING that was being taught, (I think it might have been conjugations) but I did begin to pick up a bit of vocab. I'm pretty chuffed with myself for going through with it, improving my edumacation despite dropping out the system...
And so it was at 9:00pm after the late classes that I, beyond exhausted, boarded the bus to Jerusalem.
At some point I recal looking out the window, and up, and the full moon, combined with the dark bus, and the sense of excitement creeping through my toes, made me sit there smilling like an idiot. Because it was then that I felt Free. and ready for the city. and ready to see my people again. and be myself again. But it a really cool place.
Crazy reunion with my sister and homie in their flat in Jerusalem. We spent hours eating cucumbers and hummus out of the fridge, and walking the streets eating creamcheese, and breaking other rules of their programme. Like not washing our dishes. The most intense catching-up-and-whinging sessions. Me and my friend who's on Shnat spooned happily all night. And I slept well for the first time in weeks. Because its really cold to sleep alone in a chilly country.
No comments:
Post a Comment