Adi is a soldier...

Shalom,

So early in the morning today me, Adi and Maya (Adi's mom) drove down the hills of Haifa to the military gathering point so that Adi could start her first day as a soldier in the IDF. So in the coming days and months she will be trained to become something that I still dont really understand but I'm guessing I will find out. With Adi gone most the days I get to start my own adventure in this country meeting new people finding out what to do etc. Its gonna be exciting and also a little bit scary...but in the good way.

On another note today its the last day of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver something that is greatly coverd at home but around here noone really cares....it might have to do something with the fact that Israel has 3 competitors and not alot of snow or ice to train on =) But even here you can catch some of it and I just saw the last part of the mens 50k crosscountry-skiing and Sweden won a bronze! Way to go Olsson! In a way its been a good Olympics for Sweden with 11 medals, 5 GOLDS, 2 SILVERS AND 4 BRONZE.....but it could have been more, I for one is mostly disappointed with the hockeyteams (losing in a quarterfinal to Slovakia is not passable....and a lost to Finland will never under ANY circumstances be acceptable especially not in HOCKEY) also maybe the women's biathlon could have gone a little better.

Ohh...I'm also learning Hebrew its going pretty good but slow but its entertaining for both me and the people around me.

later all,

Carl

Purim....

Hey there,

So last night we celebrated Purim here in Israel, I'm not sure of the full story but it has to do with the evil Haman who wanted to annihilate all of the jews from Persia. The exact story can be read in the book of Ester or here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim. So me and Adi and some other friends dressed up in different costumes and went to a bar, then a party and then another bar. The dressing up originated from Europe some time later in history and has to do with the fact that you needed to hide your identity to survive during the time of Haman in Persia. Anyway it was a really fun evening and I meet alot of new people and made some new friends.

On another note...everyone drives in the city, I have maybe seen two or three people on bikes since i got here and just about as many walk to their destination and its not rare that each family member has their own car. Well now I gotta go...saturday lunch at Adi's grandmas place is about to happen.

Shalom,

Carl

Arriving in the Holyland =)

Hey All,

So I'm back in the Holyland =) What the future holds in unclear...but I'm very happy to be here! This blog will tell of my adventures and clashes with people and culture in a country I've learned to love over the past years...