Tunnel Vision

After a long, nice vacation with the parents I am finally back on Kibbutz and settled back into normal schedule. I actually returned on Monday afternoon and worked in the dining hall doing dishes Tuesday and Thursday (I now appreciate my job in the kindergarten a lot more). Today was my first day back at the Kindergarten in almost 2 weeks, and although I was a little tired it was good to be back and see all the little kiddies' smiling faces! While the vacation was much needed and being pampered and cared for by the parents was heavenly, it is good to be back in my "predictable" routine on Kibbutz. My life here more or less revolves around 3 things: exercise, Hebrew, and watching House. Of course there is time for the in-between things but my focus is on the previously mentioned topics. The exercise regimen consists of the following: Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday I ride my bike to the gym and lift. On Monday, Wednesday, Friday I run for about 1-2 hours. Soon I'm going to move to resistance running with boots and eventually a pack of about 10-15 kgs. With regards to the Hebrew, I have about 1000 note cards of vocabulary. Also, I purchased Rosetta Stone this summer and it's a really wonderful program for learning languages. On the topic of House...well, you've gotta have some fun, right? Hopefully I'll receive my passport and Israeli identity card in the mail on Sunday (latest) so I can get moving on a number of my things to do including opening an Israeli bank account, pushing the Draft Office (Lishkat Gius) to draft me in March, as well as some other pressing issues. That's all for now. Please send me emails (benjacobs1027@comcast.net) updating me on all of your lives! It's good to hear from friends!

Citizenship

It has been a month since I've blogged. For that, my most humble apologies, loyal blog followers! Well it's official! Actually, not officially. But almost! I have my Israeli citizenship. My parents got to the country on Tuesday and on Wednesday after work (still in the kindergarten!) I bused to Jerusalem to stay with them at the David Citadel. Two things on the previous sentence. "Busing" from Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan is no minuscule task. From my kibbutz I have to take a taxi to Qiryat Atta (20 NIS [New Israeli Shekel]). Then I take the bus from Qiryat Atta Center to Lev HaMifratz just outside of Haifa (4.80 NIS). Then I take a bus from Lev HaMifratz to Hof HaCarmel on the beautiful western coastline of Haifa (5.70 NIS). From there I take an express bus to Jerusalem central bus station (41 NIS). From Jerusalem central bus station I take a bus going southeast to the David Citadel hotel (5.70 NIS). My point -- traveling in Israel ain't so pleasant. The David Citadel could possibly be the nicest hotel in Israel. Not only is the location great, but I managed to gain 2 kg just during the time I was there. PLUS, my showerhead didn't even have rust on it! Living in ulpanist rooms on kibbutz makes you appreciate the finer amenities in life. Back to the citizenship though, I now have two official names. In the states my name is Benjamin Asher Jacobs and in Israel I am Jason Bourne. Just kidding, in Israel my name is Benyamin Bar-Asher. My uncle's Israeli name is Yonatan Ben-Asher but since my name is already Ben, I figured it would just create problems. Next week I should be receiving my new Teudat Zeut (Israeli identity card/passport) as well as a generous grant from Nefesh B'Nefesh. Even better news, I can finally start the tiresome process of fighting the army to let me in. Presently I am writing at the Isrotel Dead Sea Spa Hotel in...well, the Dead Sea obviously. The view from my hotel room is fantastic and everything is Nehedar (wonderful). More updates soon! The picture on the left is from Halloween and the right is me and our adopted Ulpan dog Uga!