הארק

I haven't written all week! The Internet had been down on the kibbutz but now it is back up and I am back at it.

Today I was tickled in class when I realized that I am learning Hebrew in Spanish. My מרה (teacher) is Israeli but spent her childhood in peru and speaks fluent Spanish. She does not speak English. Sometimes she looks at me to learn English words...like "emphasis". She can never remember emphasis. I am the only American is class. I like that. Class is full of Argentinians. She is always saying sheket! (quiet!) to them because they never shut up. But they are funny. My favorite, Gaston, is one of the boys I work with at the Madan. I like to look over at Gaston during class because he is always making that face that looks like he is about to die. Today, I looked over and he was stretched out across two chairs with his feet up without any shoes on. He loves Hebrew too.

I have been in a weird place since the start of the day on Tuesday. I feel silly admitting it but maybe it is because Tueday was יןם האהבה (valentines day). I was feeling lonely and blue. I have been getting out of work at 3:30 pm while most of my friends are busy until about 5. I have a lot of alone time and I have been walking alone to the beach. I sit with the waves and the Israeli air and think about what I'm doing and I write and I draw and I try to imagine.

On Tueday night I went to the כולבו (the everything store...literally) and bought some chocolate and a bottle of wine. I was determined to enjoy myself. I ran into my friend from work in the wine aisle. He was also buying a bottle of wine for himself. It made me feel a little better to know I wasn't alone. BUT then I was invited to fill an extra seat in the car of the boyfriend of a fellow ulpanist named Maya. Maya and her boyfriend were driving 20 minutes to Caesaria for a romantic dinner on the beach. I accepted the invitation and I was so happy I did. Caesaria is an ancient Roman settlement in Israel. It was named after Caesar Augustus. It is full of ancient ruins and I was in heaven for the night. It was the most romantic Valentine's Day I could dream of...only without the boy.

Do you want to know what the most useful ipad app is? Google translate! With my growing hebrew skills and the help of google translate, I can now talk to angela (my Ukrainian roommate). It is amazing. Ukrainian uses an entirely different alphabet. Luckily when google translates it gives you the translation in Ukrainian AND the phonetic spelling using English characters. With this I know how to pronounce whatever it is that I am trying to say. Today she told me that she wanted to kill me...maybe it is better that I don't understand her. Now I have to live in fear.

Tonight is eighties night at the pub. I am going to go in my muddy fish-gut covered Wellies and see how many people notice. The other day I went to the coffee shop and EVERYONE turned and looked at my muddy boots. Israelis frown on muddy boots.

Also, a quick note of reference...yesterday I received a package...but in order to pick it up I have to pay 223 shekels (80 dollars) in customs tax. If you love me and want to send me a package please make sure that you ARE NOT honestly filling out the customs forms. You have to lie and list the value of the package below $30 and only list chocolates and candy as the contents. I hope this doesn't deter your from sending packages because I really really look forward to them. Mmmmm...packages.

I will write again tomorrow but for tonight I have to stop before Danielle straightens her hair on fire.

With undying love for squishies, captain America, suggestive shapes in the broccoli, moosh moosh meetz, beau-friends, and Indian hats.

I respectfully remain,

J. Michael Hess Webber