IN ENGLISH–I’ve wanted to write something in Hebrew on my blog since the start of my trip. I know that yall can’t read anything… but I needed to do this, and there’s a reason: tomorrow is my last day in Ulpan.
I predict that I’ll need to translate this entry to English soon, and my hebrew will probably be wrong and ungly. But I need to prove that I didn’t come to Israel for nothing. It’s important to show everyone that I didn’t leave my real life to relax and play… I didn’t do this to escape my girlfriend, family, and friends.
I came to Israel because of all of these things… but they were just pleasant byproducts, not reasons for coming. (kidding? still haven’t figured out funny in hebrew)
I worry about my return to American life. The truth is that I don’t know what to expect, in school, my apartment, my job (if I find one), and in my personal life. But I’m certain that things won’t be perfect, and that every day will be hard in different ways. Don’t get me wrong– I’m ready to return, and the Israeli Life wasn’t at all easy. There were many times that I thought I would lose the fight, that I wouldn’t be able to stay in Israel without my friends and family and all things familiar. There were times that I lost weight and wasn’t healthy. And if I hadn’t had people like Ayala and Hen and Hadas, if I hadn’t had those visits by my Mom and Dad and the one coming up with Emily… I don’t know that I would still be sitting here today.
But I don’t think of my flight to America as my “return.” Instead, it’s more like another trip for me, because it’s possible that there will be nothing familiar when I return. At the end of the day, I only hope that I’m happy, that I breathe peacefully every day, and that I concentrate on my studies and finish school with strength and pride.
I miss all of you, and I can’t wait to see you. See yall in 3 weeks, and we’ll talk soon.
Dude, you’re right, there will be NOTHING familiar about the US. A black man will be president. The whole of California is now just a metropolitan area. There is no “wilderness,” so to speak. North Dakota is now unanimously considered the most desirable state in which to live (and the coolest). And gasoline is like 1.50/gal in Austin! MTV was bought by CBN, and now it broadcasts DC Talk videos and reality church TV shows all day long. Sarah Palin is their spokesperson. Lastly, Texas officially seceded from the US and has outlawed homosexuality, sodomy, Islam, and hippies. Welcome back, homes.