making a life here

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Just watched that, ala Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine. Not a very optimistic outlook, I'm sad to say, but 60 Minutes is not the end-all-be-all. Just a simple presentation that I feel shows a relatively realistic glimpse of what happens in the West Bank.

Besides that, I am continuing my apartment search, although without as much force at the moment. I have tons of new vocabulary to study and lots of work to do for class. I am going to have to find a way to supplement my studies with more exposure to Hebrew conversation because the class is very advanced in literary Hebrew and does not give enough of an outlet for speaking. My comprehension and my reading is improving, but I feel that it is most important for me to converse as much as possible outside of class. That goes for Arabic as well; I am constantly trying to get a few words in with Arabs who pass me by just to show them that I can if they're interested, and I always ask Arabs for directions or logistics.

In fact, last night on my way back from a lovely weekend in Tel Aviv with the Spivack sisters, I took the wrong bus and ended up far from the University. I eventually got a taxi as the buses were not running very regularly and it began to rain very hard. The driver was an Arab who kindly accepted the pathetic amount of money I had with me to take me to the center, from which I could take a bus to the University. However, as the ride continued, we spoke about everything in Arabic, from the upcoming elections and the importance of Arabs to vote in them to how he doesn't think Jordan is beautiful at all--well doesn't he realize how spoiled he is living in the greenest city in the Middle East?? By the end of the ride, he had agreed to take me all the way to the University because he was so happy to have a lovely conversation in Arabic with me, an American Jew. Haverim.

An extra special thank you to Allie and Lauren for taking care of me this weekend, delicious dinner included. It is so nice to have people here who are like family to me.

I plan to travel to Jordan in 18 days. And I can hardly wait.

--Avraham