and the rambling begins...

Wow. My timing is still off, but I'm pretty sure it's been almost 24 hours since I turned off my American phone and left my parents at the gates at Miami International Airport... After an extremely long flight to London, where the only "joy" was watching a bad movie with a shirtless Ryan Reynolds, I breathed my first taste of European air.

I was completely surprised, and confused, about the fact I had to spend every minute of my two hour layover going on trains and standing in line. Apparently, London does not trust America, and I had to go through security all over again, which took forever. By the time I journeyed on a terminal bus, up an elevator, and on a train, I got to my gate just as I was supposed to board...
But still, I loved my time in Europe, and hope I will be back soon...

I fell asleep quickly on my next flight, my eyes were closed before we even got off the ground. And after around 5 hours, I arrived in Tel-Aviv.

The first thing I noticed, having forgotten mostly about my past trips here, were how "americanized" everything is. Even the sign for the airport is written in English.
After a quick ten minute line under a sign that read "foreign passport," which could have gone much quicker, except the guy in front of me was confused, I got my luggage and became nervous about going through customs. I saw two signs, a red one and a green one, and followed the massive crowed under the green sign. I was shocked, I was already outside. Yehudah later told me that it is mostly about stereotypes here. If I look like I have something to hide, then I will be stopped.

I was shocked.

During the hour drive to Jerusalem, I also realized more about this stereotype. Yehudah explained it to me as if we were driving on a path (en route to Jerusalem from Tel-Aviv), but on the left and right is Palestinian land... So when you go through a "check-point" (if we will call it that), all they do is ask how are you. If you sound strange/look weird, they stop you. I guess it works for them, but to me it seems strange.

Yehudah and I finally arrived in Ramot, and he had to have his son come down and bring my luggage up. Who would have known my 2 HUGE HEAVY bags would have to be walked up millions of steps. I even feel bad, because some how the family I am staying with is under the impression I will be "living" here. They are assuming I will be keeping things here, and only bringing some stuff with me to Ramlah next week. I keep on trying to tell them, but I do not think they understand.

We will see...

So before I start rambling more, I'm going to go enjoy my first night in Jerusalem! It is Simcha Torah today, so Yehudah and his wife are taking me on a night tour and to a park, where people apparently dance with Torahs!

Lehitraot...