We got a bus to Ashkelon from Beer Sheva. We decided to walk to the beach and on the way, stopped at the hospital to get Meir's foot checked out again. While he was checking in, I was at my post guarding the bags in the waiting room. I happened to sit down next to a rather bedraggled looking woman, red lipstick smeared around her face and frizzy brass colored hair in a mess on her head. Needless to say, when she asked in Hebrew for my cell phone, I felt like this would be a good time to Pay it Forward. I understood enough of her hasty phone conversation to get that she was calling her son...and then I saw the handcuffs. On her wrists. Around her ankles. And then the two armed guards standing around her started yelling at her, and at me, and Meir noticed the commotion and told them that he's sorry but I don't understand Hebrew (or life, apparently). The man guard confiscated my phone from the lady and handed it back to me and escorted me to a new seat. I wiped off the face of the phone many times before making my pre-Shabbat calls.
Having enough excitement for one day, we decided it would be nice to camp on the beach next to LeeAnn, Sarah, and Lainie. We pitched a beautiful tent, courtesy of the best host family in Yerucham, collected firewood, took a few pictures, and welcomed Shabbat. The fire never happened, but by the looks of it, it would have been great.
Saturday was a beach day. I slept a lot, swam a bit, played with my friends. Pretty much an ideal day. The food we packed was great too! I made salad for Friday night and we put chicken bits with it and then for lunch we had challah pizza by spreading tomato sauce and cheese on pieces of challah. So delicious!
We all walked back together to the bus station in Ashkelon, and since I was taking Sunday off, I went back to Kibbutz Ein Tzurim with Meir. We camped again that night, but this time, on the soccer field at the kibbutz. I was a little scared we would get in trouble but everything ended up being fine. I was cold for a lot of the night and woke up really really hot, but besides that, nothing went wrong. I embarked on a long and strenuous journey after lunch that involved tremping with a nice American woman from a neighborhood near the kibbutz, waiting for 40 minutes for a bus that was so crowded no one could get on it, finally getting on a bus to Beer Sheva and then getting to Yerucham without time to even get a 3 shekel ice cream at McDonalds. Which one second thought was probably a good thing. I came home to an amazing apartment dinner prepared by Adina, Rachel, and Becky. It was really yummy kugel and spinach squares and salad and even rice crispy treats!!
Today I had a great day of work and I worked with two students that I know but usually don't tutor, and they were very receptive!! It made me feel great. I came home and squandered about the apartment for a while, worked on Nativ YB (I will never escape!!), ate cereal for lunch, went for a run, went for a picture taking/explorative bike ride, made a really good salad (thank youuuuu host mommy!) and secretly ate some of whatever batter was left on the table. Now I am blogging and Seffi and I are chatting and it seems like it's going to be a good night : )
Oh, Jordana.
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