changes

Besides the room (now furnished, thankyouverymuch) and the job (finally!!!) and Ulpan (learning Hebrew), there are other changes that are happening in my world. I go to bed later, I eat my meals later, I actually sleep in on days when I don't have to get up. I read newspapers online from 3 different countries. I have discussions with my roommates and others about political, social, economic, humanitarian, and historical issues. I learn something new every day about how the world works, or why it works the way it does. When I need something, I have to figure it out in a nonnative language, and then deal with Israeli beauracracy in order to get it. I have been mistaken for an Israeli. I know not to wear a long sleeved shirt with a long skirt, or else get mistaken as religious (and therefore get treated differently). I'm used to sitting next to a soldier on the bus, and I can easily ignore the stares and yells from the shopkeepers in the shuk. usually.

Of course, the guns still kind of freak me out. And I always smile, and say please and thank you. The guy at the bicycle shop asked me if they're all like me where I come from, haha. I think it was a compliment, but I'm still not sure....

Yesterday my roommate didn't emerge from her room until after 5 pm. um. We had breakfast at 6 or 6:30 - but it was dinner for me. Of course, it's not like there's anything else to do in this city on shabbat. but still.... So we (my roommate, her boyfriend, and myself) had a nice, leisurely meal, during which we debated the pros and cons of legalizing prostitution. Which kind of led to a little bit of talk on legalizing drugs, but not as much as we talked about the prositiution issue. I mean, why not, it's the perfect topic to go with french toast and salad, right?