My new life

At least that's what it feels like, a new life in Karmiel. I am really enjoying my hebrew class and have met a few people there. Diana is a new friend of mine. She is from Ecuador and is 28 years old. She married her husband 3 weeks ago in Cypress. Cypress, not Israel, because she also is not Jewish. She lives on a Kibbutz about 45 minutes north of here and commutes every day for Ulpan. I also met another student who is new to the class. Her name is Tatiana, she is from Germany and is also 28. She has a 5 year old child. She also moved here with her husband and is not Jewish....do you see the trend? Just wait, there is another girl (24) from Ukraine who moved here with her husband as well. What crazy women we are.

I am doing well in Karmiel. I have mixed emotions during the week because I am basically living alone right now (except for Friday and Saturday), but I am happy with Ulpan and am meeting friends (girls, which is amazing for me). This week I also made what felt like a major step in the visa process. Monday morning I left Ulpan an hour early to begin a 9 hour trek down to Kibbutz/Eilat. I stayed the night at Ronit's house, however, I didn't really sleep. I woke up at 3:00 in the morning so that I could watch the game!!! Go ducks! Even though we lost, I have to say it was a game well worth getting up to watch. Thanks to Brenda, Chuck, Colleen, and mom for letting me join in on their game watching, I enjoyed it (oh the wonders of Skype).

That same morning I went into Eilat with my letter from the lawyer and had my appointment at the Ministry of Interior (Misrad Hapnim). That woman is still the b**ch that she has always been but at least she finally decided to send my files to Jerusalem. Now it is in someone else's hands! After my 10 minute appointment (10 minutes for 9 hours of travel time!), I made a few more errands and then ate Hummous where I used to work with Dan and Sandra. Then I boarded the bus again and made the 9 hour trip back up to Karmiel. Unfortunately my tourist visa is going to expire before I get the work visa (could take a month to a month and a half, which is odd since the first time she told me it would take one week!), so I have to make the trip down again on the 30th to get it extended. This time for some unknown reason Ben also has to come, which means taking a day off from Army, not an easy thing to do. I think he can do it, but what a hassle. I swear that woman just sits there thinking of ways to make our lives more difficult. However, I feel this was a positive step as now at least my papers are not just sitting idle in an office in Eilat...they are on the move!!!

Yesterday when I got home from Ulpan all I wanted to do was go to sleep, I was SOOO tired from getting up early and traveling and Ulpan was slow and I had been imagining my bed for the last 3 hours. I got to my door and turned the key, but it stopped, I tried to get it out..no luck..turn it more..no luck. So much for going right to bed. My landlord came in and I asked him why it wasn't working. Twenty minutes later we succumbed and bashed in the lock and broke into the apartment! He installed a new lock (doesn't fit right, so he is getting a new one soon) and I was able to sleep for three hours before getting up to eat, do homework, and go back to bed:)

Benny is coming home tomorrow morning and I am very excited. We thought he was going to have to stay on base this weekend but it turns out he doesn't have to stay until some weekend in February (good because I wasn't ready for two weeks without him yet, not that I ever really will be).

I don't have any new pictures yet because I am lazy and haven't taken any. I do still plan to make a video tour of the apartment and with Stacy's clever suggestions, I will give you a small tour of my neighborhood too! Thanks to everyone for all of the birthday wishes and gifts, they are all very appreciated. Ben framed some of his pictures for me and put one on a large canvas for the apartment...so beautiful...what a wonderful guy that boy is:)

These are the pics he framed:

This picture is in a frame on its own, it is from Grandma and Grandpa's garden! I love it.

These two he put in a double frame together. Sylvain, you took the one on bottom! I like this one, I need to have a picture of Benny during the week...so cute (have I said that before?)

This is the Oregon coast, taken with Ben's old camera. This one he put on the canvas...wonderful reminder of home! And Grandma Jo!