Settling In

Every day, it's getting more comfortable and homey here! Since orientation doesn't start until the 11th, we've all been just trying to get settled, learn our way around, and get all the things we didn't realize we needed or couldn't fit. There has been a shopping trip almost every day, and who knew just going to the grocery store could be such an adventure? You're going to have to trust me that it is. Apparently, you can't get cheddar cheese in this country. This might be a problem for me. I am slowly learning my way to various places. I've mastered the route to HUC and several friends' apartments. All of them are within a 7 minute walk. The Ben Yehudah/Yafo street shopping area...I'm getting better. And me and my Streetwise map are better friends than ever.

All the extra people who had been in the apartment left yesterday, so it was finally just me, Amy, and Karen. We spent the afternoon cleaning and unpacking. Things are looking much better, but my room is severly lacking in homey things, so I'm going to work on that before I post a picture. But it's been huge progress in the last 24 hours, when my bags were still just about fully packed.

I've met probably about half the class, and people are great. We're all still getting to know each other, but there are definitely people I've been hanging out with since the plane ride and our arrival in Jerusalem, and we're having a good time together! Lots of them are also headed to Cincinnati with me after our year here, which is really nice. The roommates are fun, and I think we'll all have a fun and peaceful apartment for the year:) Everyone who has come over has been really impressed with our place, so apparently our online apartment hunt was very successful! The daylight picture is me, my friend Stephanie, and one of my roommates Karen at a cafe down the street from our apartment. The one at night is (left to right) Helayne, Jaimee, and my roommates Amy, Karen, and me, at a bar outing organized by the HUC summer interns.

I know it's the middle of Shabbat, but I'm going to wait until tonight or tomorrow to post about my whole first Shabbat at once. For now, I have more things to find a home for, and it's almost lunch time!

Missing you all!