Were in the home stretch people! I'm officially home in 2 days, or 3, time differences and planes rides can't be calculated in my head no matter how much I like math.

We spent the last 3 days in the Golan Heights otherwise known as the "finger of the north" on the Sea of Galilee. Let it be known that even though some crap is going down there at the moment with our neighbors, it's really beautiful place. We went on a cool water hike and saw some really nice views (when do you not in Israel), we went to an olive oil mill where "the best olives in the world" are located and where the "most organic" cosmetics are made with the olive oil. For those of you who know my obsession with Bath&Body Works, know that I can never say no to lotion or any skin care product that's good for you and smells nice. Afterwards where did we go, but the Naot factory. My dear lord. What. A. Place. It was kinda obvious, but I dropped a couple sheks up in the Golan...

Today is packing, packing, and more packing. I HATE IT! Tonight is final banquent. Within 48 hours I'm back in my bed. It hasn't hit me yet that I'm leaving, I guess that's why everyone feels so crappy a few days after they've been home and they realize they're no longer in the land of milk and honey. Walker Brothers pancakes and dance classes will hopefully numb the pain.

As for this, this will probably be my last blog post ever. It was fun to divulge the memories of these past 4 months to all you readers. It got me excited to write these weekly posts. See you suckers at home. Love, Peace, and Increase!

How is one expected to study and know this much material for this last JHIST test. It's 2 tests combined into one. One test alone is the equivalent of a final and we've had at least 3. Whatever, you know what my moto here is? Don't stress about work and school, you're in Israel.

Taking a break from studying, let me inform you on this past week. Shavuot gave me some chances to tan by the pool, catch up on some tv shows and movies, and learn how to play Settler's of Catan, in hebrew! I just rack up those Barzel, Chita, Aitz, and Levanah like there's no tomorrow!

Thursday night was the once in a lifetime opportunity, unless someone does this program twice...weird, EIE PROM 2013!! It was your typical getting over-makeuped and dressing up, king and queen, dancing to dubstep, taking too many pictures in cliche poses kind of Prom. What could be better? Let me tell you. Being that it was prom night, what do my roommates and I do but watch "Prom Night!" (Scary movie, rated PG-13, worth the rental) and order TalBurger at at 12 AM. Perfect way to end the day.

I'll be home in 2 weeks, I've started to buy gifts, and throw out things that should lighten up my bag. Soaking up the last of that Israeli sun!

We're in the final stretch people! This week we don't have school (when do we ever) today and tomorrow because of the holiday Shavuot.

Yearbooks are being made, shirts/sweatshirts/boxers are being ordered, and classes are ending. I can't believe I leave this place in a matter of weeks. It's gone by faster than a NASCAR! Today we had a program and we had to bring an artifact from these past 4 months that represents something we loved. So what did I bring? A McDonald's receipt of course, but not just any McDonald's receipt, a McDonald's receipt from Massadah. Probably one of my favorite days in Israel. 

From now until we leave is going to be extremely difficult. Not just because of finals and saying goodbye to these life-long friends, most of whom I wont see for a while. No, no, something much more challenging. . . . getting 50 lbs into 2 bags. When I called my Dad to see if he'd rather pay for the 2 overweight bags or pay to get a 3rd bag, he just, "I'm sure you can fit everything in there." CLEARLY he's never lived with 4 other women. We have clothes, shoes, makeup, toiletries, towels, books, pictures, movies, laptops, food, tampons, IT JUST NEVER ENDS! Sure, I've gone through my 4 lbs of lotion without a problem, but I've gotten shirts, jeans, coffee, Israeli foods, and other paraphernalia that I'd like to bring home from this marvelous country. I'm screwed.

Wish me luck on my last 3 weeks here!

Feelin' Tzuba fresh! I haven't written here in a while because I've had to write paper after paper after paper in the last 2 weeks. Let me first discuss Poland...

There's not much I can say except for the fact that it's a weird country. I kept a diary over the course of the 5 days and debated sharing it with all who read this here blog, but decided it was too personal. The important things you need to know about my trip were going to Majdanek, Birkenau, Auschwitz, and different memorials. I got no sleep and watched 3 movies during up to 7 hour bus rides across the country. The trip was the least favorite I've ever taken and it was depressing to say the least. The best advice I can give you if you ever go Poland is to 1)Bring tissues 2)Prepare to be amazed 3) Don't keep valuables such as Ipods, phones, and wallets in the front pocket of your backpack because YOU WILL GET PICKPOCKETED! I'm a first hand victim. The dude got my cards, license, and 300 shekels. Whatever man! Good luck spending shekels in Krakow!!

We've been on a few trips since Poland. The 1948 trip sent us to Latrun to see a whole lot of tanks that were fun to climb on. We also went to a quaint little bullet factory underground. About the size 3 large New Trier classrooms. It was as if the people working down there way back when were miners, and actually had to have a "tanning room" in order to get that good old Vitamin D! Yay healthy!! The 2nd trip we took today was to Ammunition Hill to walk and play hide and seek tag (not really, I wish) in the War of Independence trenches. The best part was when I could walk through and see that I was taller :) The War of Independence had some connection to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, so we ventured off there to learn about their upcoming programs. YAY COLLEGE!

It's been a trying few days leading up to Poland. Yesterday we watched "The Pianist" and went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum. Feelings were already triggered from those 2 things so far. This week is going to suck in both a good and bad way. It'll also be incredible memorable and apparently even life changing, but what on this program isn't? We're leaving tomorrow morning at 2 AM and going to Warsaw, Krakow, and Majdanek over the next 5 days to see the concentration camps and have different ceremonies at each. Wish us luck!

L'heat

So things didn't go exactly as planned on Tuesday due to the מזג אויר (weather) and we only found out minutes before we were suppose to leave that we were not going to go to Tel Aviv beach. This pissed off some people not just because we were weren't going to the beach, but because people had spent the majority of the morning deciding which bathing suit looked best.

But there was no need to fret, we had a good old יום ספורט (Sports Day) and each JHIST CLASS competed against each other doing different maccabia games. There was wheelbarrel racing, ultimate frisbee, balloon popping, passing balloons covered in vasaline, you know, the classics.

Of course who be better to win יום ספורט than David Adom's class! 1st prize was a Jewish star medal, glory, and first in line to get lunch. I'd like to thank the academy...

Afterwards we took a good hour long bus ride to Tel Aviv. We walked along the port, getting soaked by the waves and eating from our chocolate syringes that we got from Max Brenner's. All in all, not such a shabby day!

A week has passed, I'm a little older, I'm a little wiser...

These previous days have been hectic with homework, tiyulim, midterms, new roomates, papers, IT JUST NEVER ENDS! We've been studying the types of Zionism in JHIST which led us to a trip to a museum, Kibbutz Kineret to visit the graveyard of famous zionists including Naomi Shemer who wrote "Yerushalim Shel Zahav," and Israel's famous date store. We went absolutely nuts at that store, dates this dates that. I kid you not when I say everyone had tamar fever! Where do we go to study cultural zionism but the modern, cultural city of Tel Aviv the next day. We journeyed to Independence Hall where Israel was born and from there, continued to be tourists and spend money at the Shuk (market). So zionist, I know.

Today is Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day) and it's much more meaningful here than say, oh, I don't know, the US! We've gone to several ceremonies and heard many stories of fallen soldiers in battle. One vivid ceremony that'll stick with me forever was going to the Kotel along with half of Israel to hear  the President speak and see soldiers salute him. I could see tears streaming down people's faces as Hatikvah was sung. Tomorrow will be a better day as we retreat back to Tel Aviviviviv to have an "Al Aish" or BBQ on the beach as we celebrate Yom Hatzmaoot! Aka another Israel snow day: No school.

L'heat!