Basic Training – Week 2

Now imagine this in Hebrew

So I’m sorry it’s been a while, but between basic and the crazy week of actually finding out my job I haven’t had much time to write. But I guess I’ll pick up where I left off in Basic.

Getting back from the first weekend home was a little harder than I expected. Although nothing in Basic had been too hard up to this point, who the hell really wants to go back to 4am wake-ups and sleeping in a frozen tent. I managed to pack a little lighter trimming a lot of this shit I didn’t need- like books or any sort of fun.

Arriving at the train station was a bit of a trip. I ran into some of the guys from the platoon, which was really nice- reminded me that I actually like it here sometimes. But I also saw a couple of the commanderettes, which was a little like seeing a teacher out of school. Seeing them gab about earrings and nailpolish remover like the 19-year old girls they were didn’t really help the issue I’m having respecting their authority. Though to be honest, it’s not all that hard, most of them have worked quite hard on that “bitch-face” of theirs.

Eve of Enlistment

Army haircut? Check!

I enlist tomorrow.

Weird right? The last two months have felt surreal as I’ve waited for, anticipated and dreaded this day. I’ve put my life on hold for this one thing that has become so important to me, and it’s felt as though I’ve hit a pause within a pause. I know tomorrow is going to storm like hell, which is probably why I feel so calm today.

I still don’t know where I’m going to be going. After two weeks of frantic phone calls I am still going into tomorrow somewhat blind. I’m scared, I hate feeling so helpless and out of control of my own life. Which is ironic considering tomorrow I sign my life away for the next year and a half.

Chugging

Hi guys, sorry I’ve been out of touch a while. Been at work a lot and have had a bit going on. The last two weeks I’ve spent all the time I wasn’t at work working on my Hebrew. Reading wise I feel like I’ve made a really siginificant improvement and that has been pretty gratifying. In two weeks I went from barely being able to slog through sentences to being able to work my way through translating some articles. I’m still a little antsy about speaking it (more on that later) but it’s been getting better as well.

Work has been good, the work is very interesting and actually challenging. I’m basically writing an employee guide for my Uncle’s company. It’s interesting because it’s a pretty unique process with a lot of lofty methodology which I’m suppose to lay down and standardize in writing. Good exercise to keep my English from deteriorating (which it has, I make a lot more mistakes when I write now). The nicest part has actually been just getting to interact with people and practice Hebrew. It’s definitely helped a lot and It’s cool getting to know the other people in the office. Driving every day with Itamar has been fun and educational. He’ll speak English while I putter through Hebrew and we’ve talked about everything from the situation here, to his experience in the army, and I’m finally starting to get the Israeli sense of humor. I feel like I’m painfully unfunny in Hebrew, which makes me start to understand and sympathize with my Mom a bit (sorry Mom, I’m sure you’re funny in Hebrew).

Yup, It’s real

Boy’s good at what he does.

I’m open to new ideas though.