Just Like Seattle: Not REALLY cold, but freezing my tush off.

What is so Seattle about this picture?

The rays of sun pouring into the working train station at a convenient time?

Of course not.

Hey! Look! It's a guy all in black, with pants so tight no one knows how his feet fit through the legs.

It's just like Seattle!

Oh! Oh! Hey! Look! It's raining!

It's just like Seattle!

(Not just like Seattle? The power went out after it started raining. Again.
They had to cancel school due to lack of electricity. Because of rain.

Forget snow days. We had a Rain Day.)

Oh, and last but not least:

Hey! Look! It's YGirl wearing a perfectly normal
"going out with friends for dinner" outfit
 with a clashing North Face coat!

It's just like Seattle!

The End of Hanukkah

And so Hanukkah came to a close.
I went to campus on Wednesday to meet with the lovely, the gorgeous, the sassy Shira, our class's social advisor. It was beautiful!

Look at my school!

(Note to Kim: These columns are from the dig at Caesarea here in Israel.)

Then I walked home, but stopped on the way for the last soufganiah (doughnut) of Hanukkah, fresh from the oil at our local bakery.

(Another note to Kim: I am wearing the brooch that you gave me in the picture!)

And then we lit the last candle on the Hanukkah. I was already super sniffly. I have been grumpily sick ever since. Maybe I need more doughnut supplements!

Thanks, Bibi. Thank you so much.

On December 7th the President of Israel lit candles with us (the International School).

On December 8th, the Prime Minister caused a traffic jam at my school. there were lots of people striding about, looking important. All I wanted was to print my paper and hand it in. Is that too much to ask?

Shimon Comes to Visit

The IDC is known for many things. Being the most expensive school in Israel. Having some of the very best professors in their respective subjects. Being chock-full of rich kids and children of diplomats. Having an on-going battle with the Herzliya urban planning board. Etc.

One thing that is very exciting is all the conventions and meetings that are hosted by the school. Last week, the mayors of Israel had a multi-day meeting at the school. On December 7th they were addressed by President Shimon Peres. After he finished up there he stopped by to see the international students. He was an hour late, but we forgave him. Because he told us not to listen to our teachers.

He is a true statesman. A real gent. A silver fox (according to N.).

E. Lookin' for the Internet

E. and I are not paying for our own internet, so we have use other people's internet.
Today our usual network wasn't being cooperative, so E. went on a crusade to find the internet.
I followed, camera in hand, to document the experience from the front lines.

In her bedroom.

On the patio.

Getting more irritated in my bedroom.

Resorting to balancing the computer on the washing machine in the bathroom.

Really angry in the W.C.

"Maybe if I turn it toward the window?"

She found it!

In the kitchen!

The Chrismukkah Miracle

It's a miracle!

A Chrismukkah Miracle!

Day in Tel Aviv - Finding the Christmas Spirit

E. and I went to Tel Aviv today with J. to find the Christmas trees at the shuk.

We ate at an awesome restaurant. What you do to find an awesome restaurant is ask at least three people that work at the shuk for restaurant recommendations. If they all say the same thing, you go there. Because it is going to be mind-blowingly delicious and inexpensive.

I had meatballs with rice, beans, salad, tehina. E. and J. both got skewers (chicken for E. and lamb for J.) with fries, salad, and lots of awesome hummus. We also had chopped fresh tomato with zhug and pita and Lakhuch. When I asked the waiter about the lakhuch he brought us more to eat and another Yemenite bread that I can't remember the name of.

The damage that we did!

Sweet J. He didn't like this photo.

Then we walked to Heaven. I took some pictures of Tel Aviv at night.

Happiest E. in the world with Christmas decorations!

This building had stunning wooden shutters.

This was enough to get me a little teary eyed, hannukiah in the cafe:
(Side not: As we walked out of the shuk with our bounty, one of the shop keepers was lighting the candles in the middle of the shuk. All of the boys working in the surrounding stalls stopped and covered their heads (with napkins and their hands, mind you) and watched the candle lighting. I stopped too. It was so beautiful).