This weekend I went up north to visit family one more time before I head back to the US. In general, although I love Jerusalem – I’ve definitely realized that it’s important to get out of it every now and then. I’ve gotten used to the craziness of Jerusalem, but sometimes it’s a good just to see a contrast. This is not to say that the rest of the country is not crazy, but it’s definitely a very different kind of crazy.
This was definitely the break from Jerusalem that I needed. Unfortunately, I have also adjusted to dry heat, so I probably could have done without the ridiculously thick humidity, but I guess you can’t have it all. Still, I was able to fit in a trip to Chamudi in Akko, which has probably the best falafel I’ve ever had, plus a few hours on the beach. Granted, it was still very hot and all my attempts at swimming only lead to being surrounded by jellyfish, but I was able to find a nice rock on the edge of the water where I could still have the waves washing over me but stay a safe distance away from all the medusot. At one point a guy came over and started playing the guitar, which all made for a really peaceful afternoon.
Plus, seeing my relatives is always a good chance to practice my Hebrew and an indicator of how much better my speaking skills are compared to when we first got here. Mostly, I’ve perfected ordering food, especially fruits and vegetables. Although I was once sent on a food run for work where I ended up receiving pickles instead of cucumbers, even though I never said I want chamutzim. Still, I do have to appreciate that while I still feel pretty insufficient compared to the hundred miles an hour Israeli folks seem to talk in, I definitely am getting better.
Ayelet