jewshi

Just came back from sushi. Did you know that Tel Aviv has the most sushi restaurants per capita besides Tokyo? I didn't order sushi. I ordered a deep-fried sushi sandwich (don't worry...it's the only thing I ate today besides hummus and cereal). It had salmon, avocado, and mozzarella cheese. Don't ask me why I ordered it. I figured, in a country in the middle of the desert, that is "technically" in Asia, although there are no asians in sight...the sushi must suck. So I ordered something battered and fried...the furthest thing from the real stuff.

Previous to our sushi simcha, we visited the Tel Aviv Art Museum which surprisingly had an extensive collection of Klimpt, Picasso, Miro, and also a crazy awesome featured photo exhibition on Chapelle. I walked through the aisles of paintings and sculptures alone, appreciating the stark quiet and absorbing everything off the walls like a sponge.

Then we went to a small cafe where this french guy in the Rimon Music Program was having an open mike night...for himself...on his 30th birthday. A couple days ago he went around to every ulpan classroom and announced he was playing in a cafe and that everyone should come. To our surprise the cafe was packed with everyone from our ulpan. He played the same exact songs as he does every day during break on the out-of-tune salon piano in our classroom: Hey Jude, Bohemian Rhapsody, and some french love song.

What else did I leave out since I last posted? I went to Jaffa yesterday with my roomie Olivia, and our friend Sarah and her boyfriend. We went to the flea market, but I often find that there is so much stuff repeated over and over throughout the rows of stalls that I am overwhelmed. Also I hate haggling for things. It makes me feel like a shmuck. These people are making a living, and I am cheap. It just doesn't work.

My phone is still broken. It's actually not been that bad. It's just a safety hazard, I guess. So to solve that problem, I just glue myself to Anna or Olivia who have cellphones. I'm sure it bothers them.

We leave tomorrow for Jerusalem at 6:30 AM. It's early. We're doing the tunnels by the tower of David. Then a bunch of other stuff. Including a Hakafot tour on Simchat Torah around all different synagogues. I just hope it's not like Slichot. I'm not bringing my laptop, and I'm not going to be cellularrlyyy connected by phone, so I'm really going to be incommunicado. I will crave social contact. I should not become a monk.

blah blah blah blah. i'll be back saturday night. In time for ulpan the next morning!

shalom!