Running on Empty

Recap of the last few days:

Wednesday:Wake up only a few hours after the Idan Raichel Project concert. Take a *ridiculously* hard ulpan final exam. Attend ulpan "party" complete with kitah skits. Immediately following the party we moved into the auditorium for our Fall Academic Orientation. An hour and a half later we break into kitot (classes) and meet with our respective Liturgy teachers. This semester I will be taking the following classes:
*Modern Hebrew
*Bible
*Rabbinics
*Liturgy
*History
*Cantilation
*Zimirot (Jewish music)
*Reform Liturgy Workshops (leading services, giving a d'var Torah, chanting Torah- hearing my classmates do the same)

As well as:
*Singing in the Hallel Choir
*Taking private voice lessons
*Volunteering at a local elementary school
*Attempting to continue the friendships I have created here
*Mooshing it as much as possible
*Going to the gym 3-5 times a week

Sounds crazy, yes? I know. Let the games begin.

Thursday:
Wake up early. Go to school for Disengagement Talk. Get on buses. Drive to a very cool cave to see stalagmites and stalactites. Get back on buses. Drive to the beach. Eat pizza. Play in the ocean. Build sandcastles. Read and tan at the same time. Yes this was a required school trip. Get back on the buses. Get back to J'lem at 7pm. Shower, eat dinner, walk to Jerusalem Artist/Craft Festival at Sultan's Pool. Bargin with guy for a drum. Walk away. Pretend not to want it. He gives me a better price. I buy it. Am super excited about my new drum (see picture!) Go to sleep exhausted.


Friday: Wake up early. Meet Rena and walk to Robert's apartment. Robert is one of our Rabbinic classmates- we took two of his adorable boys- Isaac (10) and Theo(5) to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo for a little Friday Fun. I had a great time and remembered what it was like to be five and ask lots of "why" questions: "Why are we going here?" "Why do the birds eat fruit?" "Why are the birds green?" And on and on and on. It was super cute and exactly what I needed after an academically stressful week. See adorable pictures of us. Get home around 4. Return kids to their rightful owners. Go home, shower, get ready for Shabbat. Shabbat it up. Go to sleep.

Today: Wake up early (Are you sensing a theme here?) Walk to Shira Chadasha (An amazing Modern Orthodox synagogue) for services. Eat lunch in the park. Sleep allll afternoon. Wake up in time to host Havdallah for some friends. Walk to Olive (one of our favoriate resturants) for a belated b-day dinner for the Renster. Get home. Blog for a while. Go to sleep!

Its been a crazy few days which means that its time for...VACATION! I'll be in Eilat starting tomorrow morning through Tuesday night. Probably won't be able to post anything until Wednesday morning at the earliest. So don't be worried. I'll be laying on the beach drinking something with an umbrella in it. You can think of me there. Can't wait!

Good luck to all those starting school this week...and love to all who are reading!