It's now been a full week since I came home to West Hartford, so I figure I should be able to adequately reflect as much as I'll be able to in the following weeks.
On the one hand, it's weird to be home, mostly because I'm just forming a new routine for myself, and because most of my friends are still away. And of course acting like real, live people with my siblings now that they're older has thrown me off. On the other hand, part of me feels like nothing ever changes, and it feels extremely natural to be back home. In terms of leaving my program early, that part hasn't phased me at all. In fact, I feel like I left at the end, which I suppose just shows that I really had finished my year, and I was ready. I do miss the country of Israel every day. I miss the kotel, of course, and the extra spirituality I felt daily just by living in the Jewish country. But I also miss little things: the picturesque mountains in the distance that sit right next to lush greenery, next to dry desert, next to the beautiful Mediterranean. I made Israeli salad today, complete with Zatar seasoning.
Speaking of which, I've already begun to enjoy learning to cook with my mother (or on my own - I even sauteed onions for a baked potato today!). I also became reacquainted with the joy of thunderstorms, as I was woken up on my second night home to a storm, with thunder, lightning, and hail. I don't think I was the only one who was surprised. I also got to catch up and hang out with two of my favorite people from home. There are some people who I feel I will just always be close to, no matter what. And that's been great. I also got to see Jake perform in jazz band, and take care of Jesse when he was home sick, and I learned how to drive out of NYC as we left a family friend's bat mitzvah on Sunday (though the holiday "traffic" made it fairly simple).
The point of all of this random information is that there are great things about being home, but I do miss the Holy Land. And I miss the people I met there. But, never fear, I haven't lost touch. I've been keeping in touch with those going to Brandeis with me, including my roommate, made some Shabbat calls to close friends, and tonight I'm skyping with my HaRova roommates. I may have been ready to leave, but that doesn't mean that I didn't make friendships that I hope to keep up for a very long time.
I'm not sure how to wrap up a blog, so maybe I won't. I'll be back in Israel soon, and I don't think that adventures stop here. Plus, who knows what Israel will look like independent of full days of learning, without dorms or a curfew? I'm sure my next visit will be an entirely new experience. I can't wait! Until then!
Gabriella
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