Update from Ashdod

Shalom everybody! I haven't written in such a long time because nothing extremely notable has happened, but I suppose I can update you with what's been happening in Real World: Ashdod (go to Ari, my roommate's, blog ariinashdod.blogspot.co.il for more on this). Right now we're amidst Rosh Hashanah celebrations. We just finished our pedagogical training at Achva College (aka we just finished learning things we already knew for two weeks).  I took some cool ideas away and I made my first laminated worksheets which I was very proud of. But overall, the free coffee and cookies were probably the highlight of the whole training process.

So if any of you haven't yet heard, on Tuesday (September 11th), we heard our first siren here indicating that a rocket had been launched in our direction. We were in the middle of having a Rosh Hashanah toast so LUCKILY Irit was with us because without her, we would have panicked, but she calmly and swiftly ushered us into the safe room...a tiny steel-walled bedroom with an iron grate over the window. There were 17 of us in there. More people were upset by claustrophia than about the impending possibility of death. Of course there were people crying about that too because it was a.) our first time experiencing this and b.) on September 11th. I was actually more excited. The thought did quickly pass through my mind that I might ya know...die...but after that I thought it was cool. I wanted to experience it and thought it wouldn't be an Israel trip without it. Turns out it was a false alarm? Not exactly sure how one of the most modern anti-missile technologies makes a mistake...someone's elbow must have accidentally pressed the Ashdod button or something. Regardless, we are all fine. Also, the Israelis I've made friends with called me immediately after it happened to make sure I was okay. And upon hearing me say "That was so cool!" they were like ...oh...I thought you'd be more panicked. Either way it was very sweet of them to call.

One of the best parts of that was that I skyped Abby's class during the toast. I took them out to balcony so they could see the beach and Abby said "Guys you're looking at Israel right now" and they were like WOAHHHHH! And the time change blew their mind even more. But then they got to watch the Rosh Hashanah toast and said Shana Tova (Hebrew for Happy New Year) to all of us. Irit came up to me and told her that it made her so emotional to see the kids because it means so much to her that people all the way in America care so much about Israel and about the Jewish holidays. It was very touching for all of us and I can't wait to do it again with the kids.

Yesterday I went out by myself for the first time to ride my bike to an "outdoor mall" (really just a shopping plaza) called Star Center to buy a yoga mat. It was nice being by myself for the first time despite almost throwing up from the combination of hangover and heat and despite getting lost like 8 times. I finally found it and, more importantly, I finally have a yoga mat here! Amber and I woke up early to do yoga and pilates this morning. It sounds silly, but I really feel the most alive when I'm doing yoga. I can't really put a word to it. But the past couple days I've been feeling kind of blah and in a rut where nothing sounds good and nothing sounds bad and I have cabin fever, but don't feel like leaving the apartment. Typical blah-ness. But I knew that yoga would help and it delivered as it always does.

Today is Saturday and thus a beach day and tomorrow Rosie and I are going to a host family for Rosh Hashana dinner. I'm very excited to see how the holidays are done in Israel. I'll write again soon! Shana tova!