Adoptive family what? and Jewish New Year and YK

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So I have had some terror stories with exchanges while I was in high school. I did an exchange freshman year, to Paris and the family had two children I remember the age of the children but not the names.. The daughter was 13 and the brother was 17. I was so excited because it was the first time in a long time that I have gone abroad. I walked into hell or at least it felt that way. The parents were getting a divorce, the daughter didnt really speak english (i guess that was the point) and the father spoke to me in hebrew; how ironic. This also took place while the war on terrorism broke out and the French were not the fondest people of America. The second story actually happened in Israel and I was pretty surprised because the mmajority attitude is that we are all Jews and can watch out for each other. In 2005, I took part in a Partnership 2000 trip with my shul from NYC and I was given a home stay with an Israeli family. They were great and I thought I was friends with my fellow teen but obviously not when it was her turn to come america as part of the program she did not want to take part.

A couple years have past since those two events and I thought that I was old enough to try again. Part of Otzma, is that we can get adoptive family here. I wanted to try something new as well as connect with more Israelis while I was here. I did not want my family to be my adoptive family because I knew through out the year I would spend enough time with them. I was given this family rather a mother and daughter from Bat Yam because the daughter is a social worker in Rehovot which is where I will be living for Part two. They seemed very nice, I was hoping a young family with kids so that I could entertain myself but that did not happen. I could definitely see myself going back when I am living in Rehovot but I was on the lonely side. They were lovely hosts and I hope it works out between the two of us. She has invited me for RH but I kindly declined feeling a little bad but I explained that I have family in Israel and that I would love to spend it with them

SHANA TOVA. This is the first time I get to see my cousins and aunt and uncle. I can not wait. They live on a kibbutz in the north and I absolutely love it every time I can go. Not only are they my family but I enjoy seeing the scenery as well as just taking a step out of my crazy life to be up there. My grandparents normally come up to kibbutz as well but my grandpa just had surgery and my uncle sid is here to help that he is recuperating ok. I was able to spend last shabbat with the grandparents as well as uncle sid. It was so nice to see him even though I just saw him at the wedding.. but since this surgery my grandfather is not well enough to come up north for RH so it is just me this year. It must be strange for them but soon he will be well enough to travel. This is the first "vacation" from otzma I get and I am able to share my experiences with my family. The meals were great and I slept so much since I am comfortable in their house. I cant wait til the next time I get to spend time with them.

There is 8 days 9 nights between RH (Rosh Hashanna) and YK (Yom Kipur). This is only a one day holiday however you are fasting. This is our first seminar as a whole group bringing both the nroth (Natzrat Elite) and south (Beer Sheva) together. We are in Jerusalem staying at the Prima Royal hotel. We had some lectures, I saw the Jewish Rap Guy who opened for Matzis last year that is amazing as well as heard the take of AA in the Jewish World, and then got ready for Kol Nidre. I decided to go to the Great Synagogue I do not know what made me do that. It went on and on for hours. I left early to see grandma and grandpa as well as AUNT ROZ. it was her turn to come check on grandpa. I spent some time with them in the apt but then I decided to call it an early night since I knew I would want to spend the majority of the day in shul fasting. My friend wanted to go to Choevai Tzion which happened to be gma and gpas shul it was close to the hotel. It was nice and at Neilah we got to see Shimon Perez. That was cool. I didnt really hear much what he said but the fact that I could say I saw the Pesident of Israel was pretty cool.

Back to Beer Sheva and Ulpan which sucks because I am in Kitah Aleph.... such as life .. maybe volunteering will kick off soon

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