Snow!

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Shalom. So maybe a week ago it snowed in Jerusalem for about 2 days straight. It also snowed once two years ago, but apparently it normally only snows once every ten years. Two days off from Ulpan for what would have been considered flurries in Washington or Jersey. It was an amazing sight though, and I have plenty of pictures.
Though we missed two days, we are only able to make up one, this Friday morning, Feb. 8th. Just about everything here, except for a 24hr. coffee chain called Aroma, closes on Friday around 4:30 PM. Some places open up again Saturday, after sunset, around 6 PM. The bureaucracy here is something to be seen. You wait five hours to get a room that they escort you to. There's another office to get a key to your mail box, which I still haven't gotten. Then another office to sign up for Internet. Another office to sign up for the Mercaz Sport Lerner (Lerner Sports Center). Then to Maintenance to get space heaters since the heating is broken. And none of these offices share information or forms. But it's not so bad. Most everybody speaks English, which gives less impetus to speak Hebrew, but helps when you are asking for a space heater. The people are also pretty nice.
The Hebrew word for firearm is "Neshek." I know because the guard outside the campus bar asked if I was carrying one. Something I will have to get used to responding to I guess.
All the Americans here seem very much into the Primaries going on. Most are hoping or expecting an Obama/McCain presidential race. I feel very out of it right now, since I haven't read the papers, and don't have a radio, television, or Internet (except on campus).
Our "Spring Break" here at Hebrew U is mid-April, and I think my roommates and I our considering some time in Egypt, perhaps the Giza Pyramids, Valley of the Kings, and a relaxing fellucca ride down the Nile. On Feb. 15th we are going on a trip to Mitzpe Ramon (Ramon Crater) for some rock-climbing, cycling (which could end poorly for me or someone near me), and an ARCHERY ACTIVITY!!! Not gonna lie, I can't wait to show off my skills with a bow (which could end poorly for me or someone near me, more likely someone else). Well, now I'm off to study for a test tomorrow. Shalom

P.S. The falafel and Shawarma are all delicious. The pizza is pretty damn good too. For falafel, they crush them up into pita (which is thicker, more moist, and tastier than in the States), add veggies, tahini, and chips (fries), or throw it all into laffa, which is like a big, thin, soft tortilla. Yummy. Coffee has also been a pretty big expense for me, since I buy at least one every day. Always Turkish coffee, which is very finely ground coffee beans, which are left at the bottom of the cup. Soon I will have to try it flavored with Cardomon.

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