Pesach and the loooooong flight home

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Well. I am officially back home in the US. But before I talk about that, let me sum up my last week in Israel.

Last weekend, after my cousin Lisa left me, I went to my cousins for Shabbat, and then Saturday night, I went back to my friends's house where I had been staying for a few weeks. I spent Sunday with my friend Abigail, walking around town, and just hanging out, and said goodbye to all my friends in the house, pack up my stuff and went to my cousins again, for Pesach.

So, Monday night was the seder. I went to my religious cousin's house in Bnei Brak. It was all of my favorite cousins who I have spent a lot of time with over the last 9 months, religious and non religious. All together, we were 21 people. Quite a big seder! The seder was very similar to mine at home, except for one main difference. Everything was in Hebrew! Normally, at home, we do the seder half english, half hebrew, and the hebrew is always slow. Well, being that for my cousins, Hebrew is their main language, of course it was all in Hebrew, but it also was read very fast. So, basically, as the main part of the seder, you go around the table, reading the story of Pesach. So, we went around the table, everyone reading hebrew so fast, and then it came to me. I read it ok, but so slow compared to everyone else! I felt so bad! My hebrew is pretty good, but reading is still pretty slow, especially when under pressure from my 20 cousins! hehe. Oh well. But they said it was ok, and they are all impressed with how my hebrew has come along over the last 9 months. Good feeling, but I know I still have a long way to go. Anyway, the seder was so nice, and great food, and really just a great time with my cousins, anda nice "end" to my stay this time. We left around 12:30am, and there was so much traffic it took us an hour to get home, with me squished in the back seat, on the floor.

I spent the rest of the week with my cousins, relaxing, packing, and walking around town. My long journey home began at midnight thursday night/friday morning. My flight wasn't until 5am, but my cousins dropped me at the airport early, because they had to work early in the morning. So I sat in the airprot for a long time, and I couldn't even check in until 2am! My flight boarded late to Frankfurt, and then I had a 5 hour lay over, and I was so tired, I fell asleep at a table in the airport, hugging my purse and laptop, hehe. My flight to DC was also delayed by about an hour. After a long 8 hour flight, I finally landed in DC/Dulles at about 4:30 pm. By the time I got through customs, and got my luggage (they didn't lose it this time), it was another hour. I met my parents at the arrival area and it was great to see them. At this point, I had been traveling for 24 hours, and somehow I was actually kinda awake. We went home and had dinner, and my little brother came home from work. Its so good to see them.

I have to say, it is so strange to be home. Driving here from the airport, I just kept looking around me in disbelief. Its been nice to see my family, and I can't wait to catch up with everyone else. But its still strange. After being away 9 months, I really got used to life in Israel, and my surroundings there, and now to be back home, its going to take some adjusting again I think. I'm also not as depressed as I was when I came home from Israel 2 summers ago, which is good! hehe. So I look forward to the next few months here at home, before returning back to Israel.

Thanks to everyone for following me in this blog! I hope you have all enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. So, until my next journey, this is me saying

Shalom! Lehitraot!
Love,
Leah

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