characters

Brrrr. It's cold in Tel-Aviv. Technically, we're in the middle of the winter, but it only really gets brick at night. Luckily, I have mad thermals, courtesy of Rootie, so I've been keeping nice and warm.

So we've been having some internet issues, which is why this post is so delayed. Theres like 20 of us staying at Ilana Chinitz's house and we may have accidentally overworked her roommate's computer. Oops. Now it won't turn on, except to make ominous beeping noises. No one's seen him in days, so.... I guess we'll find out how he feels about that when (if?) he decides to show up.

My BR group had some interesting characters. On literally the first day, this kid comes up to me, looks me straight in the eye, and says "You think you're funny, but you're not." Ouch. Tough crowd. Apparently though, he had a change of heart because later that night he told me, "You know what? I changed my mind. You are funny, and that's good, because thats the only thing you have going for you." Um... ok, I guess. My ego hurts. :(

I could probably fill a book with -----isms. Like for example, the one time he walked up to this girl Erika and told her that her "thunder thighs" looked good in her leggings. Or perhaps the time that he randomly walked up to another guy and asked him if he was gay. Now that would obviously be awkward under any circumstances. But when he replied "No... why, are you?" it went from awkward to straight up weird. ---- pauses contemplatively, shrugs his shoulders and after a moment goes "Um... I don't really know." This was made even funnier by the fact that he had just finished telling us about his Bosnian internet girlfriend. I mean obviously its cool either way, or both ways, but usually by the time you get to college you've somewhat figured that stuff out. Or maybe not.

So this trip was definitely a learning experience. In fact, apparently internet significant others is the new craze with the kiddies today. There was another girl on our bus, who had her internet boyfriend come meet up with us on the trip. She is 20 yrs old, from Chicago. Based on overheard conversations in the back of the bus, her interests include BDSM and other forms of rough sex, anal plugs/beads, having peanut butter consumed from her anal crevice (yes, I noticed the pattern too) and her 46 yr old Australian fiancee (pause for effect) FIANCEE that she met online. When they met up on the trip, it was the 3rd time they met in person. The dude was, as you may imagine, somewhat creepy. He comes to our hotel, to her room and offers her roommate 50 shekels to "go get some candy," a line I have no doubt that he has used before.
Hey -- you know what I say -- whatever floats your boat.

There were also a bunch of very chill kids. In the days leading up to my trip, I was very nervous of my co-counselor, Dave Zoldan, aka the Dizzo. His dad is big in the BR office, and I wasn't sure if I was being monitored, based on my past record of alcohol abuse and other non-counselor appropriate behavior. DZ turned out to be my hero. I don't have time for in depth stories right this second, as I'm holding everyone up from going out and enjoying the Saturday afternoon. I also became real tight with some kids from Florida (Alex and Jamie), a couple of mad chill Israeli soldiers (Riven and Eyal) and some all around ballers on my trip, all of whom you'll hear more about in my next post. Teaser: Bielsky's birthday was last night. We're still recovering.

BR 512

WOW. Trip just finished. I slept 12 hours straight. Feelin pretty good right now.
I have lots to write about, but not much time. I'm staying at Chinnitz's house (she's all sorts of wifed up, so I get her bed all to myself) right in the heart of Tel-Aviv, and I'm about to shower and meet up with my boy Harel who I met on my last trip over.

All sorts of updates to follow.

Bubbe

My grandmother -- my Bubbe -- died last night. She was 90. I got a call at work last Monday from a brisk efficient voice, one undoubtedly accustomed to breaking tragic news to unsuspecting relatives: Did I know a Rachel Messing and did I know who the next-of-kin was because she had been hit by a car and was now at the Bellvue emergency room.

Ten endless agonizing minutes later, I finally arrived at the hospital. I grabbed the EMT and demanded a report. Bubbe had broken a rib and literally fractured her skull, but aside from that, there were no other apparent injuries. Moreover, she was lucid and, in his words, combative. I couldn't help laughing. "Yup," I told the EMT. "That's my grandmother." This was the Bubbe I knew. She was going to be ok.

For most, "combative" is a word with decidedly negative connotations. No so here. Combative is possibly one of the best words to describe my Bubbe. My grandmother was a tough one, a fighter, a champion. At the age of 90, she walked for 3-5 miles everyday. She lived on her own, took care of herself, and was completely and fiercely independent. I asked her a couple of weeks ago whether she was going to Florida for the winter. "Who, me?" she said. "No. Florida is for old people."

Moreover, she was a smart one. Cheat my Bubbe? Impossible. She was on top of her game, sharp as a knife. "I am a businesswoman," she always told me. When I say combative, I mean it in the most loving way possible.

I leave to the airport a couple of hours after her memorial service this morning. I'm pretty sure that's the way she would want it to be. Last time we talked, a couple of days before her accident, she was excited and happy about the whole family being in Israel and about my trip around the world. I invited her to come with us to Israel. She said, "No, that's the one thing I'm too old for."
And I found that funny, because I had never before ever thought of her as old. She was too alive to be old.

Bubbe, I'm going to miss you. May your memory be a blessing.

israel phone

My Israeli Cellpiece can be reached from the United States by dialing 011-972-50-6665180. In israel, dial 050-6665180.

warning...

I will be leaving December 14th on a 3 month tour of the Middle and Far East. Stay posted, bitches.