I feel like I haven't really posted anything in a while but this past weekend and this weekend will contain a lot of cool stuff I'm sure!
This past weekend the Aradians and I went on a siyur to "Machtesh Ramon" which is supposedly the biggest crater in all of Israel. After that we were joined by our friends that are in army training and our friends that volunteer in a youth village in Haifa for Shabbat. We call this Shabbat Byachad because it is the only time that we all get to be together because right now we are all split up.
Our siyur to Machtesh Ramon was absolutely beautiful. We had a really cool tour guide that played many different games with us throughout the hike just to make it a little bit more fun. What was really cool about this trip was how close we all were. I felt really connected to all of my friends and we had an amazing time. I would love to go and hike there again because in all honesty it was so gorgeous.
These pictures are just a few examples of how beautiful the crater really is. It is absolutely huge and took maybe an hour to go around the whole thing. The crater is supposedly very romantic because it is in the shape of a heart!
My roommates and I came back to Arad with our friends from Marva waiting for us!!! We were so excited to see them and hear all about how their life sucks in the army. hehehehe. Our weekend started that night with an informative program about the journey to Poland that I will be going on in March and then a little bonfire with tea and pita.
After the bonfire my whole section went out together for the first time since our first weekend in Israel. Let me just say that it was the BEST night!!! I had so much fun with all of my friends that I have been missing so much :) It makes me happy to think that for the next two sessions I will always have this luxury because we won't be separated in Jerusalem and Bat Yam.
The next day was Friday and we had a bunch of programming on why we came to Israel for a year and what our goals for this year are. We even went to shul in Arad and I saw the teacher from my volunteering there!!!! He introduced me to his son and told me that if he didn't have a girlfriend he would totally set us up.... (SO TYPICAL). I am also very excited because he invited me to his house for Shabbat dinner!!!!
On Saturday we again did a bunch of different programs and even talked to one of our counselors about making Aliyah (moving to Israel) and how she likes it, how to do it etc. After two very long days of programming we finally had Havdallah and were free for the rest of the night. We all went out again before the rest of our friends left for their respective homes.
My favorite part of the weekend was a tiny kitty that my friend found in the streets. Even though I usually don't ever touch stray cats, this one was different! It even followed me home that night!!!!! We named it James :)
The view of Arad from my friends's rooftop!!!!
Yay for a great weekend!!!!!!
We had been waiting for an update too long... glad that you are having such a good time, not only socially but culturally as well!! By the time you are done you would have visited and experienced what we hadn't for so long. Hurray!!! be well, we love you,
ReplyDeleteEma and Aba