Plan Bet (B): Riding camels

I know this might sound a little strange, but I have packed my bags, left the kibbutz, and moved to Hod Hasharon (a suburb of Tel Aviv)to do a Martial Arts program. Both my roommate, Annie, and I were unhappy at the kibbutz some of our reasons being: it was very difficult to get off the kibbutz to travel or even to just go to a coffee shop (or church), the majority of the Ulpanists were just out of high school and at a different stage of life, everyone spoke English, and most of all- staying there would leave us stagnant for our time here, we would just be exhisting.

It all happened very quickly , and I've been at the Budokan program for a few days now. I am really enjoying it so far. The directors and instructors are both encouraging and challenging. They want to help each individual person reach their goals here and bend over backwards to do so (um, quite literally). I am even being taught how to travel alone and where the good ballroom dance sights are. The city is not too small, not too big, and feels very comfortable. Buses and trains to places all over Israel are only a few minutes away, but so is the park and the library.

The program itself is Martial Arts (Judo, Karate, Krav Maga, and tastes of others), Modern Hebrew, Jewish History, and traveling all packed in with 2 1/2 day weekends free. The first 2 months are here at Hod Hasharon. Then we move to Netanya right on the beach for the last 3 months. There is a two week trip in the Israeli army and a one week trip to Jerusalem within those 5 months.

And best of all... a week in the Negev learning desert survival skills, which pretty much just translates to me as I GET TO RIDE A CAMEL!!!! Looking forward to that event and then remembering it afterwards will get me through the rest. "You want me to do what??? ... I get to ride a camel. I get to ride a camel. I get to..."

So to sum it all up... I'm going to be in the best shape of my life so far and probably ever after and my hands, feet, knees, elbows, shins, you name will soon be considered lethal weapons, with an added bonus of Hebrew and history, all while I am exploring the land of Israel. Oh and I did I mention I get to ride a camel?