12th post- bakum

So starts my Army experience.  With a wave and a bus ride I was off to start my new journey.
I had woken up at 5 am to shower and get ready for 6am where my adopted family would take me and two of my very good friends from the Garin to the drop off point for everyone enlisting. (pardon the rough translation from Hebrew to English I am not always sure what everything directly translates to in English)
We had a good car ride in which both my adopted family and Gal and Danny tried to calm me down. 
We got there promptly along with the other Americans which are in Garin Tzabar (overall there are 12 girls from different Garins going into Chir as madrichot) which is great and a very big number.
Then we waited. ... and waited and waited.
and about 10 am we got on the bus and left. The wait seemed unbareable since I was so anxious to begin with . Saying goodbye wasn't as emotional since I was more tired then scared at that point 
We got on the bus and got to the Bakum two hours later.  I slept the entire bus ride and didn't talk to any of the other girls. 
When we go there we joined a bigger group of girls and shuffled into the building.
The bakum is the place every soldier first goes to in the IDF to recieve equiptment, unifroms, fills out forms, gets shots and waits.
My first stop was getting my teeth scanned. This is incase chas ve chalila anything is to happen to you during the service they will be able to identify your body.  During these two stations they were not very nice and constantly made remarks as to why you are not hurrying up enough.
Don't worry- these soldiers hate their jobs its not you.
The second teeth station as I had an x-ray vest on and a machine whizzing around my head the soldier tried to make conversation with me and since I couldn't answer back ( my teeth were clenched on this machine) he even asked me on a date. - no thank you.
After that I went and got my picture taken for my Choger- which is a tiny card that identifies you as a soldier in the IDF and lets you ride public transportation FOR FREEEEEEE!!!!( that is the coolest part )
my Choger picture came out horribly - as everyone's does.
But i was a rebel and smiled even when they told me not to. take that!
After that I waited in another line to get a short interview where I gave them my bank account information that tells them where to put my chyal (soldier) money.
and was asked about my parent's history.
Throughout this process I was sarcastic and charming and met a lot of great girls that are going to also be Madricot chir who were equally sarcastic and charming.
When ever someone found out i am American and a lone soldier and 22 they made a very big deal out of it and made me feel really great about being here.
Excpet one soldier who called me a frier for leaving America and joining the Israeli Army.
I told him to go screw himself since he works in the Bakum.
I take no poop from no one.
After that a lot more waiting.
And then I went and donated blood- in which I was sort of tricked into it.  I didn't notice what was going on and before I had teh time to respond they had taken my blood.
oh well haha
then they poked my finger and smeered it on a page in two big circles for DNA samples.
After I went and got  my tetnis shot and Manangitus shots .
These really do hurt. Don't listen to the soldier that does them. he is trained to lie to you and tell you they don't.
Then we were ushered to lunch that was really great consisting a lot of different salads, snitzel corn  and breads and Chummus.
We had to wait soem more .  With each station we gave them another sticker out of our row of identifying stickers.  With every sticker gone I felt more relieved.
Then the last station and last sticker goes to the soldiers that give you your UNIFORM!!!i  didn't know my Israeli sizes so they guessed and gave me a uniform 5 sizes too small. After 4 or 5 tries and returning it I got a Kit bag that includes 3 green t-shirts for the field, 3 pants , 3 long sleeved shirts (this makes up the uniform ) a belt, socks, a kumta (that funny looking noob barret) rubber bands to hold your pants in, a pair of boots that I made sure fit right, a towel, pepper spray? , veet, a shower holder, some snacks and my dog tags.

The bag you have to carry during bootcamp is designed in such a way that no matter  how you carry it is is uncomfortable. score one for the IDF 0 for me.
So we were told we would come home the same night because of the Yom Kippur Chag.  I was so relieved . But I realized i would have to carry two big bags now home in my uniform.  The commanders (Mefakedot) screamed at us to hurry out of the changing area.  I grabbed my new Kitbag and started to run out of the room. On the way out a soldier's eyes caught mine in the mirror.  It was weird I stood there confused .  There I was in Uniform .   It didn't feel real - like some dress up game for Purim .  I was really really excited until I realized this would be my outfit for the next two years.  Tachlas It was so new and such an amazing feeling.
They ushured us out in the courtyard where we were told that we would have to come back to the Bakum on sunday in full uniform and not to be late. 
We then waited for 3 hours for the bus.  This is how I gather the Israeli Army is going to be - a lot of rushing you around and then a lot of waiting for nothing.  During these three hours I met a lot of amazing Israeli girls and girls from Garin Tzabar.  I am so excited that this journey is going to happen with women that are also passionate and excited about this job and giving back to the state of Israel.
most are 18 or 19 after a year of volunteering called (snat shirut)
When they found out I am 22 they were shocked. 
Overall my first day in the Army was very tiring and very exciting. 
On the way home through the train station with Noy another girl in Garin Tzabar that is going to be a Madrichat Chir and lives in the neighboring Kibbutz we got laughed at a little for not knowing how to put on our kumta and our uniforms looking so new and not knowing how to claim our free tickets for the ride.
But it was such a nice expierence knowing that so many people could come and help even if they did call us noobies and laugh at us when we tripped over our own boots.
We made it back to Nahrya and my adopted mom and brother picked me up  I was exahusted.
Getting back to my room people from my Garin swarmed me with kisses and hugs and I realized how nice it is to say I am going home to them.
My madrich came and showed me the proper way to tie my shoes (which is an art in the Army) and broke my dog tags to put in each boot.  It was wierd telling everyone about my first day and showing them my new geer.
I leave on sunday for 2 weeks of bootcamp and then after I close two weekends in a row I am allowed to come home. I am nervous but very excited and cant wait till when i am not so green and new.. well i always will be green - but hey it is a good color on me and makes my butt look great.


Lots of Ahava (love)
Michali