read at your own risk

This post might have things that are passionate and not to everyone's liking, in it. so if you do not want to read i will not be offended . This past week is very emotional for me.  Full of feelings and thoughts.  Not only is it my 23rd birthday week, and the week that I am flying back to the states for a month; it is also the week that is both memorial day and independence day in Israel.
   Lets talk about memorial day.  Memorial day in the states is another day for shopping, bbqs and family togetherness. What the hell is wrong with this country? I am so happy that you got 75% off your bath and body works fragrance! You seem to have forgotten the men and women that fell while serving your country.  Until I  became a soldier in a different coutnry did I see the irony and disgust in this day.  You live in a bubble of commercialism that has no regard for the sacrifices soldiers make. I used to do that too.
    Memorial day in Israel took me hard.  Everyone in this country is effected.  Everyone knows at least one soldier that fell in their duty.  Someone in your family, someone that was in the same unit that you are in, or even a loved one.  Everyone comes to the graves.  This is also the most messed up things I have seen.  In true Israeli culture people still make jokes about death, how it is so hot you could die. A coping mechanism when you have nothing else to say to a mother who has lost her son.  Everyone pushes through and makes a lot of noise.  Everyone wants to get in your business.  This is all very disrespectful. Then at exactly 11 am a siren wails. Everyone freezes like statues.  Sweat drips down your back and forehead and its a good 89 degrees outside in long sleeves and a fabric that does not breathe. The country shuts down and everyone thinks about the reason the country is there. The people who gave their lives unwillingly or willingly. 
    Then you have barly 24 hours to cope with this while people think about the sacrifices and then starts Independence day.  I think it is a really stupid thing to have so much emotion in a span of 24 hours where you are supposed to go from sad to happy all in the course of a ceremony.  I think the did it that way so you understand that in order for this country to live 64 years it gave it all.
    Independence day we went to Regba's party which was fun.  They set off fireworks and there was food and tons of familys running around.
Then we went to Haifa for a free street party. concert.


Soon I will be in the states as a 23 year soldier. I am excited for what this year hold for me. I feel old and thankful to live in this country.  I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
Love,
Michali

24th post-usa

I have about one week left to my month long vacation back in the states. I thought this would be exactly what I needed, it left me more confused. I love seeing my parents and best friends at I haven't seen I'm 9months. However I got a lot of questions about my life after the army. I have to be honest I have no idea where I will be or what I want to do after my two years of service. I know that I want to give it my all the one and a little bit of years I have left. After that I want to do the typical couple of month trip to thailand , south America and maybe India. And I think I want to be a flight attendant at el al to go back and forth between the states and Israel. Then I want to get my masters. I am not sure if that will be In Israel or the states or Europe. In Israel it would be free, So thats a lose 5yearish plan. My parents are pushi g me to have a backup plan since artist pays nothing and in Israel and you can't even afford a cardboard box to sleep in as an artist. They think art therapy would be a good vocation for me. I am just passionate about art.I want to be an artist and live my life and raise my adopted child and fmkly in Israel. Being here made me realize how much I wish I could combine the two worlds together. I am so grateful to my parents , my best friends and the amazing month I have had here. Soon I will be back in a very snug uniform after eating so much. And everything that happenend will have seemed a billion miles away and I will be back to skype and missing everyone. Till then I am sitting here cuddling with elmo watching movies on my couch. Love, Michali