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

23rd post - never have i ever

This post is titled never have i ever.  Since i have joined the IDF i have overcome many obstacles,  cried a lot but most of all have done things that I never thought I would ever do in my entire life.  Here is a short list of things both funny, michali, and serious for you.

1) get so excited to see toilet paper- the army does not provide you with toilet paper.
2) poop in the field. (while talking to other girls doing the same)
3) not shower for a week and think that was ok
4) fire a machine gun
5) get excited about chocolate milk in a bag (shoko basakit) 
6)think that the more worn out something is that i recieved the cooler it is because it shows "pazam"
7) teach human beings how to aim at a target with a face on it
8) have conversations with girls while being completely naked and showering
9) sleep standing up
10)hear about combat soldiers sleeping together in a hole and think it was normal
11) have friends that jumped out of planes (for you sam)
12) considered young even though i am older then all the comanders
13) thought i would curse
14)thought i would be ok sleeping on a top bunk
15) sleeping in a very disgusting sleeping bag
16)share everything - down to deodarant and bras
17) have saturday night upsettingness before going into the army the day after
18)call people just to complain about  being tired
19)worn the same clothes day in and day out not caring about the level of grossness they are in
20)been excited for field meals because that means that its not magic puff stuff you add water too
21)meet so many people and exchanged who has it harder
22)been so tired or so happy to be doing what im doing



22 points one for every year of my life.
soon i will be turning 23 .
soon i will be in america to visit
soon i will be in the army for a half a year



wow
yours,
michali

22nd post

i dont have a lot to report besides the fact that i am going to be going back to the states from april 30- may 30. its a weird type of feeling leaving home to return home.
i feel so loved here.
but cant wait to see my parents my best friends and shop .
lots of love ,
michali

21st post - sickness

I know that much of my blog has been positive and very much written with a love for my new life and Israel.  There are many things however, that are not so great about this country and I wish I could ratify. As I write rockets are hitting the south of Israel.  100+ katushas have hit where my friends live and other citizens both jews and muslims .
Healthcare in htis country is bull.  I was majorly sick and i waited for the dr for 4 hours.  finally i burst into his office and demanded and he sees me and send me home.
So drs. here are incompetent and i need a break to feel better.
Tonsillitis sucks 
that is all for now,
Michali

20th post

i admit i havent writen in a very long time.  I have been super busy.  Since I have last written I finished my second course that specialized in weapons and knowing their opperation, history, parts, bilistics, and different shooting practices. After this course we were each given a base to go to.  I was expecting to work with reserves.  It is not as prestigious out of all the jobs but I thought I would be better equipped being 22 and more go with the flow. To be honest i was ready to take on what ever job happily and do the best I could.  The last day we had a ceremony to mark the ending before we found out our placements.  I recieved Mofet which is like best all around from what I gather, of the course. Yay.  Then I went in first for the placements and the head of the depertment asked me how the course went.  " It was one of the most exciting and great things I have gone through"   He took a moment and looked me over and said "well good because you are staying here."


"what?"


So this placement was the very last thing I thought I would get .  I didn't even put it down as an option when they asked me my preferences. WHat this placement means is that I am a Mitkan Adam girl.  It is one of the perstegious jobs for shooting instructors.  Your home base is Mitkan Adam (where I did my course) and every week you travel to a different base to teach different type of soldiers shooting.  There are pros and cons to this.

Cons: every week you have to travel with your gun and huge bag and go to a different base
you dont know anyone on that base ( excpet my garin boys )
its harder to make friends
I wont know where the things on each base are like the gym
I never know my missions ahead of time


Pros: I get out every Thursday!!!
I get to wear half uniform
I get to see all the guys in my garin : ) since we have guys in every infantry unit
I  go all over the country
I make friends with the two or three people I travel with to the base
I can have fun and have no distance from the soldiers


So this past week I was in Mitkan Adam to meet everyone and get ready to instruct.
Next week I go to the paratroopers (Tzanchanim) and get to see three of the guys in my garin so excited : )

I will updated you all about it. 
Other then that I am excited to start my job and am loving life.
I really appreciate every amount of free time I get to spend with my garin.  They have become my brothers and sisters and I love it here.  In Israel i feel free and happy and myself.  I dont always feel that in America.
But we will see.
I am trying to get premission from the army to coem back 30th of april for a month : )
Love you all,
Michali

19th post

This weekend was the perfect weekend.  It was my roomie's birthday. She turned 20 and I decorated the room and got her a present and we went out to a nice dinner with her host family and went out dancing at night.  Then today we slept till 2 am and hung out with the guys from the garin who were home.
Tomorrow I am headed back to my base and much like the other soldiers in this country, I am outraged by the new law that passed.  Till now all soldiers could ride public transportation for free. Now starting this week they are charging soldiers who take the train full price sundays from 6 am - 11 am . 
Right, it's not enough we are defending this country, you want us to pay to be tortured.  Got it. Assholes.  Excuse the language but this tottaly screws up my comfortable nap time. I had a routine down and starting tomorrow I say goodbye to being comfrotable and might have to stand for the journey.  We are very bitter. 

In any case this course is going by so fast.  I am really liking it and think its challenging but a lot of fun.  I don't want it to end.  Which is a weird thing to say about the Army. 
I am missing everyone very badly and wish everyone a great week.  Its machine gun week so I am pumped.
Lots of love,
Michali