I SAW HARRY POTTER BEFORE YOU!

Hi Everybody,

Last time I posted, I had just returned from a failed attempt at buying Harry Potter tickets, assuming that in order to go to the first showing of the 7th movie, I would need to get my ticket in advanced.

I was wrong. My friends and I showed up about 20 minutes before the door to the theater opened. We were within the first 15 people there. All of us were completely shocked that there wasn't hysteria. When the doors opened, we all shuffled into the theater and bought our tickets.

Here are a few fun facts about the movie-goer experience in Israel

1) There are no random previews and video clips promoting upcoming movies before the actual previews and the movie begins.
2) Movie theaters have assigned seating. The sooner you show up, the better seats you get. If you want to sit with your friends, you have to buy the tickets together.
3) There is a intermission/smoking break in the middle of the movie.
4) HARRY POTTER DOESN'T SELL OUT IN ITS OPENING SHOW! There were over 40 unsold seats for this showing. I realize that it was 2:00 in the afternoon, but Harry Potter should make everyone leave work early and create a national vacation. I guess not here. 

My weekend was very uneventful yet very nice. On Friday, I slept in til about noon or one, and planned to go to Shabbat services and get hosted out for dinner with a few friends. However, I took a 4 hour nap instead and nobody woke me up to go. After dinner on base, I played games of Jungle Speed and Settlers of Catan and went to bed.

The next morning, a few friends and I went to Shira Chadashah since we heard that a bat mitzvah was going on and we wanted to see how good the kiddush would be. Though the service was long and we were forced to feel the force of large amounts of prepubescent middle school kids, we found the experience to be worthwhile when we saw SUSHI at the kiddush. I also found the experience worthwhile since I ran into my tour guide from the Poland trip I went on 2 summers ago. He asked me why I hadn't yet joined him and his family for a Shabbat and I told him that I would figure out a time that works and get back to him. I'm SO excited for it.

On Sunday, my Modern Middle East class was canceled, so I got to remember what a lazy sunday feels like (with the exception of the fact that I had a paper to write). I woke up at around 9:30, did some work, helped other people with their papers, and did some more work. At about two, a friend and I went to the shuk (think of a bazaar) to get lunch. We had lunch consisting of samples from nearly 5 different bakeries and various nuts and dried fruits. The best part of the meal (and the only part that we chose to pay for) was the INCREDIBLE baklava that someone was selling. It was truly out of this world. By the way, I notice that I'm sitting here getting really excited about food, and I think it comes down to the fact that I miss the amazing variety of cuisines available to me in the Bay Area so I choose to focus on little things that are good but still pale in comparison.

Sunday night was spent playing music at Nativ's first official Jam Session (organized by the assistant director of the program who is a very good bass player, guitarist, and rapper (who would guess?). It was nice to play music with large groups of people and get the experience of vibing off of other people.

Yesterday was a long day, but a lot of fun. After a full day of school, we had a football game. We literally sprinted from base to the field about a mile and a half away. Having said that, it was quite worthwhile as we completely killed the "Little Giants" by a score of roughly 38-0. Some of us felt sort of bad since they couldn't have been more than 14 years old, but we needed the morale booster.

Today, I went to school and then to the Hadaya store in the old city to order myself and my sister Hanukah presents (Emma, if you're reading this, get excited). The most interesting moment occurred when my friend and I were attempting to buy a pastry from one of the stands around the Old City and I was asked if I was searching for a rich husband. It was a funny (though VERY creepy) culture shock moment.

That's about it for now, but I'll check in soon,
Becca