Eli Cohen 14, apartment 34

Shabbat (12/4-12/5): Shabbat was nice, all the girls were there. Slept and ate a bunch and went home with cake. Saturday night I went to dinner with Julia, Jessica, Katie, Rachel, Britty and Moron to Cafe Rimon. We all got soup, since we had originally wanted to go to a soup place but there hadn't been any room. We had a lot of money left from the stipend, more than we thought. X amount of shekels turned out to actually be in dollars, which was a much larger number..

Sunday: MOVING DAY. Woke up early and got the apartment ready and moved all my stuff downstairs. Didn't end up leaving until 11 or so. Watched my friend's bar mitzvah video on the bus, idk why he had that but he did. We got to Bat Yam and went to the Ulpan center. Met our madrichim and ate sammiches. My madrich is Ami, he seems like he's the nicest one. In general the people in charge of us here don't seem as warm as in Jerusalem. We went to our apartment after, we live about 5 minutes walking distance. My roomates are Katie, Ale, Orly, and Shira. Shira is a scout. In Bat Yam, most of the apartments have a scout. They're Israelis who postpone army service to volunteer. They live with us, help us out, volunteer, and all that good stuff. Shira is really nice and cool and I like her a lot. She Katie and I share a room and Ale and Orly are in the other bedroom. We have a huge living room with couches and table everyone writes on that Shira found outside. The kitchen is pretty nice and the bathroom is fine. After my apartment in Jerusalem, it's amazing. I love my roomates and my apartment. We argue over food shopping sometimes but that's normal. So Sunday we got to know Shira then went back to the Ulpan Center and got yelled at for being five minutes late. We aren't used to that, in Jerusalem when you were twenty minutes late you were still early. But it's a good thing I guess. I don't remember what we did, I think the Madrichim told us rules and a vague schedule. At some point we were given pizza and then went home and went to sleep pretty early.

Monday: Went to Ulpan Center at 9 and learned about the tzofim (scouts). Then went shopping for foood. We tried to borrow the shopping cart but were not allowed, so we had to carry all the bags home. Then up three flights of stairs. It was hard but I could use the exercise. I'm trying to be healthier here. Ate leftover pizza for lunch. Yum. Everyone napped then but Shira and I. I showed her pictures of friends back home. She has a boyfriend in the army and only gets to see him once every couple weeks, so we can complain together. We all had to go back to the Ulpan and learned about siyyurim. Met with our madrichim. Went home and made dinner. Shell pasta with sauce from scratch and salad. Good stuff. Everyone was going to Tel Aviv for a party so I went but Katie and I were gonna take a bus back while they were still running. We left at 9 something and didn't get there until 11ish so we stayed for five minutes and left. I didn't mind 'cause I didn't smell like an ashtray afterward.

Tuesday:
Got our volunteer placements, I got the animal shelter. Yay. Found out about our class options and such. Went to the doctor with Ale. They told her to get xrays for her chest and sinus. Went home and then to the Ulpan center where we had a meet the madrichim activity. One of them can play the flute with her nose. She showed us. Went home and ate chicken Katie and Orly made.

Wednesday:
Didn't have to go to volunteering, slept in. Went with Shira and Katie to the mall. Got Moushka something cool. Couldn't find anything for Ben, so was gonna go to Tel Aviv Thursday with Shira. Katie left to go running so Shira and I went to Aroma and hung out for a bit. She went to meet her friend and I walked home by myself and didn't get lost. Shevet met to make chanukiot and then a bunch of us went to be in the audience of a chanukkah special for Israeli TV. I understood most of it, which was great. It was boring at times but interesting. Got a MASA tshirt. Got home at 11 and went to sleep.

Thursday:
Went with Ale to Tel Aviv to get xrays. Got sorta lost on the way but figured it out. She got xrays at the hospital and then we got lunch. Went home and planned on going with Shira back to Tel Aviv to find Benjamin and Elisha gifts but I fell asleep. Got up a few hours later and had dinner with Ale, Orly, and Yoni. Then Evie and Dave Silverman came over and we watched The Parent Trap. At the end Ale was feeling really, really crappy. We weren't sure what to do but eventually got her into bed and I read to her until 4.

Friday:
Went to the beach with Katie and Gaby. It's soo pretty. A bit cold but still nice. Went home and made food for friday night, all of our section was gonna be eating together. Got dressed and went to the Ulpan at 3. Eventually had dinner together there,it was crazy. You had to fight to get to food. Ale really wasn't feeling well so I was gonna go home with her after we ate. She got really bad though so the madrichim called a cab and I went with her and Ami to the hospital. The insurance company said they wouldn't pay for the visit so we went to Tel Aviv to a clinic. Doctor said nothing was wrong with her so we went home. Ale has to pay for the cab which sucks, it's a lot. We got home and it felt like 11, we were sure it was really late. It was 7:30. We hung out for a while with Kai, Katie, Shira, and one of the scouts Chummi. Eventually went to bed.

Saturday:
Went to Ulpan center at 11 for Kiddush and met with our madrichim. Went home and had lunch with Charlie and a couple of his roomates. Went back for a peula about Israel stuff and then did havdalah and came home. Shira's family came and brought us amazing latkes. At some point we are gonna borrow a movie from this boy Adam and watch it here. If we ever stop being lazy enough to get up and walk two blocks.

That's all for now...I miss everybody at home!