Last night Bryan and I were able to see my Grandpa and his wife Audrey. It was a nice time. They’re in Israel on a tour and were actually walking to the bus to go home right after this picture.

Bryan and I leave tomorrow (Friday) for the Galilee for three days!!!!! It’s our ‘vacation’ while we’re here. We’re renting a car, staying at a little Christian B&B on the Sea. We’re looking forward to it. Then, the final push before the end of the semester.

Now for more differences we have experienced here…..
When you walk into a mall, a coffee shop, a restaurant, anything that’s a bit bigger you have to go through a metal detector and/or get your purse checked.

Soldiers and guns everywhere. When an Israeli graduates from highschool it is expected that he or she will join the army. Girls for 2 years and guys for 3. More than 75% of the graduating class does. Not including the Orthodox, they don’t want to join and the army does not want them I’m told. The soldiers are not allowed to leave their guns unless they can put them under two different locks. Since, that’s not always possible you see a lot of guns getting carried around by people. They look like semi automatics to me but I don’t know guns. Honestly, it just becomes a part of Israel and after awhile it’s no big deal.

Women and wigs. Ok, this was started in the Eastern European nations. As a way to persecute the Jews every time a Jewish woman was getting married, on her wedding night she was raped. Horrible. So, to hide their weddings the women would shave their heads and wear wigs. I don’t know why. It became the tradition for Jewish women in that place to shave their heads for their wedding nights. Well, it has now become a symbol for some of the ultra-orthodox women. Some cover their hair in public, others shave their heads and wear wigs. And it’s obvious.

Happy Jews. I am not being racist, this is honestly what they are called. There is at least one van, but there’s likely more, that drives around playing incredibly loud fun music. The people inside dance every time the van has to come to a stop. They will even dance on the roof of the van at times. Nope, I haven’t gotten a picture of this one. I’ve only heard their music once or twice, I wasn’t able to see them.

NOTE: I passed my Hebrew Comp! Not that I was too worried. But it’s nice to finally have the official word.