the boy is under the plane

Well, it's Friday and I just braved the Jerusalem "Souk" (pronounced "shook") which is the open market where there are stalls and rooms for everything from meat and fish, fruits and veggies, to shoes, clothing and household goods. On most days the crowds are not that bad, but on Friday everyone is out in force yelling for this, pushing this way or that, trying to get everything they need for the Sabbath. I think I had to prove to myself that I could do it. Plus, I was running out of cucumbers and Bulgarian Goat Cheese.

So why is it such a big deal to me? Because one of my biggest issues in life has been personal space! At least eighteen inches all the way around me at all times, please! But that just doesn't happen here. You're in line at a store and the next person is already putting their stuff on the counter and paying in front of you... It's kinda like a mama dog with her pups, if there's a weakling in the litter that can't push his way to the milk, he ain't gonna get fed and mama ain't gonna push the others away. So you gotta get in there or you just won't get it! And the thing is that no one thinks it's rude. It's just the way. So I'm learning new ways and trying to put my little Southern manners aside. It's a whole new ballgame but I think I'm getting the hang of it, although inevitably I'm exhausted by the time I get home and just have to crash on the couch for a while.

So yesterday, I ventured out in another direction. I took the bus (keep in mind that this country girl isn't used to mass transit, especially mass transit that is ofter targeted by terrorists) to another area of town and I found this amazing store called IDDesign. I walked in and there was all this really cool furniture and decor and Coldplay's "Beautiful World" was playing and I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. I think I stayed in there about three hours! And I got some goodies as well, some cool green glasses, a set of 4 cubes that you can stack as shelving or tables or whatever, a measuring cup (this was a big deal cause I had not been able to find one anywhere!), some utensils and some really cool black and white coasters. I wanted much more though!

So in the communication game, I have found a great service online that teaches Hebrew by speaking phrases and you choose which photo goes with that phrase instead of a literal word-to-word translation. I'm doing okay at it, though it's tough to do the gutteral sound for me. It seems so unnatural. It is a good way for me to learn being the visual person that I am. And I'm just waiting for the right moment when I can say "the boy is under the plane" in perfect Hebrew. I'm sure that moment will come any day now.