I’ve been using my Funemployed time relatively well. I spend the first days of relative freedom (because we can only be ‘relatively free’) in Tel Aviv catching up with friends and drinking pretentious coffee in pretentious cafes. I don’t claim I was an island of pretentiouslessness in those cafes. Sometimes I enjoy sitting with friends who can distinguish between the tightness of the bubbles in their foamed milk and judge whether in fact their beverage a latte of a cappuccino.
Then returning to Jerusalem I found myself dancing at the beer festival with friends who’d followed me from Tel Aviv.
The Jerusalem beer festival attracted more a ‘younger’ crowd than the wine festival. We all know that: Young + Beer = hooligans. I enjoyed trying some cool beers from around the globe we live on.
This past Shabbat we spent hosting people. I made stuffed vegetables.
The meals were great because my new Chicago born roommate and I were the only native English speakers. Despite the supposed language barrier, I found myself completely involved in the discussion. Almost as much as I would have been, had it been in English.
I admit that after I stuffed myself beyond the point of breathing, my eyes began to droop and my bed was looking enticing, my participation in the conversation died down a little. But that’s to be expected.
Shabbats are really social here, and are also a great way to keep track on how my community building is going.
My social groups now vary, and the participants have grown. I’m settling in well.
