Culture shock, or "stop touching my butt!"

I had a request, I believe from Kelly, to post some pictures of my living situation in Arad.


This is my part of the main room of my apartment. The rest of the apartment contains another bed and desk (my roommate's), a really ugly (and smelly) little bathroom and a tiny kitchen. Note that I bought those sheets and blankets to try to brighten up the place a little. Also note that the tiny strip of green that you see under the pillow is the actual thickness of my mattress. And the little board above the bed? Why, that's the only wall decoration we're allowed! So I put my Cinnamon pictures up there.

So after the fun of yesterday's trip to Jerusalem, today has been fairly crappy once again. I got a package from home which included my checkbook, a lot of music, my cantorial school application and a lot of water. I'm pretty sure I hadn't ordered water with that stuff. Especially since my application was completely ruined. Now I have to wait until they send me another one.

Then, I walk into a store and the anti-theft sensor beeps. Note that I walked INTO the store, not OUT of it, in which case it may have been physically possible for me to steal something. But instead of ignoring the beeping like they do in stores in the States, some crazy employees make me empty out my pockets. When that didn't work, they nearly strip-searched me. What was it? Apparently a little tag that I forgot to snip off my pants. And I refused to buy the pen and folders I went there for. When I refused to buy anything, they suddenly offered a "sorry." Not so much good enough.

Really, there are some things I like about Israel and some things I hate. Like WHY are people allowed to smoke everywhere? It's disgusting. It makes me cough. I think smoking should be generally illegal, indoors or out...but it's so much worse when people are smoking in the middle of the mall or next to my table in a restaurant.

It would be nice if I could go home at night, and come back here during the daytime. That would be an ideal arrangement. Any chance of moving Milwaukee closer to Arad?