Just a hop across the pond

See you later (l'hit-ra-ot) להתראות
Welcome (bur-chim ha-ba-im) ברוכים הבאים

I am currently sitting in Ben Gurion International airport having spent the past 24 hours traveling (including the time changes). Why, you ask am I sitting at the airport and not on m way to my new humble abode for the year? Well that would be because through some miracle of events my flight arrived almost an hour early, there was no line at passport control, and managed to get both of my bags in a relatively quick fashion. So that left me with the fact that if I left right away I would have gotten to Jerusalem an hour and a half before my landlord and I thought that instead I would give a brief update before embarking on the next part of my journey.

Saying "goodbye" is always a bittersweet thin for me. On the one hand, it is sad that I will not physically be with my friends and family I the States for the next year. On the the other hand, the good book says that I will be barking on a life changing journey that is only beginning this year, and promises to have tonsod learning opportunities and eye opening experiences. So I instead, I like to think of it as never saying goodbye but instead saying l'hitraot or see you later. I know that I will see everyone virtually or for real throughout the next year and I can't wait to hear about all of the new things in your lives as well.

One of the most exciting things about getting to Israel is hearing the captain and crew welcomin you to Israel. To me, I hear " welcome home to your home away from home." When I arrive in Israel I have always felt as if I were returning to a place that I just left for a little while and have now come backbto visit again.

So l'hitraot for now and I will update again soon.

P.S. I apologize for all of the typos and grammar errors. I blame it on a mixture of lack of sleep and autocorrect!