On Blogging

Dear all,

I apologize for my scant updating of late. There are reasons for this, and all of them I deem to be good reasons.

• The Holy Land of Israel is keeping me busy. I'm learning new things, having fun with new people, etc. This is, of course, good.
• I have become accustomed to living here, to an extent. When I started this blog, I intended, in part, to create a space where I could make my observations on a foreign land. Despite the language barriers (which are still quite serious), Israel doesn't seem all that foreign to me, anymore. As I begin to understand Israeli life even more-so through my own eyes, it becomes harder to communicate those feelings here, despite how relatively easy blogging can come to me.
• Finally, I miss home. If anyone has watched my blogging at The Burnt Orange Report, they might observe that I've posted there more than I have posted here. That is, in part, because studying abroad has made me realize how much I belong in America, especially Texas. The Burnt Orange Report is often my main portal back to the homeland.

Now, I am working on a post on Switzerland (yes, I know, I have procrastinated way too much with those Europe posts!). I do have some other post ideas brewing in my head, too. But as many people who have blogged before know, good ideas don't always transfer into something real on the Internet. But we'll see. Let's keep our fingers crossed?

I took a midterm in my class, "Peace and Conflict Honors Seminar: The Dynamics of Conflict." It was quick; I was the first to finish. Hopefully, I did well. I also have a Hebrew midterm on Thursday -- yes, I know; a test on Thanksgiving. I'm just as aghast as you. But it could be worse, I guess.

Leia Mais…

So Much Progress, Yet So Far to Go

I now fully understand advisers' recommendations that when studying a foreign language abroad, one should plan their trip after two years of study at home. I studied two semesters of Hebrew at the University of Texas last year, and I have made a lot of progress since arriving in Haifa. Yet, I find myself frustrated, anyways.

I have been in classes that have stretched my abilities as far as my efforts will allow. My confidence and ability at speaking the Hebrew language, therefore, far surpass my skills with any other foreign language. Although I studied Spanish for five years from middle school to high school, I still think my Hebrew might now be better than ever was my Spanish. I find myself confident to speak in Hebrew with Israeli strangers, and I can probably get where I want any day without using a word of English (if I truly tried, that is.)

But that doesn't come near fluency. When I hear my Israeli roommates speaking to each other, I feel lost. I still don't understand everything even when I do execute a full conversation in this alien language. Towards fluency? I'm not even close.

In retrospect, this should not surprise me...

But most of my friends here will return home to America ready to continue Hebrew full speed ahead; I will not. They have motivations I don't have. Some are International Relations students interested in the Middle East. Some want to "make Aliyah" - they hope to emigrate to Israel. Others still are just that passionate about their Judaism. I am none of these: I am a Government student interested in everything while concentrating more on the United States, I wish to live in Texas for most of my life, and I am a moderately religious Jew at best.

I am jealous of their motivation and their work ethic, and I am jealous of some people's natural ability to learn languages. I just care about so many other things. Life will go on, as normal, without the Hebrew language, and I would miss a life without politics infinitely more than a life without Hebrew.

So, I'm at an annoying place in my educational development with regards to Hebrew. I would love to keep up my Hebrew and perhaps even become fluent once I return to the United States, but is it worth it? I want to do so much more with my life, too.

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