I Officially Discharged!!!

So it's official!! I am officially a civilian! Today I discharged from the army. Of course it wasn't without it's drama in true IDF fashion. But! In the end it happened and that's all that matters.
Last week on the last day of Nativ, I got the papers telling me that for today I go to the discharge unit. I got there bright and early but I couldn't discharge due to some new soldier technicalities of not knowing what to do. After about 6 and a half hours of sitting and playing Coin Dozer and calling different offices to see who can help me speed up the process(which was only supposed to take 15 minutes tops) I finally walked out of the discharge unit a civilian.
I have to say the idea scared me and made me nervous and excited but now that it's actually over I feel fine. Normal, actually relieved and less stressed. I feel like I get to start a new chapter. I can start new things. I know it's only the first few hours but it's not as scary as I thought it'd be. I have work and a place to live. I know I will be okay. I'm a lot luckier then most and I did well for myself.
Im excited to see how I turn out. I learned a lot. I can only hope to use what I learn. I wonder what adventures will be in store for me. I will keep posting on here about adjusting to civilian life as an actual Olah Hadesha. I'm no longer a Lone Soldier but now a new citizen in every aspect of the term. There are bound to be adventures.
I can now post about one incident that I haven't been allowed to because of the army. That I feel like putting in a different post tomorrow.
Have a great week everyone!!! <3 Thank you for sticking through my journey with me!

Course Nativ

So on February 9th I started Course Nativ. It was more of a signing up process. Stand in lines to where you will be. I ended up running into a commander of mine from basic training. She became an officer for   Nativ.
Nativ first off is pronounced Na TEEv.
It is a course for people who have been in the country less then 10 years or for people who are NOT Jewish. Once a week the course goes on a trip somewhere in the country. We close two weekends to see what it's like to observe Shabat. One with the course and the second with an orthodox family.
I have to say I was very reluctant to join Nativ because of all the stereotypes that follow it.
With that said I am very glad I joined because I met some great people and got to hear some amazing stories including a Lone Soldier who is in Golani and in a weird twist of irony lived 5 minutes away from me in NY and lives 5 minutes away from me here, in Ramat Gan.
As for the stereotypes, I don't think they are even stereotypes because of how true they hold. I was very upset to see they were true but I am making the best of it.
We finish the course on April 24th and then on the 29th I finally discharge from the army.
So far my plan is work work work work then in the summer take my first actual vacation. Not only as a free woman but as a person. My last vacation was with my family in like 1998 to New Hampshire. My "vacation" post I had lasted about 1 day before I got a job interview and then work. Every yom sidurim or mehuchedet I've had since then has been me working. Then when I finally get a vacation (which I filled up with a work schedule) I get so sick I cant eat or sleep. Yay.
Im deciding on whether or not to post the trip photos I have shot from all the trips we've taken.
I also can't wait because now I get to post things that I couldn't while in my service.
I'll hopefully post soon. I will definitely be posting my discharge. That you all better believe!!!
<3

Wow So ALOT Has Happened...

Alot has happened since I last posted.
I got a job.
It became 2012!!! Happy New Year!!! I still have the same New Year Resolutions as last year.
I went to a discharge course.
I started Course Nativ.
One roommate finished the army so we got a new one.
And I have been thinking nonstop about what to do with my future.
I also worked myself sick through Passover.

Lets see, where shall I start...
I got a job at the newest store in one of the Tel Aviv Malls. That's right. Forever 21 made its way to Israel! I have to say a full time job plus the army is VERY difficult.
I got the job during my what was supposed to be a vacation. Clearly I have a problem with sitting and relaxing. I really need to learn how to relax.
I spent my new year working. Everyday before that and every day after that.
I really hated on of the people in my building since I left because there was nothing I could do. I felt it was better to save myself from a GIANT and possibly violent break down. Seriously, who gives one girl an entire unit's Avtash? Now let me be the first to say I LOVE avtash but I am not about to do 2 months of day in day out guard duty for a bunch of baby's who don't want to miss one night of drinking, partying, and playing video games. No. Not me. I refused to be their fall girl anymore. I even told my commander that if she agreed with letting me go I wouldn't be showing up. I stayed quiet for too long and it back fired. I did what I was told and instead of getting respect in being a good soldier I got walked on so lazy pieces of shit could do what they want. SOOOOO done with them. So happy about it too.
Anyone who wants to join the army and is reading this- take my advice: CLOSED BASE!
Being on a closed base is honestly the best experience you can have. Being on an open base is like being stuck in an extra few years of school where you have no room for growing mentally and it just holds you back. You get stir crazy and it sucks.

End of February...
Well first off in the beginning of February I started Course Nativ. Yes it is fun...kind of.
Secondly, during the end of February we had a roommate situation.
One of our roommates finished the army and we had about 2 weeks to find a replacement.
It was very stressful. But in the end it worked out. We got a replacement. With that being said- it got me thinking. What do I want to do after the army? Do I want to leave right away? Do I want to stay? Do I want to travel? Should I just pay off the end of my contract? Should I find a replacement? It is all so very confusing.
Going back to America? I can't go back to how it was? Living with my mom? I just spent the past 3 years living by myself paying my own bills and making my own food. Isn't that like a step backward? How can I restart in America if I just went back steps?

Anyhow this very confusing and stressful problem piled onto work and the army took its toll and clobbered me. A little before Passover I started to get sick. I went to the doctor. She being the stupid piece of shit she is told me to see her after vacation even though I needed her immediately since the swolen glands in my neck hurt then and not 2 weeks from then.
I stupidly went to the Passover Sedar for Lone Soldiers. The Ramat Cal Benny Gantz AND thats right AND The Prime Minister Benyamin Netenyahu were there! I was lucky enough to see them. But aside from that I was just so dead. I felt horrible. I couldn't even finish the sedar. I couldn't eat at all. It just hurt so bad. I was cold and hot and just wanted to curl up in my blankets and sleep. My head was pounding. I spent the weekend in my bed. I missed everything. It was a horrible idea for me to go. After the sedar I went to the bikor rofe. Have I ever explained how much I hate them?
I got there at 10pm and didn't leave till 1am for them to tell me to drink water and take an advil............. ..... like.... where the hell did you get your medical degree from? bitch are you stupid? you are a doctor. you see I cant open my mouth that much or move my head dont fuckin give me advil! give me antibiotics! My GLANDS ARE SWOLAN YOU BLIND BAT! Advil is not gonna help. If it didn't help for the past week it sure aint gon help now! Jus sayin. The IDF needs new doctors.
So for my ENTIRE Passover break which ends tomorrow morning when I return to base I have been barely able to eat except for a few jello's and little sips of water. Thank you doctors for your wonderful doctor help and brains. I missed a week of work. You know vacations are fun if you can relax not actually be sick. That's not fun. So I get to go to base tomorrow and hopefully I get to see a doctor.

That's the end of my little rant. lol Everything from December 21,2011 to today April 14,2012 in a nutshell.
OH AND on Feb 15,2011 I was officially promoted to Sergeant (Samal) but of course thanks to Course Nativ I STILL cant put it on my uniform...I so went behind their backs and put it on

YAY!!! Vacation!!! :D

Im on vacation :D I don't have to go back into the army until January. I'm very excited. I haven't used my vacation days these past 2 years except for using my Special Vacation to go back to New York. Although this last time in NY did not feel like a vacation. So it's finally here. I finally get to rest. Friday and Saturday is just not enough.
I have been working so hard to try and prove myself and to try and sign keva or become an officer that I just didn't slow down at all. I've either been talking with my "family" about important issues since apparently I'm the middle ground OR I have been stressing myself constantly working. It feels as if though my only downtime has been the 3 hours a week I babysit. I babysit the cutest little girl. I love being with her and her family. They are such great and interesting people. It's also great to watch her and how she learns new things everyday. I also learn more hebrew from her and she learns to speak english from me.
I think we left off in the last blog with my next trip back to NY. Well I finish the army in April. I don't think I can sign on keva or become an officer. It sucks. It really does. I've worked so hard to try and prove myself and have been fighting for it since I enlisted. I guess I will try one or two more times and then I will officially throw in the towel. My end date is coming up quick. Im running out of time and fast. I know that I can say that I fought all the way to the end for it. I have met a lot of people. A lot of great people and a lot of shitty people. I have many great memories and I have helped some people along the way. Im really glad that this blog has reached so many people.
I don't think I will be using my last trip to America. I finish in April then I can't leave until a month after. So I wouldn't be able to leave until very end of May. Now it's time for me to start thinking about what to do afterwards. It's very hard to think about it. I'm not sure what to do or what I want to do. It's very confusing. I can go back to NY and try and start there. Which believe me I should have a blog for that. It would be readjusting to civilian plus readjusting back to New York. I would be able to work. If I stay here I can work and then try and go to school. See how long I can last. I know a lot of people miss me back in NY but when I was there it was like I didn't come at a good time for them. So they would want me to sit around and wait for them. That to me is insulting. If you missed me so much like you say you did then make time for me like I would for you. If someone I loved came here- army or not- I would make time for them. I would take off work and do whatever I could to make their stay here enjoyable and memorable. I learned I care a lot more about people then they do me. I constantly make the most common mistake ever. I expect things from people because it's something I expect from myself. Just because I hold myself highly doesn't mean I should hold everyone at the same standard. Everyone is different. I've also learned that just because you have the same blood doesn't make you family. I've also learned that just because you don't have the same blood doesn't make you any less of a family. Family is love and being there no matter what. I know who my family is now. I know what kind of people I want in my life. (I'm also trying to write this in the most sensitive way possible so people wont be insulted.)
Although I do need to start taking care of myself and putting myself at number 1. I keep putting people I love at number 1. I also need to be more open and I need to stop pushing new people away. I feel like a part of that is, I don't want to get hurt anymore. I don't want to make relationships just to have them thrown in my face. I guess because Im not sure of my future at the moment I have been being closed off a lot recently. It's hard. I'm learning.
I'm going to take this vacation as a learning experience. It's going to be time for me. Time for me to think and I guess kind of rediscover myself. I want to travel the country a little bit. See how that goes.
ALTHOUGH! Although if I do end up going to Course Nativ I would be traveling around the country as well anyway. It would be a great way to end my service. 3 months of just traveling around the country for free. I think that's pretty nifty. I don't know. We'll see.
There are still some friends I'd like to see. Maybe if I finally start hanging out with the people I really consider friends I can stop putting myself into such lonely positions. And maybe I will finally have the courage to say good bye to the convenient friendships that have been popping up just for the sake of saying I have a friend.
I am happy that I do have a new friend. She is the new soldier in my section. Im super glad because she is the first person in the army that has the same style and listens to the same music I do. Her name is Anna. She is such a sweetheart and a lot of fun. For the first time I actually felt like I could be normal in Israel and not just some Olah Hadesha from America. It's disgusting because there are so many people that want to use that and take advantage of it.
Well I have to go. Until next time. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
I know it was a week ago but I was waiting for photos that I can't get. :/

I didn't get off unfortunately BUT I did spend the morning in Jerusalem at an education base with my friend Tzvi. (Tzvi's Blog. He's a fellow lone soldier.) We had to go to a mandatory meeting for a course called Course Nativ(pronounced Na-teev)קורס נתיב.
The course is for soldiers that are new to the country and have been in Israel for less then 10 years. It is also the first step to the conversion process for the soldiers that aren't jewish and want to become jewish. It isn't a mandatory course but from what I hear it's a lot of fun.
There is a closed course that is about 7 weeks and an opened course that is about 3 months.
Each week there are one or two trips to different places in the country. Every day there are lessons on Israel.
The meeting finished surprisingly early. We thought it was going to be a few hours. It turned out that it was 15 minutes. Im honestly surprised that I even knew what was being said they were speaking so fast. Instead of the meeting being 830-1130 like we thought it was in and out. They were doing the meetings in waves. It was great. Tzvi and I decided that we didn't want to go back with a whole group of people and took a separate bus to Ben Yehuda. We walked around Ben Yehuda for a little before finally getting some breakfast and then took the new train system to the bus station where we went back to Tel Aviv.

Later on in the evening we met back up at a Thanksgiving Dinner for American Lone Soldiers held by The Michael Levine Lone Soldier Center. The Lone Soldier Center holds a Thanksgiving Dinner  every year for American Lone soldiers. Pictures can be found in the "Thanksgiving Dinner" link. I was surprised as to how many Lone Soldiers that weren't American that came. I honestly was kind of disheartened that they were using it as an excuse to get off base.
On a plus side it was GREAT to see all the Americans and meet some new people.
They had so much food and drinks and it was just a great time. They also had a football game(Greenbay Packers vs Lions?) on the big screen. It was being broadcasted live. It was so much fun. It was a little slice of home.

American holidays aren't really celebrated in Israel. People know it's a holiday but they won't really do anything about it. Halloween is celebrated by mostly the Club Scene but it isn't like home. Just like America doesn't celebrate other countries holidays; Other countries don't celebrate ours. The only celebration going on is the groups of American's that get together and celebrate our holidays. We keep our family traditions alive and make new ones. It is a lot of fun and makes things easier. It's great to feel that small piece of home.
I really have been feeling the need to go home and spend the holidays with my family but I can't. I was home in the summer to try and see my sick Aunt one last time. I only get one month a year to be home. I can either use it to work or to go home. I've been using my one month to go home. As of January 1st, 2012 I will be allowed to come back home. I'm going to save this part for another blog update. :)
I have some things I need to do. Although I really would love to come home. There is nothing like December in New York. It is one of the things I miss the most about home. The holiday spirit, colors, and cheer. It really pains me to hear and read all the religious discrimination going on during this time of year. I really hope that they can be put a side. It doesn't matter what religion you are, just enjoy the smells of cinnamon and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and all the beautiful colors and warm drinks. You never know when you won't be able to experience it again.


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A Small Mini Blog Post

Hey so this isn't really an update. More just like a random blog post of a few sentences. I decided I'd blabber just to make it seem slightly longer and more important then it actually is. Its actually a request. I made a Facebook page for the blog. Due to the amount of emails, messages, and friend requests I decided to make a page for the blog. In the two days it has been up it got 50 followers. Granted those followers are from my Friend Invites. I would like to send the link for those of you on Facebook and to share it with you guys. Hopefully this will help get the blog to reach more people. I would be absolutely thrilled if you guys could take the time to "Like" the page and even maybe "Share" it on Facebook as well. I also have a twitter for my blog as well. I'm not sure if you guys knew this.
My blog's Facebook page and My blog on Twitter. My twitter doesn't really get much use except for small little updates about a singer I love called Porcelain Black. She is very awesome and so unique. Her music I consider to be perfect for me because it is rock n roll and pop mixed together. Something I love and have been looking for in artists for a while now. It was either play rock songs or play pop songs. Now I can do both at once and I love it. She's perfect.
An update on Israel- It is definitely not summer in Israel anymore. Once again it has become "winter". It has been cold, windy, and rainy. I am kinda loving it but at the same time I despise the cold. I need more winter clothes here. There might not be snow in central Israel but there is all the way up north at Mount Hermon where they have a ski slope. I am kind of hoping to go there this winter. I miss snow. Actually I miss everything about the fall/winter months. I never thought I would but I definitely do. I miss the colors and holidays of fall and the smells and lights of winter. I really miss Halloween. It sucked that I had to be on base for it and didn't get to dress up for it. I couldn't go out because of money. I didn't even have money to buy food. It sucks. The Israeli Army really doesn't pay enough for Lone Soldiers with a yomiot schedule. Yomiot is where you go to base every day. You don't sleep on base, you sleep at home in your own bed. In order to survive you have to pretty much be a hermit. You can't go out with your friends, you can't buy those fun foods like cookies or Bamba or a hamburger from the hamburger shop even though they only cost 20 shekels. Every shekel counts and goes towards rent, bills, and food. You can't live on a kibbutz because as a Lone Soldier you aren't allowed a car. If you have  a car you don't need help from the army. You pretty much can't do anything even if it means buying new clothes because your old ones are worn out. It really sucks and it's really difficult. Due to a new rule on base I can't even work. This sucks. Now I have to figure out how to get off base to go to work. I know my commander will help me. She's awesome. She also hates this new rule the Rasar put in effect for all soldiers. It's highly unfair and has a lot of soldiers upset. We have to be on base way earlier then we need to be and we can't leave even for work or a problem at home. Dude needs to lighten up. We are the only building on the entire base of Tel Hashomer that does this. Tel Hashomer is gigantic! You need a car just to get to the middle of the base. To get from one side of the other by foot could take about a half hour to an hour. So yeah only building out of a small city kind of sucks.
So right now what Im trying to do is figure out how to survive. The Lone Soldier Hostel is out of the question because I don't feel safe there. So I'd rather struggle and get in trouble for going to work then deal with this butt heads crap.

With my Facebook page I want to try and make a picture specifically for it, if you have any ideas let me know. :)
http://www.facebook.com/Fromnytoisrael- Facebook page. So please like and share my page. I would greatly appreciate it. Look through the photos and choose one for the page's main photo. :)

Thanks guys! Enjoy the page!

Back On Base

Hey Guys!!!
I actually have something to post for you. :)
I left off with needing to fly back to Israel.

So I get back to Israel after the wonderfully disastrous flight from the airline in aforementioned post. The airline managed in succeeding in screwing up two flights of luggage. They sent my flights luggage on another plane, and their luggage on mine. So yay! No clothes. No gifts. No nothing. Really incompetent people.
Anywho, I get back to my apartment and find some not so great things due to a particular roommate (That situation ended dramatically last night. Some people are just so pathetically stupid. Due to the army I can't write about it. Oh how I would LOVE to though; it'd make an excellent post.) Aside from that everything is fine and soon enough it is time to go back to base for the first time in a month and a half. To be on base was great! I loved seeing all the people I missed. I did end up getting my things from the airline a day later so I was able to give gifts to everyone. I really missed everyone. Including people I thought were dreadfully annoying.

After a few days my commander asked to talk to me in his office where he told me that I can't go to officers course. There wasn't much I can do at that point. He says no, it's no. I didn't let that get me down though. I was just happy to be back. I figured if I can't sign on more time or be an officer I'll make due with the time I had left. Make it memorable. About 2 weeks later he called me into his office again and asked if I wanted to sign on more time and I said yes. Yosi(my commander) said that he would move me into Tkzivim. I can sign time there. I never did a course nor do I have a job where you can sign on time but in Tkzivim, I have a chance at changing that. After about a month I finally changed to Tkzivim.
Because I am in Tkzivim that means I now have to be at the Keriya(Israeli Pentagon) a couple of times a month. It's kind of a pain in the butt with all the security but I really like this job. I finally have a reason to not take vacation everyday. Sure, I loved coming to base everyday and being in the Leshca and being known as the Secretary to the Unit Commander but in reality I finished my day at 1030am and had to stay there till 5 and I had nothing to do all day. I only had 3 days to learn everything which is not nearly enough. My predecessor had about a month to three months to learn everything. So I am completely learning by trial and error. I have to say it is frustrating but a lot of fun at the same time.

Yosi finished the army at the end of October. We had Succot Vacation which was about a week and when we came back it was his prisa(party). It was really sad to see him go. He was such an amazing commander who was loved by so many. He really helped me so much. I am so thankful to him. It was also really awesome and great to hear him mention my name in his "Going -Away" speech. I know that the new Unit Commander will do great. Im still helping out in the Leshca because the new kid needs help(still- can anyone say facepalm?).
 During the one week off I finally took a vacation for the first time. I honestly did not know what to do with myself. I saw my friends like Sam and Lauren who both just did Aliyah. Also in September I did a modeling shoot and I received the photos. So maybe thats what I will do. My next post I will have specifically for the shoots I did so everyone can see them.

Id have sooo much more to write if I wasn't told that I had to keep my mouth shut on it. I'm kind of liking this stuff and this new job.

Also I'd like to thank Nefesh B'Nefesh for the Rosh Hashana gift. I loved the Reeses and Neckwarmer.
I love gifts! Feel free to send them! lol jk

Check out Laurens blog right here on Blogger. It's called Liba Sipur. Enjoy it :) It's her story of doing Aliyah from USA. Completely different then mine with a totally different range of experiences.