half way there

12-8-2009

Tomorrow I face my first Ulpan exam. I have been fully immersed in the language while here and I knew absolutely nothing before, so i figure there is nothing to really get worked up about. Today I ran in the Carmel national park next to campus. Running on mountain side trails I watched sunset and orthodox families passing by. Some men dressed in all black...looooooong beards. Several older women and one two three four....wait there are two babies in that carriage...and oh there is some older children trailing behind...and oh she is pregnant...oh and there is another toddler. The religious families here have many offspring...so much in fact that we are going to volunteer to pack food so all their children can eat. As the trails were getting pitch dark I saw a shooting star...which was made what seemed like one of the average days way less mundane.