Here is the quick update. I got accepted into the special brigade. I am still debating about whether to stay or not. The problem is that to do the special brigade requires more time and at 23 the question is it worth it. The tradeoff is between the specialized training and the time. I will let you know more as I go along.
That being said, I love the guys in my group. We are 14, 6 of whom are religious which is a big help to me, since I was worried that I would be the only religious guy in my group and feel isolated because of that. The guys are motivated and hard working, but also love to have fun. They come from all over Israel and a large number of them are kibbutzniks. Its nice to see that the secular ethos of serving the country is still around. I feel fairly confident in my Hebrew when I speak with them, though I sound like an idiot with my accent, but that should hopefully only improve.
So what have I been up to? I signed off on my gun and now have to carry it around everywhere, including when I sleep and go to the bathroom. Having a gun is a weird feeling. Coming from my suburban American background I thought it would be shocking to carry a gun, but to be honest, the gun is ANNOYING. It just gets in the way of everything and is just another thing to worry about not losing. If people lose their guns, they are in for a world of trouble as you can imagine.
Aside from that, the discipline has really kicked in. The commanders are really on top of us, most of our time is spent on stupid discipline, such as formations, morning inspections, and timed activities. Though they often yell at us, our commanders actually have great senses of humor and we try our best to make them laugh as much as possible. Throughout the day there are always plenty of moments when everyone is laughing which is a nice stress releaser.
This week was mostly spent in the shooting range. Our task was to be able to put three bullets in a target 25 meters away within 4 centimeters of each other. It took me a while but I accomplished it. Shooting is cool, though it is uncomfortable knowing that you are only learning how to shoot so that if it comes down to it you can harm or kill another human being. But that is what is required of us so that Israel survives, there is no other choice.
Aside from shooting, we also had classes on communications, improving and using our gear (straps for the gun, ropes on our canteens so that they don't fall out of the vest, etc), our first march- only 4 km and quite easy-, physical exercises: sit-ups, pushups, pull-ups, ropes, and krav maga. Krav Maga is quite insane. Its an hour of sprints, being in pushup position and pushing and shoving against opponents. The idea is to change us from civilians to aggressive, quick soldiers. While the first lesson was just sprints, the second lesson had us lining up against an opponent and trying to shove him to the opposite end of the court. I got paired with a massive Israeli who is even bigger than I am. We had an epic battle and I think I won. By the end of the lesson we were all wiped. Unfortunately, a person in my group hurt his shoulder during this activity just to give you an idea of how physical the action was.
On Wednesday, an massive storm hit Israel. There was snow in the North and torrential downpours in the South (see below for pictures). Our tents were destroyed, flying in the air or being torn up by the massive winds and rain. The electricity on the base went out and we were forced to sleep in an auditorium between the seats. To be honest, it was a fun experience seeing the force of Nature in all her power. Anyways, on Thursday I was given a day off to deal with bureaucracy. I got a document which will let me leave the country even if I don't have an Israeli passport, and other little details pertaining to lone soldiers that I had to deal with. Then I got home.
Its only since I have been in the army that I began to truly appreciate how nice the kibbutz is. The laundry, the food, and of course the people in my garin and adoptive family make my life so much easier, though of course they are no match for my real family who I miss so much.
Today we went on a tiyul to see the flash floods that have sprung up all over the Negev due to the rains. It was stunningly beautiful. One of the rivers was called Nahal Gerar. This is of course from the Bible, Genesis 20:1. These rare moments when you realize that only in this country could you be in the same place where your forefathers lived and walked makes this whole experience worth it.
Shabbat Shalom!
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