דרגה לדרגה (Step by Step)

חברי,

I'd like to say that I had a pretty good idea what I was getting myself into with this whole Aliyah process. I prepared as much as possible for the move, and educated myself on the process and the way of life as much as I could from the states (of course with the help of NBN and the Jewish Agency). However, there are some things that you can't simply be told, or sometimes people tell you things and you think "that won't happen," or "whatever, I can deal with it." The bottom line is, as strong as a person one may be, it is a very hard adjustment. There are many things you can't prepare for, like the frustration of not being able to communicate or connect with the type of people that you so desperately desire to be around. I'd like to say I am person with a very strong sense of self and drive in life, however, this process has been fraught with ups and downs. 

It's incredibly wonderful that I have the opportunity to live in a מרכז קליתה (Absorption Center) for the price that I do, in the ulpan that I'm in, in Jerusalem. I know that when I look back, this time will be one of the most memorable, among the many, during this transitional period. While this is a blessing, it still has it's challenges. It is exceedingly difficult to make friends with Israelis due to the limited interaction we have with them (we live in the middle of nowhere and most of us don't have jobs). It's also hard to speak in hebrew, even though I'm learning enough hebrew grammar and words to the point that they're coming out of my ears, most of us speak english with each other. It's a bit unsatisfying to not be able to practice speaking, and/or just being able to communicate on a higher hebrew level than before. These things aren't really all that bad (in the end it will all be the same), but they add up. 

In all honesty, its tiring to have to put yourself out there in every aspect of your live all day, every day. You spend 5 hours in the morning learning hebrew, eat lunch, run errands or go to yeshiva, come back, have dinner, do HW, hang out for a bit, go to bed. Sleep, wake up, repeat. On top of this routine one has to deal with attempting to communicate with the internet company (Language options: Hebrew and Russian), and other miscellaneous bills/important matters. Not to mention the rediculousness that is לישגת גיוס(The enlistment office). 

Basically cute 18 year old girls determine the entirety of your military service. You sit down and have a talk for about 45 minutes, which consists of everything from: why did you make aliyah, a hebrew test, and have you ever heard voices in your head telling you to do things? Afterwards you go upstairs to the medical floor. 

"Pee in this cup," is pretty much what is inferred by a barrage of hebrew words and gestures made by an ethiopian girl (by the way, that's her job for two full years: "go pee in this cup"). Bring it back, dip in a 'litmus test,' show her the results, sit in the hall. Next room, stand on a scale, stand against the wall, can you tell what numbers these are (Color blindness test), "sit in the hall." Twenty minutes later you see a doctor who asks you everything about everything about your family (some of which you filled out on paper). Go behind the curtain... Sit back down. "We need to do a blood test and you need to see our eye doctor because your prescription is high." "Yells at someone in hebrew," translation: can we get this guy a blood test, its really important. Response "No, we stop at 10:30 [am]," time = 10:25 am (I have no Idea how anything gets done in this country). "Ok, the eye doctor isn't here today either, so you have to come back, or you could get an exam elsewhere, but that's not what I prefer. Come back tomorrow before 1030 for the blood test. NEXT."

Downstairs for the cognitive ability test. I get special treatment and am handed a laminated sheet of paper in english with instructions. "Take battery out of phone and put by top of computer. You can start test." The test is mostly about matching shapes, and it is supposed to take 45 minutes. It took me less than half the time (I suppose that's what 3 years of seeing 3D shapes in your mind for Orgo and Inorganic chemistry will do for you). "What now?" "you're finished... Goodbye." Downstairs, return the ID card. 

That was pretty much it. Oh, apart from the fact that I returned the next morning only to be informed that the eye test I did outside didn't matter and that I have to go back AGAIN on sunday (I don't mind the trip, but I would rather not miss class just to be told I can't do anything). March 1st, 8am third try: "The eye doctor is here today... Oh, but he won't be in until 930 or so..." "That's ok, I can do my blood test first." "We don't do blood tests on sunday." This was about the point I started shouting (which seems to always work in this country). When I ran out of words in hebrew, I found someone and started in english. She in turn started yelling at her commander, for which he responded to her question of "why can't we do a BT today, it's march and everything is normal again..." Commander: "Because it's sunday, and we don't do blood tests on sunday." More yelling. "Go, sit." 5 minutes and one small vial of blood later (btw the girl who does this is there every day, until 5pm) I was done at it was 930. Eye doctor tells me everything I already know, and something new. "You have a bit of retinal latticing, since you're eyes are so bad your physical profile is automatically going down to a 72 (not including my flat feet or anything else)." "Great." If you have a profile below 72 you're not allowed to do anything Kravi (fighting). This doesn't mean necessarily being a foot soldier, this means I couldn't be in the Navy, or even in a tank, or pretty much anything except "pee in this cup." "What now?" "Call this number in about a week and they'll tell you your profile and date of enlistment, you can leave now."

After my first round of tests I went to see someone who is charge of helping place Olim for jobs or units in the army. It turns out that my chemistry degree is pretty much the only degree the army is interested in, and there is a strong possibility I can get a job doing chemistry in the Army (my physical profile doesn't matter for this). It is possible to get an interview, in which you talk about what options they may have for you, and if you like what they have to offer and they like you, you're in. However, there's a catch (big surprise). Because I have the opportunity to contribute to the country in a more specific way, of which will benefit me in my career, I am obligated to do more time. "How much extra time do they usually ask?" "Anywhere between 2 to 3 years, but not less. Don't worry they'll tell you exactly what you'll be doing and for exactly how long you have to do it before you sign anything. It also pays more after your first two obligatory years, but it's still not that much." 5 years in the army... We'll see. As of now it seems like the best option, but I can't get an interview before I have my enlistment date, so now we wait. זהו 

ד''ש

יחיאל–