Six Weeks to Go!

Hi everyone! Yesterday marked the six week mark until I am officially an Israeli citizen! Here's a little update on everything that's been going on:

I am now officially waiting for my visa approval and arrival. I sent my application and information on Monday, which required a trip to the bank and FedEx, but it was totally worth it.
I've officially been accepted into the Ulpan at Kibbutz Yagur! I couldn't find other accommodations so I'll be staying in Petach Tikva until about a week and a half before the program starts and I can move in. If you know of anyone in Petach Tikva or in the surrounding area (Tel Aviv is the closest major city), I am looking for a temporary job between mid-October and December 24. Shameless advertising...begin: I am MDA certified in CPR and first aid and have experience in childcare if that is an option. My Hebrew is just okay, so the younger the children the better. But, I learn pretty quickly and it's just temporary so I am willing to take any job available :)
My last day at the pool is September 25! It's been a wonderful summer and I have been so blessed to be part of this staff. I'm sad that my boss won't be around for four out of the last six weeks we have (her daughter is getting married!!!), but fortunately she'll be around to say goodbye. ALSO the weather is absolutely GORGEOUS right now and is predicted to be so almost all the way through my departure!

On a less fun note: Let's talk about Syria for a minute.
I don't know exactly what's going on. Nobody can. But right now the US is collaborating with the UK and France to attack Syria because someone in Syria used chemical weapons. I say someone because it is RUMORED that it was Assad, but there is no proof. Now, the US said last year that if chemical warfare came into play, it would intervene. Great. Fine. But here are the problems: 1. All these countries are planning on intervening without approval from the UN's Security Council, which 2. Italy disagrees with, 3. Russia is upset about the whole ordeal and doesn't agree with the airstrike at all, and 4. less than 9% of Americans are on board with the idea of an airstrike (about 4% support invading with US troops).
Let's tie all this into Israel, since that's where I'm headed and what this blog is about: since all these weapons are pointed at Syria, Israel is basically the monkey in the middle. Today the IAF (Israeli Air Force) announced that an additional Iron Dome has been deployed in the north, the Hetz (Arrow) system has increased its alert level, and there is talk of an Iron Dome for the Middle (Mercaz) [thanks to yNet for this info]. Everyone who doesn't already have one is lining up for a gas mask, and Haredim are upset because the special masks with air pumps that are intended for people with asthma (that happen to also fit beards) are being saved for...you got it, people with asthma.

Remember how I said I wanted to join the Home Front Command? Those are the people in charge of all this stuff. Taking care of the citizens in any emergency (war or otherwise). Here's what that means: I, just like any other resident of Israel, will be at some level of risk. That's the way life is in Israel. Being in active combat would put me at a higher level of risk. Being in the military at all puts me somewhere in between. Joining the HFC within the next year and a half will most likely put me in a position where I will be extremely busy and I will probably see some things (more than if the Syria thing was a nonissue). That's what I'm signing up for, though. As a medic, I will be very important in this situation. They need people like me, who are willing to take that challenge. Not saying anything will happen, but if anything happens, it will be because I was doing my job and defending the State of Israel. And that's an okay thing by me.

My inbox is always open! See you next week!