Shabbat shalom! I'm at home on the kibbutz, ready to go back to my northern base tomorrow. I'll catch you up, but first here's some photos left over from the imun mitkadem:
When we got back from regila, we had a ton of final tests, including a navigation course. Each of us received a location to find and a mission to fulfill, as the commander of the operation. After seven operations, the sun was rising and the other commanders and officers arrived to greet us. Us trainees raised the sandbag-filled stretcher together and they read a famous quote about what it means to be a combat soldier. We put it down, stand in formation. I was hoping to get the battalion fighter's pin from my commander, but he immediately went to another person in my tzevet. I was a little sad, but still proud to be getting the pin. And then I see the mashad walk over to me and I get a huge smile on my face. She is also an American lone soldier and my respect for her is endless. I couldn't believe it!
About twelve hours later, I was standing under the huppah while my stepbrother got married. My stepmom let me wear my dad's wedding ring for the night, which was so special. Twelve hours later, I ordered my Israeli passport at the Nefesh B'nefesh Yom Sidurim and saw a ton of my friends from Michve Alon. Let's just say it was a crazy week!!
The next week we had a goodbye party/erev tzevet. We made toast, danced, did impressions of the commanders, they gave out superlatives, and traded stories from the last four months.
When we returned to Shivta for our sof maslul ceremony, we also had an erev gdud the night before. The big day came, and my brother and a few friends also showed up to cheer me on. We marched, sang hatikva, and the commanders pulled off the tape on our pins. The three of us in my tzevet stood in a row together, but when it was my turn my commander skipped me. He came back, pulled off the tape, and said, "lo mash'hu" [not good enough]. He took it off, and then traded it for his! He told me he received it from his mefakedet, who got it from her mafkatz, and later remembered that he got it from his mefaked back in March '07 or something like that. It has special gold stars, even! I couldn't be more proud of my pins, and all the meaning they hold, the hard work I put in to receive them, and the incredible commanders I received them from, a symbol of trust to carry on these great legacies.
So we've moved on from our training, some have gone to commander's school, or the driving course, but I'm going to spend a few months improving my Hebrew, treating my ankle, and enjoying regular service. This week, on the eve of Purim, I and some of my friends from my draft moved to a base in southern Ramat HaGolan. It's beautiful here, and we arrived just in time for spring. We can see the Kineret and the still-snowy Hermon from the hills. It's a different system and a different area so there's a lot to learn, but we have fun learning together. I really miss my old tzevet, but it's easy to stay in touch being in such a small battalion, and there are four of us who moved together which helps with the transition. The nicest part is being only an hour and a half from Yagur!
That's it for now, just waiting five more days until my mom and sister come to visit!!!!!!!!
