Scrambled eggs

Breakfast
Originally uploaded by holylandhipster.

It's 3:00 pm and I just walked back into my apartment after an interesting morning running around Tel Aviv. But, at least I started my day on a really good note, because I cooked my first meal in country. As the photo proves, I can now make eggs! It was pretty simple and cooked up in no time. Always good to start a busy day with a good breakfast.

I then decided to go to the post office to check about health insurance. The way it works here is that you have to go to the post office to obtain the forms for the company you want to join, and once you have the forms only then can you apply in person at the right insurance company. However, when they put my name in the computer, I didn't show up and they said I had to go to the Bituach Leumi, which is the National Insurance Agency in Israel. My polite cab driver told me that, as far at Israel agencies are concerned, they are the worst. Plus, we didn't know the hours, so there was an off chance that they would be closed,

He waited for me in front of the entrance and, sure enough, they were closed. Only, I had missed getting in by 9 minutes!!!! That was really, really annoying. I got back into my waiting cab and decided to hit Herzl street to check out furniture stores. I went into a few stores, and measured and price checked on a few different items, specifically couches and tables. When it came time to check out a bed, I walked into one store and had a really good conversation with the owner. He named me a price that was pretty reasonable, but there was something a bit off about him. I can't explain what it was, but I just didn't have such a good feeling about everything. I wasn't looking to haggle with him though, I just wanted to get out of there, and so I told him I had to check in with the contractor and would let him know. In the meantime, I walked out and went into a few other stores, still feeling slightly uneasy.

That led me to another furniture store where I met Avi, the owner, whose selection and qaulity was heads and tails above the previous stores. We chatted for a while and I ended up buying a bed! It's really nice, in Vengar (color very close to a dark wood) and sized to fit my room. I ended up only getting one nighttable, because I'm not sure if I want my bed in the center of the room of flush against one wall. As I was leaving the store, however, the owner of the previous store was standing outside looking at me. It was a little freaky, he started to follow me from across the street, and then I ducked into another store and waited for him to return to his place of business. A little unsettled, Israeli store owners are soo passionate, I hopped a cab and headed back to my apartment.

That's when I met my religious cab driver, who decided to quiz my Yeshiva education. Sad to say, I completely failed. My parents are now shaking their heads in disgust over all the money they poured into my yeshiva education. He asked me what were the six brachot (blessings) you ONLY say six times a year. I honestly had no clue. The answers were: candles for Yom Kippur, Checking for Chametz before Pesach, the blessings over Matzah, Marror and redemptions and finally, blessing over the Elanot (the new buds of spring). The last one really just relates to Israel.

I tried to get out of the whole candle lighting one by falling back on my single status, and the fact that I've never lit Yom Kippur candles in my life (I've pretty much always been home for Yom Kippur and that's my Mother's department). Who knew that would be opening Pandora's Box. My Nahag (driver) was SHOCKED that I was still single.

And at 29!

Q: Why aren't you married?
A: You know, that's a question I've NEVER ever thought about or considered. It's a good one though. Let me mull it over and I'll let you know.

Silence.

Sarcasm, clearly, lost on this Israeli.

One week in Israel and here comes the lecture. Part of me wanted to tell him that I already have parents AND a Grandmother who handle the whole "when are you getting married" conversation, but I just had no energy to argue. So I listened to him drone on and on about the importance of marriage. And when he said to me: you know, you're not 17 anymore, I actually didn't respond. Just kept looking out the window and listened to his tirade.

So how did I get the conversation to stop?

You'll never guess.

Try.

I'll save you the energy. I agreed to go out with a friend of his. Because, as he so poignantly pointed out, you never know where it's going to come from. Or how you're going to meet your soulmate. Or who will be the one to set you up with your soulmate.

I'm hoping that Itzik (I think that's his name) who's 32, drives a cab, doesn't speak a word of English, lives in Bat Yam, and only wants to marry a "religious girl", knows what he's in for when he gives me a call.

At the very least, the experience will be something for me to write about.

I'm off to grab a bite to eat and make plans for tonight. I think it's time to go to the movies. Thank you for Smoking is playing across the street and I already saw it, but could definitely go for seeing it again.