Where do I start?

Well, let's start with what I know: I'm here.

That's about as concrete a fact as I know these days. I've now been in Jerusalem roughly one week and so far I've done about a month's worth of stuff. Many weeks in New York, you can go a month without doing a week's worth of stuff, so this is an interesting turn of events.

So, to the best of my ability, I will try and recapture some of the highlights of the last 8 days:

Day 1: Get to campus. Meet the roommates of Idelson Dorm (left), who FOR THE RECORD, I love. In no particular order, they are:

Drew, 21, Philly: Meathead. My gym buddy, tennis buddy, going out buddy, drinking buddy, walk-to-ulpan buddy, but not My Buddy. That was a doll. And I never had dolls. He has a massive Star of David tattoo on his left shoulder. We scare people at the gym. Well, he does. I provide moral support. Anyways, if Drew didn't have a girlfriend, people would start wondering about us...

Jeff, 23, New York: Fratboy and Professional Napper. You thought YOU slept a lot in college? A really good guy who apparently got kicked out of GW for fighting, Jeff has a propensity for day-time snoozes which works out well for his nocturnal escapades.

Adam, 19, Seattle: The child of the suite, Adam is hopelessly naive, wonderfully charming, and a self-described "weirdo." I second that assessment. I call him "Junior" and other deragatory terms, mostly because he calls me "Gramps." But he's a cool kid, loves U2, and we sit next to each other in ulpan. He cheats off of me. Clearly not the brightest star in the sky.

Daniel, 22, Newcastle, England: What a bloody wanker! This nutcase "fancies" stuff all the time and says "cheers" at random moments. And if he "reckons" one more time, I'm gonna stuff his toothbrush, which is the only item he brought with him to Jerusalem, up his arse. Last Thursday, he bought a bag of potatoes because he felt bad leaving the mall we were in empty-handed. A bag of potatoes. See picture. But seriously folks, Daniel is a jewel. He's my roommate and a good guy to talk soccer with. But for Cripe's sake, the kid CANNOT grow a beard to save his life. He looks like a homeless man that I happen to let into my room. GO GRAB A SHAVE!!!


Jeff and Daniel. And a bag of potatoes

Brenton, 26 (but looks like he's 12), Somewhere Hick-ish, PA: Brenton is an enigma wrapped in a question mark, wrapped in the body of a 12 year old girl. As the resident Christian of the suite, Brenton can claim to be the only man not to be sliced up by a moyel at age 8 days. Good for him! Brenton is a Masters candidate in Middle Eastern Studies so he'll be here, like me, for 2 years. As adventurous as they come, he's already rolled to Bethlehem and speaks fluent Arabic. If anyone kills me in the suite, it will most likely be him. But otherwise, a loveable guy.

So that's the cast of characters in Idelson Dorm 44, Room 17. Feel free to swing by, it's a good time.

I know I told you I'd write about other highlights from Week 1, but my laptop's running out of juice and Drew is about to punch me in the throat if we don't get to the gym soon.

And yes... JERUSALEM IS SAFE AND GORGEOUS!!

L'ehitraot,
Erik


From left: Drew, Adam, Me, and Jeff (the ape in the back)