Do you remember the time in your life where you learnt which way to stick the key into a lock the right way on the first try every time, or the feeling when you sat down to learn how to drive for the first time? Leaning how to do something as simple as take a train or order food.
Remember this feeling next time you do a simple task but imagine it without speaking words, without hearing words, without the ability to read.
This is how I feel on my third week in Israel. I have no language. I am a pretty much a baby in this land. I realized I am torturing myself more by trying to get by with just English or Russian, than trying to learn Hebrew as soon as I can.
A few days after I got to Ashdod, we went out to a restaurant on the water, we really enjoyed the food and found out it was owned by a nice Russian family. I left my phone number just in case they needed an extra hand, really with no intention of them actually calling me. I get a call on Monday asking weather i'm interested in coming in Friday morning for an interview. Im siked! But then the owner pops the question. "Can you speak Hebrew?" I start to become a baby again as I answer "No, not yet sir."
As I was on the train today, I overheard a young lady speaking on the phone. She was speaking an interesting mix of Russian and Hebrew, I would zone out for the Hebrew parts, but when Russian rolled around, my brain would automatically tune into this little whisp of familiarity. She said one line that stuck out at me. "Someone who wants to achieve a goal will find a way, someone who doesn't want to achieve a goal will find an excuse." This couldn't be more true in my case with learning Hebrew. I was making excuses for not learning because I didn't want it enough. Now I really want it, so I will find a way.
That train ride was to the US Embassy in Tel Aviv. I was on my way to renew my US Passport that was due to expire in a year and a half. Normally I would not be worried so early, but I needed one that will expire in at least two years from now. Actually the army does. Thats why Im here for two years. To serve in the Israeli Defense Force and be the best field medic I can be.
No, I was not born in Israel. No I do not have close family in the country. No, I do not have to serve. This is my way of inching into medicine one small step at a time. I knew out of high school that college wouldn't benefit me like it would the next guy. I "learned" so much about other things and people that I never really learned about myself. This is my time to learn about my self and expose my weaknesses and strengths to form a solid foundation. How can society expect people to build themselves up like skyscrapers without a solid foundation.
The next two years starting April 15th will hopefully add to my foundation so I can support anything that life throws on me.
Gud Shabos
1/21/2015