Two of my students...

...only the brightest at Manatee High.

Here I am back in high school 31 years later.

Me in 1977

Here's what I looked like in 1977 when I was an exchange student.

Afula, Israel

Here's a postcard I brought home from Israel 31 years ago. Let's see if I can get a photo of the same spot while I'm there...

Travel plans

Here's how my plans are falling together for my time in Israel.

After spending, hopefully from 11:15 am to 9:00 pm Saturday in Amsterdam, I'll arrive in Tel Aviv at 2:30 am Sunday (ugh!) .

Beginning Sunday-Wednesday, I'll be with the sister my age, Efrat. Sunday night we'll stay with her family in a kibbutz south of Tel Aviv, see the kibbutz and take naps as necessary during the day.

On Monday, we'll have lunch in Tel Aviv at an Arab restaurant with Aba and Ima and perhaps a couple other siblings will join us. Falafel and hummus are on the menu. Then after lunch, Efrat and I are heading up to Jerusalem where she and I will spend the night at a nice youth hostel. A night in the city should be fun. I'll look for Ben Yehuda Street where there's lots of outdoor cafes. Tuesday in Jerusalem also. Tuesday night back at the kibbutz.

Then on Wednesday afternoon, we'll head up north to Sadot/near Netanya. Wedding will be held here: http://www.mitchatnim.co.il/members/sadot/Mekure.asp The wedding should be great. There's should be lots of food, fun, dancing--and some of you know what kind of a dancer I am already, so I'll try not to embarrass myself.

After the wedding, Aba and Ima will take me home to Afula and out sightseeing around Galilee on Thursday and Friday. Efrat's family will come up to Afula for the Friday evening Shabbat meal. Ima called me to ask me what she should fix for the meal (my favorites: chix/rice with green olives, hummus, chocolate cake/gleeda, too!). She is indeed a great cook. Then on Saturday we'll go to Tel Aviv to the home of another sisiter's (Orna's) house for lunch. Somewhere in there, I hope we'll stop in at a couple of brother's homes for a visit.

It will be a great experience being totally immersed in Israeli culture and Hebrew language. Yes, the adults can speak English to me, but I doubt all the "nieces and nephews" can speak fluently. And everyone else speaks to each other in Hebrew. Some Hebrew should come back to me, but it's been 24 years!

Then home early Monday (5:30 am leave Israel/6 pm arrive in Tampa) and back to teaching Tuesday!

Anybody exhausted yet??