...I was out to dinner with my friend and...

This past week has been a good one.  Sunday, the first day of ulpan, was essentially a "getting to know you" day.  I met a lot of nice people who live in the absorption center associated with the ulpan and also who are external students, like me.  I found people to chat with on the bus, to have lunch with, and to hang out with around town.

The next day of ulpan was also a special day.  We had class for a few hours in the morning, and then after our break, we had a speaker.  While the class I was in wasn't great (it was too easy and the teacher wasn't very engaging), the lecturer was kind of interesting.  He was one of the creators of the Taglit-Birthright Israel program, and while his talk was a bit lengthy, it was cool to learn a bit about him.

Tuesday was the first "normal" day of ulpan.  I moved up a level from the day before and found that it was the perfect fit.  The teachers (we have one Sun-Tues and another one Wed-Thurs) were high energy, they had a great sense of humor, and they only spoke Hebrew.  The students in the class were also a solid bunch.  I quickly made friends and have been having a good time.  While five hours each day seems like a lot, it flies by.  I am a bit ahead in terms of grammar, but my vocabulary is lacking, so I am still challenged in that respect.  Wednesday and Thursday (today) were also very much like Tuesday.  Lots of Hebrew learning and also some time to make new friends.  Today we also had a short ceremony for Tu B'Shvat, the holiday in Israel celebrating the new year of the trees.

While ulpan keeps me busy during the day, my afternoons and evening have been pretty free.  I have most of my nitty-gritty errands done, but I find myself at the shuk, the outdoor market, almost every day just to get a few fresh things with which to cook.  I also meet up with friends (mostly Americans) in the evenings to walk around the city, watch some football, or get a coffee.  Last night, however, I had the opportunity to meet up with a friend from Israel who came to stay at my house about four and a half years ago.  We kept in touch over the years, and I've seen her a few times, but not so recently, so it was great to see her again in Jerusalem.  I know this is a bit of a deviation from the standard terminology, but I felt so Israeli when I was out to dinner (at a great kubeh place in the shuk) with my friend and we were able to speak only in Hebrew.  The first time I met her, I could only say "shalom," but now, just a few years later, we are able to chat easily in Hebrew.  I feel that I don't get that much practice time in ulpan or in the afternoons when I am out with American friends.  It was a great confidence boost to know that I really do have some Hebrew skills up my sleeve.  Don't be fooled, though.  I still have a long way to go.