Hamal: The War Room....

Come one, come all, step inside the war room at mitzpe adi and see what I did in the army for a year!!! Enjoy....





This is a picture of two of my officers, Adva and Reut.



Well, after God only knows, you finally get to see what I did in the army!!! This is what I looked like a lot of the time. Phone in the ear, walkie talkie in one hand, writing with the other.



4 hour shifts sitting there watching a screen, its not easy...



Here I am with Hen, one of the girls in my room. Liza is in the background running up.



This is Rotem and she just got colored contacts... kind o' scary!



This is just a silly picture. But Hila, wanted a picture with me, but you can not turn away from the screen so we did it this way. Actually it isn't such a bad representation of what I did sometimes. Hila has not finished her training so I did have to help her a lot.




Every night we have a briefing meeting with all the girls that are on the base and talk about what we saw during the day and complaints and sometimes we have a lesson. This was the last one I went to.




Views from my base at night...very beautiful.






In these two pictures you see Hila taking her first final test to become a full fledged tatzpitanit. And if you look carefully you will see she has stuff in her hair and she is wearing a vest against bullets or something like that. That's because in the final test the girls do all kinds of things to distract you. Screaming, calling every five seconds on the phone, putting pudding or cheese on your hair, spraying water on you, rapping you in toilet paper. All this is just to see how well you can keep your cool and finish the task. In my final test They put on the vest the helmet and about five guns along with all the gooie things!!!

On The Border

View of the army car behind us on the border. I see this every day, just not behind me!!

Well, lots to tell. I don't know if I should start with my trip to the US and A or start now and work backwards. The long and short of it is I have lots to tell and not
enough time.

On Tuesday all the girls in my team went on a tour of the line... our part of the line. We have had these tours before, but never like what we did this time. We usually see a very large portion of territory, that cover many cameras and teams, so there is a lot we see that has no connection to our specific territory. But, what we did this time was took a tour of not only our territory, but we got to go on the actual border and see it up close and personal. I really have no idea how they got all the clearance because no one but the fighter soldiers are supposed to be on the boarder.

It extremely dangerous to be that close to Lebanon. There are houses just a matter of meters away and right now the threat for uprising is very great. Actually I was sure we wouldn't go that day, because during my night shift we had specific directions to watch only one town because we were told there many be some Hezbollah activities.



Now I side story/note: There is a thing in that army called "signing keva" This occurs not to everyone but if conditions are right a soldier at the end of their service maybe get the opportunity to sign a few months more. If they sign they get a great salary for the time they are in keva.

Army salary is shitty in Israel, there is not nice way to put it. I can not complain because I get more money because I am a lone soldier. But for example the average male soldier will get something like $60 a month if they are not combat and $100 if they are combat. I get something around $200 because not only lone soldiers get more but I get the salary of a combat soldier because I am in a dangerous zone and doing work that is semi-combat. A person like me if I sign keva I get more than a thousand dollars while in keva.


So after I came back from the US I knew I only had about a week of regular army and then I would go on my "vacation before liberation". I returned from the US and A in the mind set that I was done, time to start life here. I was very excited.

Its a funny named vacation, Translated to English its: vacation before liberation. At first I thought it was a stupid idea to have a vacation right before you finish, but actually it is really smart. From the side of the soldiers that have been in that army 2 to 3 or more years, it is a little bit of an easing out of the army. You have a little vacation, then return all your things and do all the signing out. From my perspective as a lone soldier without family, it is a good amount of time to start figuring out what next ie, where to live, job and what not.

Back to the story: So one of commanders asked me if I would consider signing for 2 months. From the start I said no that I wasn't interested. And also I was pretty sure it wouldn't be something I was eligible to do. Why? Because after all, I was the one drafted for 2 full years of service and then requested to have my time dropped down. So now How could I possible legitimately sign on for me. How convenient to stay longer when there is money involved. So I told her to really check it out to be sure. The next day my officer came to me. Yes I can do it and do I want to. I told her I didn't think so. "I'm ready to start my life here. I've been here two years and haven't worked, not that I've done nothing but I am just ready to be a normal person here".

But its a good opportunity for you, she said, especially since you are a lone soldiers about to finish the army and haven't worked for two years.

Two thousand dollars isn't a lot in US terms for two months of work. But here it is, especially for someone my age, a new immigrant, and just starting out in the work world. And mind you it is money in full. No taxing. And I have no where to spend it. How can I spend money in that army, I'm never home. And I don't pay rent, don't pay for food while in the army only when I get out on weekends, and I don't pay for transportation (soldiers ride buses free in uniform) So when I get the money it will be in full, not squandered here and there.

So after much thought, and many people telling me (are you retarded, this is a killer opportunity, you would be mad not to do it). I signed. Its two more months. 60 days. I only have 4 more weekends in the army. Everything will stay the same. I get out the same (9 days in and 5 days home), I work the same job. I just get money in the end.

Back to the day on the border. I thought to my self: Self this would have been the ultimate send off for finishing my sevice. Be on the border see everything, and then go home for good. But its not terrible, two more months.

Me and Jen, left and Nina. Nina is half Korean and half Polish and her parents met in Russia so she speaks Russian. One of the wierder combinations of places to originate in this country. But the mix turned out great, she is one of the most beautiful girls I have seen. And Jenina was born in Syberia and came to Israel at the age of two. She is so pretty too (although you can't tell from the picture) I would discribe her looks has half Kirsten Dunst half Michelle Phiffer) She has the most fierce blue eyes.

This Is a picture of my commanders and officer. My commander is the girl on the right side, her name is Muria, but everyone calls her "kochinit". That's because her family is from a place in India called Kochine and most Jews that immigrated from India are from Kochine. My commander is the girl all the way on the left. Her name is Rita and she just begame a commander. She taught me most of my training on the camera and was a very hard and strict teacher.



This is a far off view of one oft he main towns I am watching in Lebanon. Isn't a nice view? Looks pretty calm from here...



Here you have a view of half Lebanon (on the left) half Israel and the fence and in teh distance is one of the biggest camera stations we have.





Veiw from inside the armored truck looking out the back



Soldier closing the gate behind us as we go into resticted territory!



A United Nations base right on the border with Israel



A machine gun!



When the soldiers are on the border one of them stands up out of the truck with a machine gun. This is him. We got to see him load and unload the gun (pretty manly, man)




And here he is talking on the two way radio.



Bump-ity bump bump. It was a rocky trip but a lot of fun!




In Israel, view of har dov, the hermon and inot the border with Syria.

ASong by Damian Rice, Older Chests

Older chests reveal themselves
Like a crack in a wall
Starting small, and grow in time
And we all seem to need the help
Of someone else
To mend that shelf
of too many books
Read me your favourite line

Papa went to other lands
And he found someone who understands
The ticking, and the western man's need to cry
He came back the other day, yeah you know
Some things in life may change
And some things
They stay the same

Like time, there's always time
On my mind
So pass me by, I'll be fine
Just give me time

Older gents sit on the fence
With their cap in hand
Looking grand
They watch their city change
Children scream, or so it seems,
Louder than before
Out of doors, into stores with bigger names
Mama tried to wash their faces
But these kids they lost their graces
And daddy lost at the races too many times

She broke down the other day, yeah you know
Some things in life may change
And some things they stay the same

Like time, time, there's always time
On my mind
So pass me by, I'll be fine
Just give me time,
Time, there's always time
On my mind
Pass me by, I'll be fine
Just give me time

Israeli Music Videos, update, and more army pictures!

Hi boys and girls,

I am pleased to find time to write something to you guys. I hope some one liked seeing the Israeli video clips. A few times I sent CDs of Israeli music to family or friends and I have never gotten a response, so I assume they don't like the music. I am a strange one cuz I like music that I can't understand. It lets you imagination be free. You can really focus on the music and voices and choose your own idea of what the song is about. But yes I too love to understand lyrics. The longer I am hear the easier it is to understand lyrics and Israeli songs (well some of them) are very poetic.

This is my first time to be at home for 5 days from the army. It is amazing. 5 days is really a long time. From now on I should get 5 days off for ever 9 days in the army! I will tell you what I did:

Thursday: Left the army base at 5am, got home at 8, ate delicious kibbutz breakfast, sorted my laundry, packed a little bag and left for Tel Aviv. Got to T.A. went to the beach, relaxed on the beach with the book A Thousand Splendid Suns (AMAZING get it!) the new one by Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner), hung out with Lerone and Amitai that night, drank a lot of beer:)

Friday: Slept late, went to a Shai Gabso concert with Lerone and Amitai for his birthday. It was nice, Shai is still a baby boy of an artist, but he has a lot of potential, went home for a nap, ordered pizza.

Saturday: Slept late, went to the beach with Amitai, did a lot of boy watching, went to Netanya on my way home to meet someone from the army, drank a beer on the beach, made it back home by the last bus.

Sunday: My yom sidurim (day to organize things) went to the ministry of education in Haifa. Got information on Hebrew classes for after the army. Went to Haifa University to check out the campus. Haifa is probably where I will take the courses.

Today: Slept late, did nothing!!!

Tomorrow: Back to the army!

I am very much in a crossroads. Some huge choices that I have made in life have been very clear to me, but I am still waffling with the idea to ask for more time in the army. I feel whatever I decide I will regret. If I don't stay longer I will alway have that feeling of, why didn't I stay long, I just started to get use to the whole army life thing and then BAM it was over, and only doing the actual job for 4 months. If I stay I know I will get bored with the job (it can be a very boring job), I will reget that I will finish the army close to or at the age of 25. Whatever I choose I will be left with regret. And no one can tell me what to do, because people really see that it is a crossroads.

I really am starting to have great fun, meet great people, feel a niche, feel at ease with Hebrew. How do I know if this is a sign to stay or a sign to move on?

If I finish the army as planned Mechina (advanced Hebrew prep classes) start in October, which is perfect. I can take a trip to the US and probably be back for the classes.

Now a break in writing for some picture:



Every month or two we go on a "tour of the line" as you say in Hebrew. It can be a lot of fun because we get to see the territory we cover upclose and personal. Sometimes you start to think that it all isn't real! This time though we took a wrong turn and saw the territory too up close and personal. We drove all the way to the boarder. One of the girls suggested a wrong turn and eventhough there was a sign saying :"STOP THE BOARDER IS IN FRONT OF YOU" (that's what this sign reads) we kept going!!!



This is Aya and Muria after they pulled away barbed wire so the bus could attempt to turn around in a very narrow place.

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It was really funny to be stuck. The driver was so pissed off, he was yelling and cursing we were all just laughing hysterically, because well it is funny.





A pretty view of the terrain.

Another thing I really like about where I am in the army is we get A LOT of English speaking visitors and I am sort of the unoffical explainer and spokes girl. I really enjoy giving little tours and it also takes a lot of the stress of the commanders and officers because these aren't such easy things for them to explain in English. I have talked to important people from the Jewish Agency, journalists, and just English speakers that have connections and can come for a visit to see what we do. It is also another great way for me to network. I have gotten tons of invitations to peoples homes and lots of support.

I am starting to read The Little Prince in Hebrew because it is about time I attempt to teach myself to read in Hebrew. I have plenty of people who are happy to help me if i need it, so I begin.

I have really become addicted to this random phone chats during guarding. And it has really turned out to be a great thing for my Hebrew. I now have 4 boys that I regularly talk on the phone with. I found out what mit'hangel means and well its not such a good thing. It means basically for a boy and girl to hook-up or an easy boy and girl. But I don't mit'hangel they way I am supposed to. The way I am supposed to is to talk maybe 2 or 3 times with a guy, lie about how pretty I am, flirt like hell, and then move on to the next one. But I have real converations about life and so I have a little following of army boys. The funny thing is at first I felt kind of guilty because I am talking to them for an alterer motive (practice my Hebrew) but then I got over it because they also have an alterer motive (to meet a hot chick because they are lonely). I'm talking to guys who are on really remote outposts that are closed military zones, where only boys are allowed. So after 2 weeks or more alone on those bases just the sound of a girls voice can be the biggest pleasure for them. Just helping out where I can:)

If you heard the news of the katyushot rackets that fell in Kiriat Shmona, don't worry. No one was hurt thank god. And what I have read and heard is it was not Hezballah (eventhough it breaks the ceasefire agreement of 2nd Lebanon war). There was another rocket that fell in Lebanon in my territory in the town of Hula. So it should be pretty interesting to go back tomorrow. But please don't worry, Israel is not planning to respond the attack.

Trailer for the film Bufor (Beaufort in English)

I think this a pretty lousy representation of an amazing film. But watch it anyway and if you get the chance to see the movie I highly recommend it.