Done & Home

I'm done with fall semester! And I'm home in LA! And I ate my first burrito in six months! Life is good.

Finals week was surprisingly great. I worked my ass off, but I felt like I was invested in my exams more than I ever have been before. I was totally into the whole process, as annoying and brain-mushing as it was, and realized in the thick of it all how much knowledge I've accumulated over the past six months. I feel like a may-jah dork saying this, but I'm so excited to be receiving this education. I feel fortunate and blessed, even though saying that after a week of finals... well, I think it might entitle me to a straightjacket. But still, I really did enjoy finals in a weird way, and actually look forward to getting my grades back when I return.

Celebrating the end of finals with Lisa and RVT

On Thursday night, I had a lovely celebration dinner with the girls at Mona. We toasted the end of fall semester and played "Remember when..," looking back fondly on our six months in Jerusalem. Then, late Thursday night (actually, ridiculously early Friday morning) I departed for the States. Originally, I was due to come home on the 12th; we booked the ticket through miles, and it was nearly impossible to change. Somehow, I managed to get a sensitive and kind-hearted person on the phone at United, who heard my plea and finally changed my ticket to the 9th. Only, I had to take four separate flights to get to Los Angeles. So January 9th became the longest day of my life: I was in Tel Aviv, Zurich, London, Washington D.C., and finally Los Angeles. It was an adventure and a total pain in the ass, but I made it in one piece.

The moment I saw Adam, it made the whole complicated trip worth it. It felt so weird and so great to finally be with him again; the last time we saw each other was exactly four months ago to the day, and I was a belligerent mess saying goodbye. Hugging my parents and brother, getting bombarded by my dog Chewy, and being back in the Fromer household has been surreal, but wonderful. L.A. weather is glorious; warm, clear, and sunny. I'm so deeply appreciative, coming from the bitter winter cold of Jlem!

My welcome wagon at LAX last night.

In Santa Monica with the beautiful Pacific behind us.

Today has been such a mellow and relaxing day. And I got to eat my first legitimate burrito since June. Oh, it was so delicious. So necessary. So essential. We went to the beach and walked around Santa Monica, I gazed out at the ocean and felt so sublimely happy to be living in Los Angeles the next four or five years. Just being with my family and Adam felt so, so great. I've had a smile on my face since I landed.

It partially feels like I never left, but at the same time, all these subtle reminders inform me I've really been gone a long time. It was totally weird to go through my closet and the boxes containing all our crap from Berkeley. Luckily, Adam is thee most wonderfully OCD person ever, so everything is organized and properly marked. But it's kind of a nostalgia overdose, too. A trippy reminder of everything I didn't shove in a suitcase with me back in July.

I'm so happy and excited to be home, but I am also very much looking forward to my remaining four months in Jerusalem. Looking back, my time there has been an awesome adventure, and it will be truly difficult to pack it all up and say goodbye. As crazy and intense as the country is, I am having a wonderful experience. But for now, it's all about California.

With love,
Jaclyn