I have been told there is a song about Haifa but I do not know it yet

And were done! With holidays that is. Tonight is actually the beginning of a new month, the much underrated "no-chag-Cheshvan" and even us one-day Israelis are ready for it. I spent the last of the holidays, Simchat Torah (Literally Joy of the Torah), in Jerusalem in my old roommate's new apartment. Unfortunately, I couldn't really participate in the best part of the holiday- the dancing- because my knee was still protesting my 9 hour hike (You know, my right knee went on the same hike and she hasn't complained at all!). But I did get to celebrate with friends in Jerusalem so I can't really complain.

I spent Shabbat on a hilltop in the Gush with David and Davida and had wonderful long talks about starting a farm on an isolated hilltop. My dreams of moving to a hilltop and building a house have recently expanded to include a small farm. And neighbors, as David wants to come live there too.

Unfortunately this dream is a long way off, as seen by the rude awakening I received this morning. Literally. I was awoken by someone with an overactive airhorn complex followed by some guy trying to sell something by screaming into his megaphone. This is of course on top of the constant noise of traffic passing by my building. Last night the Technion had a dance party. Which I could sing along to in my room. I hate living in a city. I thought Jerusalem was bad sometimes, but apparently I was spoiled by a nice quiet neighborhood with everything from the doctor to the grocery store a 5 min. walk from my apartment. Rude awakening indeed.

The noise is the worst of it though. I could complain about my shirtless hairy neighbor who insists on smoking right outside our door, or how the bakery only sells challah for 2 hours on Friday morning, but... oh wait, I just did :) Stam, Haifa is not that bad, it is just taking some adjusting. I am getting to know more and more people, thanks to the fact that the one friend I had when I moved here is apparently the social life source of Haifa. She actually knows everybody and does everything. The other night I joined her for a Capoiera class at the Technion, which taught me I have a whole slew of muscles I do not regularly use.

Anyway, Shabbat is approaching so I must go, but I start school on Monday (!!!) so next week I can tell you all about it :)