Top 10 (with pictures)

I leave in less than 24 hours, so now's as good a time as any to look back and remember the top 10 moments of the semester.  The original list numbered over 25 before I stopped myself - keeping this to 10 was not easy.  Ok, on to the countdown:

10) Melanie's 21st


The only item on the list I have no recollection of.  Needed to make the top 10 because of the pictures.

9) Jerusalem Day


An all-night concert with multiple stages in the biggest park in Jerusalem.  Israeli Lollapalooza.  Featuring Kool and the Gang, Hadag Nahash, Speech from Arrested Development, and surprise guest Infected Mushroom for a 5-7 am rave as the sun came up.  The most tiring, and most epic, concert I've ever been to.

8) Biden/Netanyahu speeches

The political science geek in me is screaming for this to be #1.  In both cases, I was within 10 feet of them and in the Biden speech, I sat directly behind Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren and Israeli Opposition leader Tzipi Livni.  Both were unbelievable speakers, made human by how close they were.

 Biden - orange                                 Oren - blue                                       Tzipi - purple                                    Me - red

7) Jerusalem Half Marathon

Still don't know how we did this without training.  Beautiful, hilly route throughout Jerusalem.  No personal pictures because I crossed the finish line during the 2 minutes the camera guy was taking a cigarette break.

6) Seidell weekend at Tzfat

One of the first trips we did.  It was supposed to be skiing/snowboarding, but because of weather it turned into an ATV/rope swinging trip, which was way better.

If we're facebook friends, you can see the rope swing video.  Thank you, Ilana, for the damning pedophilia evidence

5) יום הזיכרון, יום העצמאות


Memorial Day and Israel Independence Day.  The biggest emotional swing of the trip, going from a very somber memorial service on Ammunition Hill to a nation-wide party (even in the shuk) in less than 24 hours.  The most patriotic I've felt here.

Some of us didn't get the somber memo

4) Yehudia Hike

I did a lot of hikes in Israel, but this was the best one.  Renting cars, waterfalls, cliff jumping, camping out, great company, and several failed attempts at catching fish - had it all.

3) Turkey

Before the flotilla incident, Turkey actually used to be pretty cool.  First time I've been to a foreign country other than Israel, and we did it EARLY - back in late February - with minimal planning.  The run along the Bosphorous River the first morning was one of the biggest thrills of the semester.  

 

2) Jordan

First time in a monarchy, authentic Bedouin camping out, a random meeting on a sand dune, and my first world wonder in Petra.  Oh and we snorkeled in Eilat too.

  

1) 2 Weeks of Craziness (Jerusalem/Tel Aviv Soccer Game, Yam Al Yam, Greece)

Right when class ended the Wednesday before Passover break, me and Isaac agreed that we were entering the best two weeks ever.  We had no idea how right we were.  The playoff soccer game went into double-OT and an 11-shot shootout, ending on a goal by Jerusalem's goalie, Yam was hands-down the best organized trip all semester, and Greece is going in the books as the best vacation of my life.  Unbelievable.

 

 

Honorable Mentions:

Monday basketball, Tuesday poker, Shakouf Wednesdays, Potluck Shabbat dinners, French Hill, Coming late to Hebrew every day, watching Marvae Larvae power uphill on archaeology tours, Medzini never knowing my name, TEL AVIV beach days/dobkin nights/cramming 20 people into a tiny hostel room, Staying at Zoli's til 4 am to watch march madness games, LOST finale party, Masada/Dead Sea/Ein Ghedi trip, racing to pick up alcohol at the markolet before it closed, drinking at the park, and those first few days when everyone hung out in the cafe because none of us had internet.  

It's impossible to name everything.  Best semester of my life, I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I did living it.  If you're on the fence about studying abroad and you've been reading this blog, I don't know what to tell you.  Go have your head examined.  EVERYONE AT ROTHBERG - Thank you so much for an amazing semester, I'll miss your company more than anything else but I know I'll see a lot of you again.  MOM AND DAD - Thank you for making this possible.  It was the best decision of my life.

I encourage you all to start following my next blog, Buffalo Grove Dan.  It features my adventures as camp counselor for 6 year olds, a running tennis match score between me and Dobkin, a tally of how many times I eat Subway vs. Wendy's this summer (it's gonna be close), occassional LSAT test questions that bother me, and pictures of Mango*.

Looking forward to coming back home but I am gonna miss this place.  Am Yisrael Chai.

Shalom and Lehitraot

-Daniel

*Not actually happening.