I went to Tel Aviv on tuesday and wednesday, both times for army stuff... It was actually fun to navigate the streets and find my way to the two places where my meetings were. I met a lot of cool people with the same draft day as mine. If my draft day doesn't change, I think basic training might be even better than that "IDF preparation week" that I (and everybody from my grade) had at Tsalmon (the name of the base) 2 years ago. Even though all the girls in my group (during the preparation week) were from my grade I didn't really know any of them and it just felt like the worst group for me to be in... It's not hard for me to make friends with people, quite the opposite, but honestly... this group was just... It was so bad that I think it really prepared me for basic training -- the social side of it, I mean. I didn't like that week (at the time), but looking back I think it was important and I'm glad to have the experience. Another big advantage that my basic training will have over the "IDF preparation week" is weather -- That week was at the beginning of February and it was the coldest week of the year. I was literally lying in the mud and having ice all over me (because of the hail that kept falling) while I was supposed to shoot an M16. My basic training is gonna be in the middle of April so it should be much warmer (=better!).

Anyhow, on wednesday, on my way back from Tel Aviv, the train was full when I got on it, and I sat down near 2 old ladies who got off the train almost as soon as I sat down. I was all happy about having more space (they were a bit too chatty). However, it lasted for only a minute because some fakatza and her daughter had to come and interrupt my tranquility. They were a couple of wanna-be tsfonboniot, but were really just arsiyot buried under at least 5 layers of make-up. The mom definitely had a nose-job... The daughter thought she was a singer and kept making noises during the ride that sounded like some sort of a frog requiem (but I'm sure frogs would find it very impressive).

However, they were talking way too loud, and were staring at me the whole time. It was really extreme, the mom sat right next to me and turned her whole head (it was a big, plastic head) towards me and it was like her eyeballs were popping out of their sockets.

Later they started making jokes and sitting there became really painful (I could NOT avoid listening to them, even though I didn't want to, and even when I was talking on the phone). They kept laughing every few seconds really loud and really obnoxiously (like pigs, and they actually snorted every once in a while). Baaaaah! They even remembered to fall asleep 5 minutes before I got off the train.

When I got to the central bus station I didn't need to wait for a bus at all, which was awesome considering it was already around 6 and I had only eaten a half of a sandwich since I woke up (which was around 7am). I got on the bus, found a nice seat, and of course I got some company after awhile. At least this time they weren't fakatzot. The 2 girls who came and sat next to me communicated in sign language (at least one of them was really deaf, it's not like Anna and I when we made up our own sign language and used it for years). It was definitely weird when they did all of those hand motions that felt like they were pointing at me (and at everybody else on the bus). But I didn't stare at them for that or something (like the fakatzot on the train did without me doing anything that would've caught her attention!). Other people did stare at them, and I was annoyed on behalf of the signers. I hate that Israelis have to be so fucking rude sometimes.

And in other news, the factory that makes the french fries for the McDonalds branches in Israel is on fire right now. Guess if we went there right now we could all eat for free. Hmmmmm.....