Shalom, it's me

Thank you Adele.

Yes, I have been waiting to say that for a while.
No, I am not sorry.

Besides not being sorry, I am also not too vain to think you know who I am so allow me to start off by giving you superficial information about me: Nathan Hoffman is my name, South Carolina is my University, Georgia is my home state, and Israel is where I will be studying from February to June.

Now that we are friends, I would like to thank you for joining me on this journey as I go across the ocean to live in the center of the world aka the Holy Land aka the Holy City aka Jerusalem. It really is cool knowing people are—virtually—joining me on this adventure (and if you don’t read past this part just comment or like or share or whatever people do with blogs so I can pretend people are reading this).

Jerusalem, the proverbial Center of the World

Emotions are hard to explain with words alone, but for those of you who have traveled to new places—whether that place be a new neighborhood, new city, new state, new region, new country or new continent—you know that peculiar mix of excitement and nervousness which, in my opinion, is best summed up with the word anticipation. I have experienced that these feelings grow exponentially with the distance or foreign-ness of the place being visited and with Israel being both far and foreign you can correctly assume the anticipation is high.

My first peek into Israel was during a visit to the Israeli consulate in Atlanta where I endeavored to obtain my VISA since I had apparently not mailed in the correct documents. To get to the Consulate I drove to Atlanta, took an elevator up a number of floors, walked down a long hallway and then turned a corner and was met by a closed, stern wooden door.

To the left of the door was what appeared to be an intercom system so naturally I pressed the button. A commanding voice came over the intercom and proceeded to interrogate me on my purpose for visiting, what I had in my possession, whether I was alone, etc. until they had determined this white, long-haired, bearded American was safe to allow into the office space their consulate occupied.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a security check, told to take everything out of my pockets, and then told to remove my phone and put it in a security box before I could enter the next level of the building where I would meet with the person who would process my application.

This person was most hospitable and she actually remembered me from my phone calls and VISA materials. I guess not many Americans are applying for Israeli VISAs this time of year… Anyways, she very nicely took the remaining parts of my application and then informed me that she could have it processed in under thirty minutes if I wouldn’t mind waiting. I, a college student on break, obviously had nothing better to do so I sat down and read through a Jewish calendar that was laying out. I learned recipes for traditional Jewish meals and saw the many religious holidays that would be observed during the time of my stay. I got excited for new food, new people, new languages, and new weekends (Friday and Saturday instead of Saturday and Sunday so… finally get no Friday classes!).

When the lady returned, she gave me my passport with my VISA, told me to have a nice time in Israel, and encouraged me to learn some Hebrew. I took the initiative to have her teach me how to say "thank you" which is toda. And so I walked out, down the hall, down the elevator and to my car victorious, basically fluent in Hebrew, and ready to venture to Jerusalem!

I feel like this experience summarizes Israel well. To a lot of the outside world, Israel is perceived as a closed, stern wooden door. Popular media and the intense security Israel's geo-political situation seems to require could be responsible for this perception. Yet after you enter you are met with the kind, hospitable face that I believe (and I guess will find out) better represents the heart and people of Israel: an industrious, intelligent, passionate people living in a land rich with historical and religious significance.

I hope that through my writings I can open this door for you.

Furthermore, I hope you are also excited for your new year and that as you read about my adventures you are spurred to seek the adventure that lies right outside your door. For that is where my adventure will be soon enough. Right now it seems miles away and the anticipation is hard to bear, but before too long Jerusalem, and Israel, will be right outside my door.

Shalom.