getting up to speed

so. I said I would get a lot worse with the frequency of my posts, and I was right. Lets catch things up then.

In the past couple of weeks, I have had had classes at 7:45-8:30, then again from 9:30 to 4 pm. definitely a bit more intense then expected by the general public. The classes cover a very wide range of topics from chasidus, parsha, and talmud, to love dating and marriage, and 'my jewish family'. Apparently, the dating to marriage courtship process ought to be no more than three months.

The teachers are all interesting, and range from former stoner hippies, to FFB women, to varying levels of chabad rabbi, who sometimes speak with various levels of condecension. Some of the teachers aren't my style, but a couple are especially amazing.

I spent my first shabbos at the Kotel, with the first shabbos meals had with the yeshiva and the girls here. The second shabbat was at a carlebach schul nearby, with dinner at a local couples' home.

pieces of excitement: the area is very nice and a bit chic, apparently. I live just off of a main road in Moshav Germania, so there are a lot of cafes and restaurants nearby.
I have been walking a lot recently, to and from downtown Jerusalem nearly everyday. While I thought about doing a lot of walking and packed comfy shoes, I did not think about the fact that the stones and sidewalks here are very slippery. Not surprisingly, most of my shoes don't have the best traction. I fell once. Yesterday I bought a new pair of Naots, so hopefully that problem will be solved.
I am beginning to know my way around, largely through going out walking by myself, getting myself lost, and then figuring out how to be unlost. It may seem like the hard way, but it works. Also, I have found a favorite spot, not too far away, in a nice little nook near the menachim begin heritage center, and the montifiore windmill. Its the type of thing that wouldn't necessarily be noticed if you didn't know it was there.

The head rabbi of the program is very nice. He and his wife have currently five kids, and their first language is Yiddish, which is fun for me, since I can generally communicate with them in my German.

Okay, I think I am going to end this post, and post a couple others, so things can be a bit more topic specific.