I have now been in this geriatric summer camp for three months. It seems impossible. I feel quite settled and comfortable, and even the bureaucratic horrors are somewhat residing. My new concern is why it feels OK, and is a dark cloud of reality awaiting, about to take over and send me onto my sofa, where I may remain for months.
I am, of course, still in a strange reverse culture shock. Reverse, that is, from the original culture shock I had when I went to America - a shock that accompanied most of my time there. I was so very overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices - in everything, that I became a person who just couldn't decide - on the bread I wanted, on the type of milk, on the salt, on the size of everything and anything - large, medium, small. On what to order in restaurants, on what to order in a bar, on anything. I turned into a gibbering idiot. I remember my unbridled joy when I was in Namibia, and ordered a toasted cheese, and that is what I got - a toasted cheese of a size that I could bite into without breaking my jaw. Two slices of white bread, toasted with a thin slice of cheese. And now here I am in Israel, once again at a loss, because everything here has changed. And on top of it I can break open packets in the supermarket and take out just one or two items - e.g. 2 carrots, 4 tomatoes, one bottle of soda from a pack. Now the thing here, apparently, is to become a member - of a supermarket, a pharmacy, a cheese shop, a coffee shop, a clothing store, a book shop - but then everytime I buy something I have to give them my ID number or my phone number, neither of which I remember, and have to look them up.You give a tip before you pay - you add it on to the bill. Taxis you don't tip, or do you? on and on.
At last I have begun to see friends, as I am not spending every moment staring into my computer screen trying to fill in forms. I have even begun to learn to use my smart TV - don't get too excited - I still don't know how to record programs, but at least I can turn the TV on and find whatever it is I want to watch. Of course there is the small problem of subtitles - and when the commentators on the Hebrew news all begin shouting at each other and no one listens to anyone, I turn it off. Mostly that is good because the news is so depressing that it is better not to listen. I do receive Haaretz newspaper online - so I am definitely not in the dark, or should I say - all is in the dark. This dreadful dark cloud that has overtaken so many countries - the end of democracy? So I once again focus on the lovely things, the spring flowers that have begun to carpet the country. The interesting art exhibitions. Bird watching, the joy of having my great nieces and nephew so nearby. For all of these things I am grateful.
And of course, for the fact that I can easily speak to friends all over the world.
