June: Week 1 of Finals Done!

Zieglerites at Yael and Josh's wedding

Coming back from Florida with a ton of work ahead of me was pretty difficult in addition to battling the jet lag that keeps me up until 3 am most nights. I hit the ground running because I had two back-to-back presentations as two finals that I needed to prep with partners, and because of my traveling as well as theirs, we hadn't had enough time to get them together. It was exhausting but on Sunday, after giving my thrilling presentation on prohibitions during the Omer period, a few of us rushed home to get ready for Yael's wedding to her longtime beau, Josh. We got ready and hopped into the sherut which took 10 of us to Yafo for the big event.

I haven't seen Yael in a while since she's doing her Israel year this coming year, so seeing her again all decked out as a bride was breathtaking. The chuppah was outside near the water which was lovely and the reception held in a gallery nearby. The ambiance was so nice, and I was transported away from my normal life. The food was great as were the drinks! We danced and celebrated and had a good time. It felt so nice to get away from schoolwork and Jerusalem for a few hours and leave the stress behind.

But again, the chuppah was barely over when the talk turned to "who will be next?". Geez! Haven't we gone over this?!

Anyway, after that, the week went by from presentation to final exam to exam as each day was dedicated to a different subject. By Thursday afternoon, I was excited to realize that I was halfway done! Still, that means I am looking at one exam and three papers to go. OY!

The good news is now that Shaina and her sister, Beth, are here and staying with me. Fun Jerusalem bears! It's nice to have them around and we are going to have a nice Shabbat together. I am tempted to go travel with them for a few days but we'll see how the finals are coming.

It's my second to last Shabbat in Israel and really just one more full week. It's very strange and exciting all at once. I know that the rest of my life is waiting for me in the US but it's always so bittersweet leaving Israel because it too is my home. Sigh!