new joys and old struggles

So I have probable got all of you wondering what the heck! I am doing great. I have moved to an apartment in Jerusalem with one of my friends last week and the past week we spent our first shabbat in our new apartment. It was a really nice shabbat, quiet and relaxing. shabbat dinner was homemade and i was able to cook for one of the first times since i have joined the army. It felt reallt great to have a totally homecooked meal that I knew my roomate and i prepared. We are still looking for a third roomate so that the cost of the apartment will be cheap enough on my army budget.

In other news, I am still fighting with the army to spend more time in the army. I have been asking to sign more time in the army because i am enjoying my service and I want to continue defending my country. I am not ready to become a regular citizen of Israel yet. I have come to love the Israeli army and the way of life in the army and feel that this is where I need to continue working. unfortunately my commander does not agree so he does not want to help me reach my goal of getting a career in the army. I don't understand how they offer jobs and career positions to so many soldiers and many of them just want it for the money so don't acutally do anything but sit in their room of hang out for one year while they get paid a regular salary. here is someone asking to serve for more than that and is actually motivated to work.

As far as day to day news, I am still loving life and the challenges that come with it. Yes I have my ups and downs, but I am having a great time and happy. I miss everyone and think of everyone in ashland and back in the US a lot. If anyone has pictures that they can e-mail or mail me that would be awesome. I have pictures hanging up all over my room and in my locker on base and would love to add new ones.

Love,
Roxanne

P.S. The picture is from a photo shoot i did for the lone soldier center for Purim.

has it really been a month

I can't believe it has been a month since I have last posted. Things have been so busy here. I have been doing well and enjoying life like always. As far as army life is concerned we have moved bases again and are now guarding the border in the west bank again. Because we are on guard duty, that means that we are on constant watch and are going out often to make arrests of want or suspected arabs as well as guarding the jewish settlements in the area. It is a lot different than the past couple of months where we have been having practice drills and the atmosphere in the unit has been more relaxed and fun.

In other news I ended up getting e-coli and have been on sick leave for the past 3 weeks. during that time i have spent one week in the hospital here in Israel as well. After experiencing hospitals in the US, the hospital system here is totally different and I was surprised at how lacking it was compared to the US healthcare system. I was never told what was going on or what was happening until i read my discharge papers, if you needed a nurse you had to walk up to the nurses station and ask for one(there was no call bell) and I was in a bed in the hallway with no privacy. It was a lot worse than i thought. Of course I was sick enough that I actually needed to be there, but once i started getting better I couldn't wait to get out.

Now that i have also had some time off from the army to "recover" I have found an apartment to rent with a friend in Jerusalem. I signed the contract last night and will be moving in to the apartment next week or the week after. I am so excited to finally be living on my own and having some roomates. The apartment itself is amazing as well. It is fully furnished and it about half an hour from the center of jerusalem in the hills with an amazing view.

So this sunday I am finally returning to base. I can't wait to go back. Being on sick leave when you really don't feel sick sucks. I would rather be on base and have asked to go back early, but can't, so just trying to make the best of the time off.
hope that everyone is doing well!
Love,
Roxanne