No Day But Tomorrow!

I am almost done with all of my preparations. I'm looking at two fully packed bags, minus a couple of things that need to be tossed into them, a packed, tightened and locked guitar and a half packed backpack with items scattered around my bedroom that I will undoubtedly be tossing into my backpack at the last minute. Who could expect anything different from me.

But what is sinking in is that when I wake up, I will be almost 24 hours from leaving the United States of America for almost a year and be started on my way to becoming a rabbi. Today, my roommate got to our apartment in Jerusalem and through the brilliance of Skype (feel free to skype me at BNels2422) I got a quick tour of the apartment. Let me just say that it is well worth the rent we are paying for it.

It's strange though, I know I'm leaving. I have been anxiously awaiting this moment for the last four years when I decided this just may be my path in life. I have been excited about this moment for three years when I found out that my first year is in Jerusalem and that I was sure this was the path for my life. For the preceding two years, by the grace of my parents, I have been able to live at home and do youth work, building my resume and continuing to study so that in 37 hours, I will be sitting on a plane ready to take off to go back to Israel. It all leads up to this moment when I will really feel like I am on my way.

I have been rationing KFAN Podcasts this week so I have some good ones to listen too. No doubt that after the Twins game tomorrow there should be some good anger floating from the airwaves of 1130 AM in Minneapolis. I have some school reading and some enjoyment reading ready to be had on the flight. I also put some great movies on my computer and on my external hard drive so I will have plenty to listen to watch, listen to and read as well.

The past two weeks have been great. I have spent some time with great friends and family. My cousin got married, my sister announced that she is pregnant (due in January) I got to eat at some great restaurants, I finished the services I have been working on for Camp TEKO, saw my cousin play some soccer (watching 4 year-olds chase a ball around the field was really cute), went for a great bike ride out to Lake Minnetonka, found out that I will be making guest appearances on the website TCJewfolk about a rabbinic school (you will be alerted to posts coming on that site) and so much more that I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention. The last two weeks have been great, but I also cannot wait to get to Jerusalem.

There is still something that is missing though. I am really going to miss Kaitlin and my family. I have never gone for more than a few weeks without seeing Kaitlin and I have never lived further from Minnetonka than a 15 minute drive. I wouldn't say I'm nervous about it at all, but there are things that I know I will miss. The common thing I keep coming back to is that I will be in Israel. For those of you that have been, you know what I'm talking about. For those that have not, there aren't many words that can do it justice. The place somehow just grips you and doesn't want you to leave. I continue to console my worries with the fact that I will be in Jerusalem and that I will finally be on my way to becoming a rabbi.

I'm merely rambling at this point and I really should get some sleep tonight. I have one long 30 hour day until liftoff from MSP International Airport. I will not be making another post until I land, but if you have heard about my travel issues to New York City for my HUC-JIR interview or the return journey from Cincinnati from the College Colloquium back in 2008, I can only expect some marvelous adventure on Saturday.

This chapter comes to a close with me saying the following;

To everyone I was able to see in the last two weeks, "Thank you for making my last weeks in the USA fantastic. Some of the best weeks I have had in the last few years."

To everyone I wasn't able to see, "I'm sorry we didn't find a chance to meet up, hopefully we will find a time when I'm back in the states next May."

To everyone I that has helped me on getting to this point, "Thank you. I love you. I couldn't have made it to this point without you."

To anyone I know who will be in Jerusalem in the next 11 months, "Find me on facebook or skype and we'll meet up. It will be great to see another yankee over there."

Almost There

Well, well, well. I have realized that I was a little ambitious in my to do list before I go to Israel. Some of the books I wanted to read are just not going to get done. It's a good thing they were only recommended reading for before school starts. The important thing is that with only 5 days until I leave for Israel, the important things are getting checked off the list. Here is how the list looks right now.

Here is what is still left to do along with some of the things I have taken care of since the last time I was working on this.

___ Send HUC My Updated Transcript
_x_ Shop For Clothes and Things I Need
___ Send HUC my updated transcript

_x_ Buy External Hard Drive
_x_ Buy Adaptors/Converters
_x_ Gather Visa Information
___ Pack Up My Room

_x_ Pack

___ Leave

___ Apply For Visa

I packed today. There are only a few things that I need to buy to toss into the bags on the way out. I have weighed them and right now I have a few pounds of leeway to add some things. I am getting really excited to get everything started, but the problem I am running in to is that I already will miss things. I'm leaving as a bundle of mixed emotions. But as this chapter reaches its penultimate post, it is hard to understand that very soon I will be in Jerusalem. Very soon.

Lila Tov

Packing Fail

Yesterday I tried to pack a bag the first time. Needless to say it didn't go so well the first time through. THe issue is that I have this problem of wanting to be over-prepared for living in a foreign country for a year. I was trying to pack in clothing options, as well as some dressy clothes since I don't like going out or to class looking like a bum. This is a big change from high school and even college, I know. There's just something about looking like an adult that I enjoy, herein lies the rub. I can't fit it all into two bags and still have things to make my apartment feel like a home.

Possible Solutions:
Number One; pack less. After failing miserably, I went through and started skimming some things out of my bag. I probably don't need all of that Twins and Gophers gear, right? The next thing to look at was getting new undershirts and boxers so they are packed tighter. Maybe I'll tape all my shirts into bundles like the ones that come in the bag.

Number Two; bring a third bag. Ingenious! I looked on US Airways website and it appears that the first two bags I bring are free. Completely free! If I want to bring a third bag, it will cost $100 to bring another 50lbs of stuff with me. I need think about that one. It may get a bit pricey to do it that way.

Now that I have that situation a little under control, it's back to worrying about real issues like pictures for my Visa and seeing friends.

Time Goes Too Fast

Time is going way too fast for me now. Each day that goes by, I am getting more and more objectives finished on my checklist. The problem is that the more I get done, the closer I am to actually leaving. I am full of this mix of emotions. I am incredibly excited, on July 3rd I leave for Israel and on July 12th we have orientation and start classes shortly after that. It's incredible. Yet I don't want to leave.

Last night I met up with a bunch of people for a going away get together. Realizing that it will be a year until I see most of my friends again is hard to realize. It will be a year and that's going to be hard. I know it's not as if I am saying goodbye forever, but a lot can change and happen in a year, much less the coming years that I will be spending studying.

It is a big mix of emotions. Yet I've gotten quite a bit done on my list and I have still found a way to add more to it too.

(32/46)

This has been a busy week, this is what I've taken care of since the last time I wrote up a blog.

_x_ buy our router
_x_ try out the router
_x_ have a going away get together
_x_ Fill Out Deferment Form
_x_ Buy Israel-Arab Reader
_x_ Buy Introduction to Tanakch
_x_ Check Out Bank Options
_x_ Set Up Auto-Deposit
_x_ Buy Luggage
_x_ Notify HUC that I'm coming


Here is what is still left to do.
___ Send HUC My Updated Transcript
___ Read Back To The Sources
___ Read History of Modern Israel
___ Read Certain Chapters from the Tanakch
___ Shop For Clothes and Things I Need
___ Send HUC my updated transcript

___ Buy External Hard Drive
___ Buy Adaptors/Converters
___ Take Pictures for ID Badges
___ Gather Visa Information
___ Collect Addresses
___ Pack Up My Room

___ Pack

___ Leave

___ Apply For Visa

Starting to Get Anxious

Yesterday, I started to get a little anxious. Hence still awake at this point in the day. I've realized that I have over half of my to do list left to do and barely three weeks to get everything done. I hit a wall and I really needed a run. Maybe the anxiety also has to do with today being my 25th birthday and that I'm getting close to leaving, but I don't know what to do here. The only real thing to do is to keep trying to take things off the list as much as I can. I'm starting to feel a little tired, so I guess I'll try to get some sleep tonight.

Lila Tov,
Good Night,

Still Chugging Along

I haven't updated this in a while, but I realized that I have knocked off a few pieces of the to do list. The issue seems to be that I keep finding things to do. For those keeping score at home, I'm sitting at about 50 percent complete. The good news is, I don't think there is too much more that I can add to the list.

(22/44)
___ Send HUC my updated transcript
___ Read Back To The Sources
___ Read History of Modern Israel
___ Read Certain Chapters from the Tanakch
___ buy out router
___ have a going away get together
___ shop for clothes and things I need
___ Send HUC my updated transcript

___ Fill Out Deferment Form
___ Buy Israel-Arab Reader
___ Buy Introduction to Tanakch
___ Check Out Bank Options
___ Set Up Auto-Deposit
___ Buy Luggage
___ Buy Adaptors/Converters
___ Take Pictures for ID Badges
___ Gather Visa Information
___ Collect Addresses

___ Notify HUC that I'm coming
___ pack

___ leave

___ Apply For Visa

*Notice that I need addresses and email addresses. If you could send me your contact information that would be fantastic. If you need to get ahold of me, email me at Nelson.Brian.Thomas@gmail.com



Completed Tasks
_x_ accept the admission offer
_x_ mail in deposit
_x_ find an apartment
_x_ put a deposit on an apartment
_x_ buy plane ticket
_x_ preference campuses
_x_ mail in med. forms
_x_ apply for financial aid
_x_ accept financial aid
_x_ fix my computer
_x_ physical exam
_x_ clean up my computer
_x_ talk to the bank about being abroad for a year
_x_ glasses
_x_ remind the bank that I'm leaving for a year
_x_ prescriptions in Israel
_x_ buy a new driver's license
_x_ back up my computer
_x_ set up skype/google voice
_x_ plan a going away get together
_x_ apply for grants
_x_ figure out phone

It's Like Woah

Sometimes the fact that I'm leaving soon for Israel hits you when you don't expect it. Today I was visiting with the parent of a teen at the Edina Art Fair and he gave me the traditional dollar to donate to charity when I arrive in Israel. This made me realize that it is getting closer and closer.

Then I was helping out at services at Temple Israel last night and Rabbi Zimmerman was thanking the choir and she mentioned to the congregation that I will be starting my studies to be a rabbi this summer. It's one of those weird things that hits you when someone else says it. My mom mentioned the same thing after services were over.

What grounded this even more was the fact that I leave four weeks from today. Four weeks. That's not a lot of time.

In Progress

(18/34)
_x_ accept the admission offer
_x_ mail in deposit
_x_ find an apartment
_x_ put a deposit on an apartment
_x_ buy plane ticket
_x_ preference campuses
_x_ mail in med. forms
_x_ apply for financial aid
_x_ accept financial aid
_x_ fix my computer
_x_ physical exam
_x_ clean up my computer
_x_ talk to the bank about being abroad for a year
_x_ glasses
___ Send HUC my updated transcript
___ apply for grants
___ Read Back To The Sources
___ Read History of Modern Israel
___ Read Certain Chapters from the Tanakch
___ apply for a visa
_x_ figure out phone
___ figure out internet
___ remind the bank that I'm leaving for a year
___ prescriptions in Israel
___ Health Insurance
_x_ buy a new driver's license
_x_ back up my computer
___ set up skype/google voice
_x_ plan a going away get together
___ have a going away get together
___ shop for clothes and things I need
___ pack
___ leave

In The Beginning...

I have been looking forward to this for such a long time and I am incredible excited to be getting ready for Israel. There is so much to do though before I am ready to go. If you have been reading my main blog, I've been posting what is left to in preparation for leaving. Today I will be getting a few more of those things off my list, I hope.

Here's where the Honey-Do-List stands;

(15/34)
_x_ accept the admission offer
_x_ mail in deposit
_x_ find an apartment
_x_ put a deposit on an apartment
_x_ buy plane ticket
_x_ preference campuses
_x_ mail in med. forms
_x_ apply for financial aid
_x_ accept financial aid
_x_ fix my computer
_x_ physical exam
_x_ clean up my computer
_x_ talk to the bank about being abroad for a year
_x_ glasses
___ Send HUC my updated transcript
___ apply for grants
___ read a few books
___ Back To The Sources
___ History of Modern Israel
___ Certain Chapters from the Tanakch
___ apply for a visa
_x_ figure out phone
___ figure out internet
___ remind the bank that I'm leaving for a year
___ prescriptions in Israel
___ Health Insurance
___ buy a new driver's license
___ back up my computer
___ set up skype/google voice
___ have a going away get together
___ shop for clothes and things I need
___ pack
___ leave

There is so much left to do, so I won't be long on here today. I also promise that this will be much more interesting when I am on my way.