Learning to Listen to the Music

My life at Wesleyan is characterized by my constant motion. In my hot pink backpack I carry at least two changes of clothes (one for dance class, one for work), snacks, homework, books etc. My friends know that I am always rushing off to somewhere. And I love it. I relish it. There is never anything that I want to give up.

The beautiful view of Jerusalem that I have from my living room. Where I am sitting, not doing homework, listening to music and just being!

When I decided to come to Israel, I knew that I was coming because I wanted to experience a different place. Choosing my classes for the semester, therefore, presented me with a very difficult problem. Should I take as many as I normally do at Wesleyan or take fewer, give myself time to actually experiencethis wonderful place in which I am living? Back and forth I went. Finally, I made my decision. It was more important to me to actually BE in Israel and to learn from that than to take as many classes as I could.

While my roommates and friends delightedly compared how little time they had, a game I almost always win at Wesleyan, I sat and listened in silence. I couldn't help feeling racked by guilt. What was I thinking? I should be taking as many classes as I could!!! I should be working myself to the bone! That is the only way to experience things!!!
But somehow, despite all of my guilt, I persevered. I did not add any extra classes and I actually managed to condense my schedule so that I would have class from Sunday-Thursday morning, giving me an almost completely free Thursday.
And I am so happy.



I do not think that I have been as well-rested and calm as this since I entered kindergarten! I am excited to attend every class and to learn what my teachers have to teach me. I can nap and go out to eat and go to museums. I have looonnngg dinners with friends almost every night, going running, do yoga, wander around the city. My back does not ever hurt because I am stressed about a paper or a test. I am actually able to live my life while attending school. (The only downfall of this schedule is that, because I am so relishing my free time, I sometimes lapse into...hmm...what is the word? Laziness. But, since I am still doing well in all my classes, I am rather enjoying this relaxed, lazy feeling. Besides, I expend my energy doing other crazy things. Like cooking TONS of food and planning huge dinners.)
I realized the other day that the best indication of this difference is that I actually listen to music here. Usually, I am thinking about and doing so many things at once that I cannot handle the extra layer of music. But now, I am always singing or humming something. The first thing I do when I reach my computer is turn on whatever my favorite song of the day is.
Now, talking to my friends who have filled every second of their days, I cannot help but feel bad. They are so jealous of the freedom in my life: that I can actually go out to eat and can on trips around Jerusalem seems like such a luxury. They spend the little time that they have here trying to catch up on sleep, because if they got sick, it would be devastating. I do not envy them their lives, even though I know they love doing everything they do.

I have time to shop at the Shuk, an amazing open air market! Pretty much my favorite place.

I just recently chose my classes for next semester, when I will be back at Wesleyan. I am taking the same crazy number of courses as always and know that I will probably add on many extracurriculars. And that is OK! At Wesleyan, that is why I am there. I am there to learn and do as much as I can. It just happens that here in Israel, I get to do all that outside the classroom, living LIFE!