11/21-11/23 bakum and nachal!

11-21

We woke up 5am and made our way to base, I stopepd to meet Baruch , he had papers he printed.for me that say my parents are in the counrty so I can go see them . We took the 650 bus back to base and got to the last station where we met everyone including the commanders around 10. I stood up the whole ride again. No seats !!. We waited there for a while and took a bus to the base . Got there just in time for lunch. Tommorow we have a ceremony for finishing these 3 weeks of doing nothing at Mikeveh Alon. Pretty stupid. We practiced the lineup and marching from 4pm to 10pm. It was probaly the most annoying thing I've ever done. Left right left,  stuff like that just in hebrew.  My family landed in Israel 3pm today. I'm getting off somtime this week to see them for a few days!! We had time to shower like everynight. I had a protein bar someone gave me and went to sleeep. I've never been more tired in my life. I was falling alseep standing today!! Goodnight

11-22

We woke up early again, got ready for the day.  We practiced all day for the ceremony!! Very annoying, I went to the "bathroom" a few times it was that bad. For lunch they set up a last meal for us. It was pretty nice. We practiced the lineup a few more times until the parents show up. It takes around 30 minuts each time to practice. Parents and family finally showed up. Its not an important cermony we are celtbrating doing nothing for 3 weeks. We all lined up marched, said the hatikvah, people got the best soldier award, and that's it. People threw there kumtas in the air like they actualluy did anything so far. Later tht night we had a talk with all our commanders. They told u their names, and about themselvs. We told then what was good and bad about the 3 weeks . Then weere joking around a few peopler impersonated them. It was very funny. We then went to our rooms to shhower and go to sleep . We were all happy we are finally done and can go to our real units .

11-23

We woke up early and reall did nothing all day except eat and sit around. We were all waiting to leave to Bakum. The buses came and we got split up into different groups and made our way there. The second we got there they rushed us off the bus , our temporary commanders started screamin at us. The first thing we have in thew interview with the katzin miyous (decided where you go ) . I want to go to Golani. I was next in line just hoping they give me what I asked for. I walk in salute and sit down . He asked me for my ID #.  They put me in Nachal. I went 3 more times to diffrent guys and they all told me there going to tre and change it overnight. Which is possible but well see what happens tommorow. Most peopple got what they wanted butnot everyone since its picked randomly. We are going to sleeep 11 waking up around 5. Hope they change it.

11-24

I woke up at 5 and we ate breakfast , and sat around for a while and waited. Everyone got a sticker with a number. It means what unit you are going too. I wanted golani. My sticker said otherwise. But I still didn't know. They seprearted us and we waited all day. I went to try to speak to people to change they wouldent let me. I tried so many times but they all say the spots are full which they aren't. So at least I get some red boots. The army also just got a new company boots. There so much better than the old ones. They have arch support and they are nicer. We only got one pair of these , I would of used one fopr the army and one to wear out. So I ended up at the Nahal Base later that day. I wasn't happy at first. The Mefaked likes me also since I know what I'm doing. Somthing funny happend . One of the kids didn't know that you actually have to respect your commanders and listen. So the Mefaked was talking to him and the kid just taps him on the shoulder and says in hebrew" don't worry bro its fine" .The Mefaked was so angry that he touched him but it was soo funny!!  There are a few americans I am with now and the rest from other places. We are sleeping in 14 person huge tents. There actually not as bad as I thought it would be, there is a heater and sleeping bagsn but if you want to charge your phone there is a charging station outside the tents for everyone to chage it. There is a nice shul on base donated by FIDF in Panama. It a really nice builidng. Doesn't fit in witht the base. It is kind of a small base. But the field in the back is huge!! I'm going to sleep. Goodnight.

11-25

We woke up 6:45 on base, he told us last night to be outside 6:00!! Someone walked in the tent and said we had an hour extension, pheww. Today we got some more paper work done . I was also tryng to get off base to see my family. There annoying about it. But I kept asking. We got some equiptment today. Vest, winter coat, brand new knee pads, scavias( reeally warm uncomftorable material blanket) ,2 canteens. That's it for now.
The food on the base I am not liking so far. The only thing I like is that they have whole wheat bread here. We had our Barur (pushup , situp, and 2k(1.2 miles) run test) I always get full on the pushups and situps which is 86 situps and 75 pushups. I can do more but they don't let you. I did the run in 8:40 my best tinm so far, I went from 10:20 to 8:50 now that. We had some food after that. I finally got permission to get off base tonight. I left the base at 8 and had to take a taxi since buses didn't run from the base at that time.
I got the the hotel and saw my sisters and brother, they all ran to me. My father and mother were at a bar. So my dad knew I was coming . My mother didn't. Evryone in the bar knew. I met my dad , went into the bar jumped and sat next to my mother. She got scared and turned away , she though some soldier was trying to pick her up. She look again and saw. It was me . Everyone in the bar weas so happy and so was she. It was a good plan hehe! I stayed there for a while and got back to the hotel later on and went to sleep 630am after being up for 25 hours!!

11-26

I woke up at 8 after 2 hours of sleep, had a sick breakfast in the apartment. We left to tel aviv for the day to go to a lot of different shops, forgot the name of the area.  I didn't get anything but food obdviousle, but was ewith my family ther whole time so its fine. We gotback to jerusalem just intime for shabbat. Me and my dad went to the kotel to pray. When we walked back , we walkd threough the jewish quarter I showd him where I slept during my aish prgram, and walkd back to the hotel . Took around 30 minutes ( dad was out of breath Hahah) . We had dinner with the bar mitvah trip, and then hunout in the lobby. I stayed there witha friend all night until 3am and went to sleep.

11-27

I woke up 12 just intime for lunch. It was the sebet by the hotel. We ate there and they spent the rest of the day with my family in the park. After shabbat we packed and went to eat before my family leaves. Good restuyraunt nextr to the hotel that we ate at by my bar mitvah trip 6 years ago. We ate and Isaid bye to my family and got in a cab to go to my apartment. I oragnized all my things and go ready for tommorw. Back to base.

11-28

I woke up at 7 and got ready to go to base. I got on the bus to the central station and then from jerusalem to be'er shevah . From there I have to go meet all the soldiers. and mefakdim at another station and from there we go to our base when everyones there. It only took aroun 2 hours to meet them. Today on base we didntr really do anything besides more paperwork and a hebrew test to see if you get help in you classes. I will probably. This is just trom tironut , so we don't do anything until sunday really. Going to get some more sleep. Goodngiht