September 10th, 2008 by elie
I’m back, I’m jetlagged, I’m trying to catch up with work. I get a phone call.
Israeli marketing guy: Is this Mishpachat G—-?
Me: Yes.
Israeli marketing guy: Are you the wife?
Me: Yes.
Israeli marketing guy: I’m calling from Makor Rishon, a dati leumi newspaper and we’d like you to join our readership, bla bla…
Me: Thanks, but we don’t need that right now.
Israeli marketing guy: We don’t need you, either. We are looking for dati leumi families to join this network of Makor Rishon… bla bla… You are dati, aren’t you?
Me: Sort of. Still don’t need it. Bye.
I missed Israel so bad… right?
September 10th, 2008 by elie
Monday, the day I left New York, I met a friend in the city to hang for a bit; he just moved to New York from Tel Aviv so his perspective is still fresh.
The conversation came to the usual point, of how impersonal New York is and how in-your-face Israel is. I forget that every time I get to New York. It’s always a culture shock for me.
The same goes for coming home. I forget the in-your-face that is my culture here.
And that culture never fails to remind me as soon as I land. As soon as I start putting my hand through the border control I.D. scan and some middle age Israeli guy comes from behind me and starts telling me what to do, even as my receipt prints out. And then wishes me well, saying in broken English, “Welcome to eretz.”
September 3rd, 2008 by elie
When I was back in New York in May, I perchance walked into a Starbucks with some friends and noticed a new drink on their menu: this mint chocolate iced frappuccino thing. I’m all about trying new ice blend chocolate coffee things, so I did.
…And I’ve been dreaming about it ever since. Actually, salivating. I’d been wanting it since I got to New York. Since I knew I was coming to New York. But for the first two weeks of my trip, I was building up the craving… Holding out and waiting to reward myself for something.
I finally broke down today and went to the Starbucks down the block from my New York office, and I wait on line; it’s taking forever before I realized I’m on the wrong line. Then I scan the menu for the name of the drink so I can order it when it is finally my turn, but I don’t see it advertised anywhere and I start freaking out.
So I left in a huff and walked all the way… down the block, to the second Starbucks that bookends my office. For no logical reason, really, since they are all franchises. But it felt right.
I wait impatiently on line, close to breaking down, and get to the girl at the counter. She asks what I want but I cut her off and I’m like, “Do you still have that mint chocolate iced frappuccino thing?”
And I guess I must have looked pretty desperate… I kinda dumped my hopeful order there on the counter next to the register and the fancy granola cookies.
She smiled like a caffeinated angel and said, “Yes, we do! What size?”
And I was like, letting out a sigh of relief. A real physical one. You could see the sigh of relief, like in a cartoon.
It was so gross.
But the drink was damn good and exactly what I was looking for. There’s nothing like pleasing a long distant craving.