Home is...

I'm back in the holiest of lands after a 10 day Midwest tour in the great states which I'm happy to report are still united. I fell seamlessly back into life in America and only noted a few major differences.
-People are generally nicer in Tennessee than in Israel.
-Similar to churches, Starbucks can be found on every street corner.
-Stores give you receipts and allow you to make exchanges and, gasp, even complete returns - a foreign idea in Israel.
-Anti-abortion signs escorted me along my drive from Tennessee to Indiana where it is unquestionable that "A family that prays together, stays together."

At the end of the day, I found myself comfortably catnapping in my parents new home in Knoxville, snuggly sleeping at Chez Adland (family friends in Indy), thrilled with my dorm room dozing in littlest Gubitz's IU dorm room and a splendid slumber in an elegant bridal suite in Cincinnati. Then again, I can sleep anywhere... But still nothing beats the 10 hour rematch with Jerusalem of Mold's own 40 year old mattress that I happily call "my bed." Well, really - its just half of my bed...but I digress.

It was interesting to re visit my life in the US - to see who is on my cell phone speed dial, to be back in Bloomington after three years, and to celebrate at a dear friend's wedding to another dear friend. Although less than one year has passed since I moved to Jerusalem, the ultimate re-entry to life in the US will prove to be a challenge. On this journey "home," I knew I'd be returning "Home" - back to Israel. That truth will not necessarily be reality when I depart from the holiest of lands for good at the end of May.

Over jet lag and back at school, I have quickly reentered my life in the holiest of lands - only to jet off once more on Thursday morning - this time to the Ukraine and Russia.

My guess is that as the states are still United and the holiest of lands is still holy, the Former Soviet Union will likely be neither Soviet nor a Union but formerly both of those.

At the end of the day, I know the following to be true.
Home is where you light your bed on fire.

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