Signs of Settling In

I suppose that it is bound to happen anywhere you begin to live. There comes a point where, the newness of your immediate surroundings has worn off and you begin to feel and act like a ‘native’ of the place. Such has happened to me this week.

For instance, people stop and ask me for directions. Just today on the 4 aleph bus the young man sitting across from me, obviously Israeli, asked me if we were on Rehov (street) King George. Even more surprising, to me, was that I knew exactly where we were and when we turned on King George I said to him, ‘ze, Rehov King George’, this is King George Street. So proud, so proud.

Then, last week I was out in the neighborhood and I saw a woman who looked familiar to me. Briefly at first, I thought she was a friend and began to smile and almost talk with her. Then I realized that she was one of the women who worked at the Post Office on Rehov Keren Kayemet. I did that once before in my hometown of Fairfield in the US. I saw a checker from the Stop and Shop and started to wave to her thinking she was a good friend when really, all she did was touch my groceries and charge me for them. I felt so foolish. But when you see people on the street who look familiar to you, well, you’re settling in.

My dreams have also begun to include local people and local places. Last week in my dream I was in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre showing around and doing some business with an Arab Israeli friend.

But last night, I have to say, was the best. I dreamt that I was waiting for the Egged bus #14 to get to my bellydance class in Talpiot – a ‘hood of Jerusalem. I was with my mother. I don’t often dream about her, she passed away in 1987 but, there she was. I wanted to take her to my class.
We kept waiting, and waiting. Bus #17 to Hadassah Hospital and Ein Kerem passes. Bus #19 to Mount Scopus passes. Bus #9 to Givat Ram. Bus #405 to Tel Aviv. And they kept flying by us so fast until finally, I realized that we were waiting on the wrong side of the street.

We crossed over and got the #14. Once inside the studio my teacher Sagit was there, I tied on my pink hip scarf and began to shimmy! I woke up feeling like I had had a work out!

Can you believe that I’m dreaming about the Egged bus company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No dream analysis please….I’m crazy enough.