like my "grown-up" friends

So, I decided it was time I got a "real blog" like my "grown-up" friends.

The idea is that I write my deep thoughts, summaries of my experiences, witty anecdotes, hopes, fears and you can all read along, keeping up with my life abroad and commenting where appropriate. I'll tell you all about my host family, my classes, my research project and my various French love affairs.

You'll see a couple of entries below this from last summer, when I was in Israel and I tried to keep a blog. It didn't last. The reality is, I'm likely to get self-conscious given the public accessibility of this thing and knowing the variety of people who will read it so your best bet for hearing the good stuff will probably be a phone call or personal email. But I'd like to give this thing another try.

One of my last nights in Boston I was at a dinner party in my friend's apartment, waiting for her to finish cooking a batch of potato latkes-- which, I will tell you, were second only to my dad's-- when I realized that I love my life in Boston, what I am doing and the people with whom I spend my time. That's why it hurts to leave for a semester: because I am so incredibly happy. But that's such a good place to be in to go abroad: I'm not running from anything. I love life and I'm just looking to experience more of it, or a slightly different version of it.

Things I'm going to miss:

• Smiling at strangers
• Using the bathroom for free
• My dad
• My dog
• My friends
  
• The COM basement
• Hosting Shabbat potlucks
  
• Quarters
• Mexican food
• Unexpected phone calls and text messages from (and to) American friends.
  

I was going to make a New Year's resolution to use the word "like" less in my speech: as a filler when I can't think of what to say next, but also as a substitute for the word "about" or as a verb ("was like" instead of "said" or "thought"). Then I realized I shouldn't be speaking English for most of the year so it's not likely to be an issue.

That's enough for a first entry. Welcome to my blog.