So cliché -so true

So cliché -so true

Fear of the unknown

The only thing to fear is fear itself

It's week 7 on my middle eastern adventure and I'd like to take this opportunity during my hour bus commute to reflect on my accomplishments, progress, and learning thus far. Honestly, this adventure was intended to give me a year to reconsider my priorities and break free from the routine my life had become. I walked into this chapter with an open heart, optimism, and prepared to watch reality and divinity intersect.

I've realized there are two distinct types of people: those who need structure, predictability, and routine to survive and those who feel suffocated by it. It's not to say that people can't switch tracks based on their moment in time and over the past few years I found myself personally questioning the cliché:

“If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.”

What I had “got” was by no means bad. A meaningful job, a comfortable house and car, supportive family, and terrific friends. Pretty easy really. But I felt the urge to expand, grow, learn and was somewhat stagnant in the dating department. Ok that's an understatement. While I do have amazing friends, I am entering a phase of live where most of them are settled with families and running on children's schedules and I've always found the pickins kind of slim for me in Chicago. So with divine intervention (literally) I was blessed with an opportunity to come to Israel as a working professional (something I always wanted but never thought was possible).

Fastforward to week 7 into the adventure and yesterday marked a milestone. I finally received my employee time card so I am officially “on the grid” at my job. Luckily I was warned about Israeli beaurocracy and came financially prepared with a cushion for a few months. Hopefully, by November I will receive my first paycheck.

I've learned how to have a sense of humor about beaurocracy reminding myself that “this too shall pass.” I've observed Israelis responding in pretty extreme ways so it's comforting knowing they suffer from it as well. I've seen a man scream at staff at the Ministry of Interior over the so called “protectzia” of the number system and young psychologist break down in tears over working for 3 months without pay. I, myself, have left multiple copies of paperwork in three locations (the psychological clinic, the Ministry of Interior, and the city Municipality) hoping to crack through the system. A lot of work for the small amount of sheckles I'm actually getting paid.

And as I wait for my first paycheck to get deposited, I've learned professionally that there is a lot of supervision provided from the city's psychological service clinic. I participate in individual and group supervision where we discuss cases and get input from senior practitioners. I have to admit that I am a little shocked that the small decisions that I used to make independently now have to be cleared through many channels before I can confidently take action. Whereas in the states, I think psychologists follow more of a “sink or swim” approach. I am helping implement an Animal Assisted Activity program at a school for children with severe disabilities and counseling typically developing highschoolers who have recently immigrated from English speaking countries. I even have a student whom I supervise in her practicum for an therapeutic animal grad program. Both of my assignments offer me the opportunity to expand professionally while working in a much less stressful atmosphere.

On an exciting note, in one short week one of my closest friends will join me in this adventure and by December the Chicago gang may all have a totally new living arrangement. While I wait for Devorah's arrival, I am attempting a green smoothie cleanse. Thankfully, the raging headache and fatigue of the withdrawal from sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, and carbs has lifted and on day three I'm feeling fantastic. If I continue to feel this good I will be tempted to stay on this diet/cleanse for a while.

Lyla tov for now