I’m Going Home

If you are following me on Facebook you must have noticed that we moved back to Israel.
Many have asked if we returned because of the Coronavirus. The answer is no. We bought tickets before the outbreak of this epidemic.
We were sure we are about to stay for a longer period of time in the US but we missed our family and friends, in a way we couldn’t ignore it.

The moving company arrived Thursday to pack our stuff. It was both sad and exciting to see our memories from the last three years packed in boxes and to realize that we will see them in a few months. We stayed three nights at Anat and Oren’s, and on Sunday morning we drove from Arizona to LA to catch our plane back home.

 

After nearly a million hours of flight, we landed in Israel on the day that the isolation regulation applied to all whom returning from abroad.
We arrived and my parents welcomed us with lots of excitement, masks, no hugs, but with a lot of joy.
We sat in quarantine together – and because we were together it wasn’t so bad. The two weeks flew by quickly, with delicious food and lots laughter.

After two weeks we moved to apartment we rented in advance in Be’er Sheva.
The day after we moved I went to the grocery store- we needed food, toilet paper, cleaning products.
“I’ll come back in 40 minutes” I told to Dima. After all that’s what I’ve been doing for the last three years – grocery shopping.

Equipped with a mask on my face and latex gloves on my hands, I arrived to the grocery store.
I went in, looked around and didn’t understand where are the grocery carts.
I run to the security man, almost panicking “there are no carts?”
He look at me confused and board “behind you, miss”

I looked at the parking lot behind me and saw the carts. I was little embarrassed so I explained “I’m not retarded – I recently returned from the US, and there the carts located at the entrance of the store”
I tried to take a cart but it was locked!!
“It’s lock! What should I do?” I ran to security man like a little girl. He was amused.
“I need a cart! I need toilet paper and my Noam needs diapers! Please help me.”

An older man, who heard my plea, approach up to me “Take my cart “
It’s the place to explain that in Israel you need to insert 5 shekels coin to the cart than it will unlocked, and when you finish your grocery shopping and return the cart you will get them back. So, he didn’t just gave me his cart, he gave me his 5 shekels coin too.
I was thankful, and amazed from this old man kindness.  I felt at home- there no place like Israel in the entire world.

I entered to the grocery store, and got so confused! Everything is different! The aisles are so narrow, and where the toilet paper is located?

I went to the meat section and approach the butcher, I stood there for few minutes – cause even the pieces of the meat are different. Since I learned to cook in the US, I wasn’t sure what piece to buy. The butcher helped me choose the proper meat for Shishlik and the proper meat for roast- but it took FOREVER.

The woman behind me became impatient “Can you hurry up?”
I hurry to apologize “I just returned from the US, and I’m not sure what to buy”

After I finish and I was about to leave the meat stand, the butcher has already started to help to the impatient lady, I ask “Where can I find ground beef?”
The butcher smiled “I can help you with that, how many pounds to grind for you?”
The impatient lady was furious.  Again, I apologize and defend myself “in the US the ground beef is located in a space”. I was really embarrassed.

After that I went to the cheeses stand, where I had a long chat with the cheese lady, who told me how she moved from Tel Aviv, the big city, to Beer Sheva. When I left her stand, I was mocking myself a little bit. For three years I didn’t understand the need of Americans in small talks – and now it becomes naturally to me.

I needed to buy the laundry softener. I called mom via video, to consult which one to buy. In the corner of my eye I saw the impatient lady staring and smiling with a compassionate look and suddenly she interfere in our conversation: “these have a discount” it’s like she was trying to compensate for her behavior before.
“Thank you!” I said. There is no place like Israel.

Continuing to the eggs and sour cream shelves, trying to find cottage cheese – lots of cottage cheese! Because the American cottage cheese is not good, and I missed the Israeli cottage cheese. While I was picking a package of eggs I heard a man next to me asking “what is sour cream?”
I didn’t even lift my eyes and pull out of my cart sour cream “this is sour cream”.

“Nelly? – Aren’t you in the US?”
I looked up “Matan! What are you doing here?”- An old childhood friend from Jerusalem. What a small world! Can this day be any better? We switched phone numbers and I continued on my grocery shopping journey.

People staring at my full cart in a judging eyes. I hasten to explain “It’s not because of the Coronavirus – I just moved into new apartment- I need stuff”.

After I found everything that I wanted I approach to the cashier and a fabulous cashier lady helped me.
I paid and was about to be out of the store and then I realize I didn’t took any water.
The lovely cashier lady said ” you have no place in the cart, put your grocery in the car and come back – don’t worry.”
I put everything in the car and ran quickly back to the store and the cashier lady accepted me right away- without waiting in line. I was so surprise that people were not angry and were very understanding.

I returned home, almost three hours later. I was amused and told Dima everything that happened – how I felt like a tourist in a foreign country.
I am happy and grateful to be in Israel – because it is home- and there no place like home.

Although my blog was open as a response to my boredom in the US, I discover that I love to share recipes, and my pearls of wisdom with you!I love read your comments!
So if you want to stay up to date with me and my blog, even when I’m in Israel follow me on Facebook and Instagram!