Asserting Independance

I have a few 'Israel' moments to relate...

I was in Tel Aviv recently and I noticed the municipality were starting to put up Israeli flags for the upcoming memorial and celebration days. I decided that I wanted one, I asked if I could have one with a sweet smile and I was rewarded for my efforts. Yesterday I proudly hung my flag on my 'mirpeset' (balcony), and it is now swaying in the wind....

I have now finished semester one exams and I am on holiday!!!! In order to get my degree, I also have to get an exemption from hebrew, which means passing through a series of levels of classes and exams. I had received a failure for this semester and I was really upset about it...so yesterday, after my last exam, I trotted off to the office to contest my results...I was told this was the Israeli thing to do.

I entered with a prepared speech, I sat down opposite the co-ordinator. She asked me my name, checked me up on the computer and replies "You passed." I was in shock...she presses a few buttons and presto..I am in the final level! Feeling a bit taken a back, because I was all fired up to give a speech after I spent the past two weeks moping about that I did not pass the exam...I said to her everything that I had prepared to say anyway, her response"It's good that you came in to check".

It's good that i came in to check because even though I had followed the system, received my grade which was a fail (the pass mark was 75), the information was still not all there....and until you yourself (independantly) confirm it is for real...it doesn't mean anything...yet again, i felt as though I had no idea what was going on...but this time I guess for the good!

As Israel is aboutto celebrate her 60th birthday, and I also am nearing mine...It's nice to recognise what we have acheived...the importance of achieving things by yourself...but also recognising the people that help contribute along the way to amke it all happen....