This Has All Been Wonderful

But now I'm on my way.


In short: It's been a very interesting month and a half and while I intended to spend another month here, the kibbutz and I are breaking it off.
We both benefitted from the relationship, but it's reached its end.
No hard feelings.
No awkward glances.
I know what's mine and I'm happily packing it up and heading out.
The Seinfeld exit, if you will: leaving on a high note, somewhat unexpectedly and before the craziest of all the characters shows their true colors (by which I mean, Cosmo Kramer is a racist)


So, come June 1st, I will board an Egged bus (most probably stuffed with adorable and mature-looking Israeli 18 to 21 year-olds named Itai and/or Liron) due north for Tel Aviv.
I'm dealing with a salad of mixed emotions because I've made some really amazing friends and have had some really great times here.
But, when you know, you know.
And I know.
It's time.
I'll be heading home sometime before June 10th (13 days early, give or take) and I can genuinely say: I'm ready.
Just like ripe fruit only spoils if you don't eat it on time, I'm ready to go and delaying it any further would only cause fruit flies and mold.


In theory, this trip had a very specific purpose:
To Figure Shit Out.


At the same time, I had no fucking idea what I was doing, a lot of the time.
Literally, there were days when I'd just doodle for 2 hours or walk to a beach and stack sea shells until I got hungry.
Not that those days weren't terrific.
Of course they were terrific.
But they helped me realize that I prefer a little structure.
As uncool as it may sound, I like having a job.
I like knowing what's expected of me (it makes not doing what's expected of me that much more satisfying) and I like feeling productive, constructive, and useful.
I also really, really like Home.
I like You.
And sometimes, you need to go really far away to learn how much you like being really close.


(Cue the John Williams musical montage)