Hi, hi, hi. I am just checking in to say everything is really good and unfortunatly I have no time to write right now. But I have had a great two weeks. Learned a lot, really moved forward in the training (probably one more month and I will be done) I am to the point now where I am beginnong to do guarding alone! Both scary and fun.

This weekend I asked for an extra day off (its my right as a lonely soldier to get one extra day a month) I was in Tel Aviv and got to see so many people. Had great food at Lerone's family, picnic on the beach with Idan and Tiferet, stayed up until 3:30 am in a cafe talking with Dora, and got to see a buddy from the course (she picked me up from the train and drove me home (and bought me wine glasses and wine!)

I saw an AMAZING movie called bufor. Its an Israeli film the website is www.bufor.co.il/ and it has English. I will explain more about it in my next blog, but it is about the castle called Beaufort that Israel occupied for 18 in Lebanon. But it was also like walking into my world, on film. Yes it isn't a war zone, like in the movie, but you see the men doing the same job as me!! It was beauifully shot and acted the music was haunting. And the final scene was so powerful and simple, and explained everything of the Israeli mentality (that being they do crazy after tragic events, but they always continue) I would highly recommend it and I wish I could sit by and explain what everything is.

And now I will go today. But the army life is getting easier. I have finally gotten used to the routine, it doesn't bother me so to stay 11 days. And I am learning so much amazing stuff. Right now how to guide aircraft to targets. Wild.

All my love but I must jet. Talk to you in two weeks:>

Bufor (Beaufort)

"On June 5, 1982, at 6:15 A.M., when I was just 20 years old, I killed a person for the first time in my life and since then I've continued to kill," he says. "All the parents are anxious that their child fighting in the war not be killed, but they aren't worried that perhaps he will kill others. Twenty-four years and we haven't learned a thing. It hurts me terribly for everyone. Everyone is guilty and everyone is a victim. On television, people in suits shake hands and make decisions, and 20-year old kids are dying."

This is a quote from one of the producers of the Israeli film Bufor. I saw this movie, which is based on a very famous Israeli novel (translated):If Heaven Exsits, which is based on the not to distant history of the first Lebanon War.

It was an amazing movie on so many levels. My first interest to know what it was about came when I first spotted the poster. It is an image very farmiliar to me. And I knew that it was a story that takes place in the Lebanese boarder. Although my base doesn't look like the one in the movie, most of the bases I have seen up north look like this. They are just a million underground tunnels. Just heeps of concrete.

In this movie the soldiers are doing the male version of my job. The female version is purely to sit in front of the screens all shift. Guys sit watching screens, stand in the field or in hiding places with banoculars, and also are the first to enter a situation, of any kind. So yeah I understands so much of the life.

The cinematography was wonderful very artisting, so was the music. The acting was great and the story heartbreaking. This is the story of the first war in Lebanon and the occupation of a very ancient fort for 18 years.

In the end Israel leaves the fort and Lebanon. The base is blown up without harming the fort and now it is a touristic place to go.

There is a website for the movie www.bufor.co.il and there is an English section. You can see a trailer, but it really does the movie no justice. It was an amazing commentary on the strength of the people here in this country. If you have the chance I really recommend seeing it. And I look forward to the day that I can read the book (its in Hebrew)