Catching Up Is Hard to Do

What have I been doing since I last wrote?

First, I went to the demonstration in Tel Aviv on Saturday night. People here are protesting because of the insanely high rent prices.

Check out this link: http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/some-450-000-israelis-march-at-massive-march-of-the-million-rallies-across-country-1.382366

I was on the phone with my Mom when I was walking to the protest with Anna. Of course, when I told her I was going to the protest she thought what most people probably think: protest in the Middle East = molotov cocktails + bloody riots + tear gas. But this one was so different. Parents were out with their kids and there was even some entertainment. We basically just walked down the street until we came to a large park where someone was speaking. It was low key but hopefully effective.

Cost of living here is so expensive. I honestly don't know how people do it. Even small things are unaffordable. For example, I wanted to buy some nail polish the other day. I went to the pharmacy down the street and the nail polish was 45 shekels, which is over $10. There is some nail polish in the States that costs this much for sure, but there are a ton of cheaper options. Like Wet 'n Wild! Sure, it's a little watery. But it does the trick. Here, there are no cheap options. For anything.

Neutrogena facewash, which I'm pretty sure you can get in Walmart for $5, is around $30 here. Most American products here are way overpriced. But food is also ridiculously expensive. I was telling my Mom that I barely eat meat anymore. It's around $15 for chicken breasts!

Ah, the life of a student.

After rambling on about how expensive it is here...

A bunch of us took Tony out for his 30th birthday a couple nights ago, and it was actually a super affordable place! My pasta dish, which came with a ton of pasta and vegetables, was only 30 shekels, which is under $10. (Can you imagine a pasta dish at a nice restaurant costing less than a tiny bottle of nail polish? Crazy, right?) So we got pasta, a nice bottle of Golan wine, which comes from the Golan Heights Winery here in Israel, and chocolate cake. It was so delicious!

Mom and Dad, when are you coming to visit? I need a nice piece of steak soon. :)