Things I love in Haifa (so far)

I’ve been here for over two weeks now, so I decided to make a list (in no real order). This stems partly out of a lunchtime conversation today.

1. The warm weather. Need I say more? I read about my friends back home struggling through 30 degree F weather…and I left the office at lunch and did not even need a sweater.

2. Olive trees. I think they’re gorgeous.

3. More avocados and oranges than I could ever possibly eat.

4. Inspiration to read Baha’i books. When you’re living in a place where so much Baha’i history occurred, you can’t help but read. So far I’ve read Door of Hope (David Ruhe) and am now working on God Passes By (Shoghi Effendi).

5. Cats. Ok so I’m not a huge fan of cats, and the cats here are feral and gross, BUT they are amusing. I don’t know why cats strike me as funny creatures, but they are.

6. The sunlight. I think that is one of the reasons I’m so happy, honestly.

7. Blackout shutters. These things kill light, and it makes me sleep through the night (which is pretty rare). YAY!

8. Food. I’ve only eaten out 4 times, but each time it was delicious.

9. Everyone knows what gluten intolerance is!!! This is a huge deal for me, because explaining it to waiters (not to mention friends!) is tiring and frustrating.

10. I live by the sea. I’ve been missing a real beach for years, and now I have one. yay!