Now that I have the key to my little windowless office it seems I have zero other things to do bureaucracy-wise. It’s interesting how people have warned me and complained that the bureaucracy here is so slow, especially compared to the states. Despite how it may have appeared in my previous post, I’m not all that sure the process here is really that much slower than in the US. It’s of a different nature, sure, but here there is a subtle flexibility compared to the rigidity of bureaucratic processes in the west. The problem for outsiders is recognizing where there is flexibility; lacking an understanding of this culturally defined set of rules can create an extra set of hurdles.
To be honest I’ve been thinking about bureaucracy so much I wrote a poem about it. This just kind of poured out of me in a moment of inspiration:
Slug, bug, sliming the wall;
Lug, glug, slowly you drawl.
So… that’s more of a poem about a slug. Okay, but the two share some similarities, do they not? Incidentally, slugs have been frequenting my thoughts after this happened the night we arrived:
But now, I can put all that behind me. BGU awaits, brimming in anticipation and welcoming me with open arms brutalist architecture – one of my favorite architectural styles. Most popular in the mid-century, it traces its origins to early Modernist architecture of the early 20th-century. Brutalist architecture is known for having a very serious look, often with a massive character that suggests strength and functionality. Exposed concrete punctuated with glass windows expresses the systematic and regular construction of the buildings. They are rugged and seem to lack concern for external comfort, many look downright Orwellian.
wanderlust 
Love reading your blog! So interesting and so well written! Love the pictures too. Are you able to sample the date trees while passing by?
I like bugs, but (usually) not brutality. My motto is : “Never slug a slug.”