After the usual putting everything back together screw around; all the girls who finished the oketz gibbush were stood in a chet. The mefaked plugeut came and explained all the boring stuff, and told us that he would read the 16 names and that at the end all the girls who's names weren't called would walk back to rest of the group. At this point my heart was beating so fast i honestly thought it would explode. Feeling quite sick, i listened as he read the names out. At a crazy fast pace i watched girls go up all the time thinking "hmmm, there aren't many places left". Then he read the last name out. I was not called.
Walked back to the group in a bit of a state of shock, stayed in that state for 5 minutes and then it hit and i burst out in tears. I quite literally exploded.
Walked back to the group in a bit of a state of shock, stayed in that state for 5 minutes and then it hit and i burst out in tears. I quite literally exploded.
I can honestly say, after the gibbush i said i didn't know but i was 95% sure i'd gotten in. I mean, physically i did well at the gibbush. I assumed i got in and so did the girls who did the gibbush with me. So when my name wasn't called i really didn't know how to handle it.
Cried a bit with a friend who also didn't get in and we figured out something really very interesting. We were crying because not getting in meant we "failed" and that we had to now tell everyone. I do not think that those are good reasons. Not at all.
Cried a bit with a friend who also didn't get in and we figured out something really very interesting. We were crying because not getting in meant we "failed" and that we had to now tell everyone. I do not think that those are good reasons. Not at all.
After the initial shock i put it all into perspective and realised Caracal as a unit suits me and my personality better. Caracalists (not sure if you're allowed to say that...) are known to be a little crazy.Have a screw loose in the head, they have rabak. Rabak is a hebrew slang word that doesn't really have an english translation. It sort of translates to enthusiasm but it's like super enthusiasm for everything.
Aside from that bit of news, this week was amazing! We were in Shetach (field). Camping out in little tent thingys eating tinned food (there was NOT enough), peeing outside (always a highlight), but mostly shooting. Learning that the things we carry around with us are in fact rather powerful.
I however, as well as firing guns, threw a grenade. Remember how i said my heart was going to explode from beating too fast on the news from Oketz? Well times that by 10. Running to the throwing platform with a real grenade in my vest then doing practice throws all with a real grenade Oh MY GOD. Not only that, but we did this practice of what to do if a grenade is dropped live inside the platform. So when that happens you run outside counting 21, 22, 23 then hit the ground on your belly; legs crossed and hands on your head. Great, did that...kindof on my side not putting my weight on the grenade. Then the Mefakedet Machlaka jumped on me. Full weight on top. I was screaming inside my head "ARE YOU CRAZY? I'VE GOT A GRENADE IN MY VEST". I guess that's why they have a safety pin.... Anyway, i can say throwing grenades was the scariest thing I've done so far in the army.
Shooting was fine. There isn't much kickback (that i can feel), and it's a lot easier to aim with the scope on top. I really got to see what Morphias (that's my gun), can do.
Aside from that, the week went rather quick.
Things that happened in shetach:
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| Some friends and i, and our sleeping bag filled with other sleeping bags, nicknamed "casper" |
- I was freezing cold, even with thermal pants, 2 pairs of socks (difficult with boots that are too small-still waiting on replacement boots), two long sleeve shirts, uniform and a beanie.
- I was constantly hungry--there really was not enough food
- I crawled around a lot--we did a lot of practice with positions of shooting.
- and a funny story; was around the middle of the night when somebody pokes their head into the tent and shakes my leg. me "what?", person "who's this", me "louise" person "it's the mefakedet machlaka" me "yes", her "where's your gun", me "inside my sleeping bag", her "where are the guns of the other two" me "i don't know" the end. Lovely middle of the night conversation.
- OH and sleeping uncomfortably between two girls in a tiny tent with my gun poking me in the side all night.
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| Our shooting range. |
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