The IDF Effect

What do you do at the tender age of 22 after being drafted by the Israeli Defence Force, and seeing combat in the West Bank? You go to India to party. A lot. Anyway, that's the story of everyone around here. After our morning Yoga class (my first was yesterday), my new Israeli friends and I went to a cafe to drink chai tea and eat breakfast.

After that: nothing. We sat and talked and played cards for hours. That's the day. For them, this goes on for months, often years. Occasionally we switch cafes. At night they throw parties. I'm learning more about Israeli youth culture than Tibet right now, but it's still fun and interesting.

The guy sitting to my left was really interesting. It turns out he's none other than Michael Hanegbi, the famous Israeli TV host and actor. Just hanging out with the kids in India.

I'm cool because he's my Facebook friend now. Pictures of other Israelis I've been hanging out with: