More Than Lo and Ken

Okay, we are officially screwed. I realized this when we were sitting at the Israeli consulate. First of all, Matt told you about the security, but he neglected to tell you that we waited our turn in the smallest waiting room I've ever seen. There were maybe 8 chairs in a semi-circle, one door (the only way in or out of the room), and a reception window (like you'd see at the dentist's office). The window was where all the business was done. When it was your turn (it was on the honor system as to who arrived first), you would walk up to the window and talk to the diplomat through a speaker-phone. When she asked for your paperwork, you placed it in the small tray that slid back and forth under the window.

So, basically, everyone could hear everyone's business because it was a small room and you had nothing else to do while waiting your turn. And, well, I am just plain nosey.

Bored and curious, I watched everyone carefully to try to determine why each one was visiting the consulate that day. For three of them, I still have no idea. However, I had more luck with the only other couple that was waiting with us. They were Israeli and were attempting to renew their daughter's passport (their daughter was not in attendance). Things didn't seem to go well for them, but I couldn't understand what exactly transpired because they were speaking Hebrew. This was when I started to worry.

Everyone else waiting at the consulate spoke fluent Hebrew. It was basically an hour and a half time span where all we heard was Hebrew. I have been completely lax in my studying (shame on me!) and only really know how to read Hebrew with no comprehension. Oh yeah, and I also know "lo" (no) and "ken" (yes). I still don't even know how to ask where the bathrooms are located!

Update: Matt, realizing my fear about the bathroom situation, just ordered us Hebrew phrase books to take along with us. Apparently, asking about bathrooms is a common worry for visitors, because the phrase book has that information in its front sleeve. So, just fyi, "Where's a public toilet?" correlates to "Eifo ha sherutim tsiburi'im?" Whew! Well, I at least don't have to worry about that one anymore. Now...how do I ask, "I'm lost, how do I get home?"