A Day Of "Studying"

~ Highlight of the Day: rediscovering Super Mario World; Athletic Theme ~

 

It's been another day of fighting off sleep and balancing temperatures, and I'd love to write about everything I've been meaning to write about, but I'm working on a little under 5 hours of sleep, and that's an improvement.

 

So. . . Arabic class is great - we learned how to count to ten yesterday, and that's when I discovered that what the shopkeepers have been constantly shouting at us all is

 

" (somethingsomethingsomething) ten!"

 or

"(arabicarabicarabic) ashara!"

 

I've also been busy practicing for the informal talent show being held tomorrow :) I've been kicking myself for not bringing my ukulele, but one of the other students has been kind enough to let me use his. A friend and I have rewritten the Peanut Butter and Jelly song (NOT the weird rap one, but the one Inside Out A Capella does. . . it's cute :) to better represent life here at the Center. Perhaps I can have someone video it, but if not I will definitely post the lyrics for all of you to enjoy.

 

And with that I'm off to read until sleep proves too tempting!

Field Trip!

~ Highlight of the Day: Singing reggae and bluegrass songs (about Jerusalem) at the top of my lungs on the bus ~

 

We did a lot today, and because I did a lot yesterday as well, I've still got a lot of homework. So here's the reader's digest version of today: we drove around and looked at Jerusalem from nearly every angle, and learned how to point out several other landmark buildings (such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Russian Orthodox Church of the Ascension, the Hebrew University tower, etc.) We did a lot more. . . but I'm sunburned and looking at a full night of homework (the yucky kind too. . . reading textbooks and writing papers . . . blech. ) I wouldn't be so opposed to it if I was going on a good eight hours of sleep. At least that's what I'm telling myself :)

Oh! Yesterday I ate my first falafal! I think that's how you spell it. . . it's pita bread stuffed with everything. Pickles, french fries, cucumbers, and fried who-knows-what all topped with some sort of dressing. It's delicious.

 

Back in the City

~ Highlight of the Day: Successfully navigating the Old City without a professor ~

 

After four hours of class this morning, an awesome lunch, and some security orientation, they set us loose on the city! It was a bit intimidating, but our group stuck to familiar streets and stayed close to each other, and didn't go too far. It was a lot of fun to just idle our way down the street, stopping here and there at the shops and asking the shop keepers about their merchandise. We didn't cover a lot of ground, but we talked to people. Every now and then a merchant would recognize us as BYU students, and they'd say "for BYU, only two shekels" or "BYU, best milkshakes here!" We're apparently known as the 'Mormon University', and in orientation they told us that if we ever need to take a taxi back to the Center we should call it that, not the BYU Jerusalem Center.

 

And I found plenty of Ouds, one of which I will definitely end up bringing home. Apparently actual instrument quality ouds are large. . . shorter than a guitar, but much deeper, so I'm not sure how I could get it back home with me. You can find small ones, but they're the Near Eastern equivalent of the $40 pink ukuleles. If I can't find anything better I might settle for that. . . I'll definitely mull over it for a few months.

 

Well, tomorrow's the Sabbath for us. It will be a bit weird having Saturdays and Sundays reversed, but I think I'm going to like it.

Essays. . . or "S-A's" ?

~Highlight of the Day: Having sourdough french toast for dinner. Mmmmm. . . ~

I'm currently writing an essay in order to get school credit for this internship. . . I've never really liked essays, and I truly lucked out in picking a profession where no one really wants you to write essays anyway. But I do have to write one or two, occasionally, for those who aren't blessed to work with plants all day and have not yet realized there may be more to life than reading what other people didn't want to write. 

Part of the prompt I'm going off of went something like this:


" What were your expectations for the internship going into it, and how were those expectations realized half way through?"

Based on today I would write:

"Before starting my internship I was convinced I was going to get an awesome [farmers] tan, because I'd be in the sun all day, every day. Then I got here and spent all my time at a potting bench or under shade cloth. Halfway through the summer I was still not tan. This week though I've been at the nursery, and am relieved to say my tan is coming along. So not to worry, Longwood's internship program is still exceeding expectations."

I may actually be a bit more red than tan today. It's what I get for having a 7 hour conversation with the sun. I also had the privilege of listening to this lovely song while my zune was on shuffle. I really had to try hard not to sing it at the top of my lungs in the middle of the mum field :)

Mums, Music, and Star Wars

~Highlight of the Day: Watching it rain for nearly 30 minutes like Noah was on his way ~

I was recruited for potting and cutting mums (chrysanthemums) down in the lower production greenhouses today. So I looked at mums for eight hours. . . the 'Seaton Ruby' cultivar to be exact (not that you can tell mums apart when they're small green twigs with a few leaves anyway).

To clear my head of mums when I got home I delved into some bands I've recently discovered:

The Asteroid Galaxy Tour

and

We Were Evergreen

By recently I mean yesterday and today. And I wouldn't be surprised if everybody else has heard/listened to them before - I tend to be at least half a decade behind when it comes to these things. . . Anyway, both a little different from each other, and both a little (maybe a lot in the Asteroid Galaxy Tour's case) odd/unique. I really like them both though.

And of course the only way to properly wrap up such a Friday is to watch Star Wars:  A New Hope. I slept through the climax of course - saw everything up to the moment before Luke blows up the Death Star, and then woke up in time for Han to be flirting with Princess Leia during whatever ceremony they've got at the end of the movie. May I just say, Harrison Ford is probably the single most attractive actor that ever was or will be. I mean, this is the man who made Han Solo and Indiana Jones the ultimate manly adventurers they are! And we can watch as much of him as we want - we should all take a moment and appreciate just how lucky we all are :)

Korea, Followed By Bluegrass!

~ Highlight of the Day: listening to bluegrass group Highway 111 and Sierra Hull. Go mandolin! ~

I ended my work day today by experiencing this:

124 degrees Fahrenheit is officially the hottest temperature I've ever endured. Luckily this was just a greenhouse I needed to pass through. My destination greenhouse was only 110 degrees :)

After work I went to a Korean Market with my Korean roommate. It was so odd not being able to read most of what was there. I mean, at least with Spanish or German you can sound out the words and try/butcher the pronunciation. I can't even begin to imagine what any of this says (unless it's in English :)

Look! Acorn starch! This reminds
me of the acorn flour my roommates
and I made last fall. . . good stuff :)

I felt I should try something, so I got a BB Big Popsicle. . . It's made of red beans I think. . . It tasted beans mashed up with sugar. . . not too bad actually.

Then the nice Korean lady at the store gave us these also. I liked them a little better because they were closer to ice cream. It was an interesting flavor, but good.

And then I wrapped up the evening with a little bluegrass in the Open Air Theater. Very inspirational. There's currently an F style mandolin on craigslist for a good price. . . I've been waging a battle in my head over getting it or not. This amazing lady did nothing but aggravate the problem :)

Three New Things

#1. Chaco Sandals!

Here comes the Chaco tan lines. . . I can't wait!

Look! They're already making friends with all the other shoes!
This is the most popular shoe hangout in the room -
right next to the computer desk :)

#2. A Journal!

I was rather dismayed when I realized I'd forgotten to pack an

empty journal from Washington, but this one will work perfectly!

It reminds me of the Leonardo Dicaprio version
of Romeo and Juliet. . . over the top gaudy with
some gangster vibes. but I like it.

#3. The Lumineers Album!

It's rare for me to get an entire album. . .
but I liked all of their songs. . . so I did :)

Ho Hey is my favorite, but Stubborn Love is
a close second.