Rocks and Stuff

~Highlight of Yesterday:  Listening to a Bedouin woman teach us about weaving while sitting in a beautifully woven tent drinking herbal tea (which was called something fancier, but I forget) ~

 

Ok, this is going to be quick, because I've got laundry, and studying, and Seder song practice, and a million other things beside.

 

We saw a lot of rocks yesterday. We visited the ancient city of Arad down in the south (the Negev desert), and Tell Sheva (a mile from Beersheeba) in the north. I think we ended up driving through all five land regions: Costal Plains, Shephela, Hill Country, Judean Wilderness, and the Jordan River Valley. We saw the Dead Sea, and Masada (we'll go there later in the semester [so excited for that!]), and Jericho, and crazy huge date palm plantations. I've never seen so many palm trees in my life.

 

The ancient city ruins are really cool. It's hard to imagine what the city was actually like, but it's interesting to walk through it. My favorite part of the ruins we visited were the wells and cisterns. I cannot imagine digging anything deeper than a few feet or so, and that's in mild Washington weather!

 

Well, I'm back to studying for the next few days. . . We leave for Turkey on Sunday!

The Mediterranean

~ Highlight of the Day: riding a bike (handless. . . not that I'm bragging or anything :) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea ~

 

I wish I could post pictures so bad! The Tel Aviv waterfront is absolutely beautiful, and the water is warm, and the sand is perfect for sand castles and burying people, and there are markets just a short walk (or bikeride) away. . . it's definitely been an amazing day.

 

I even avoided a horrible sunburn (unlike some of my unfortunate classmates). I'm just going to have a freakin' awesome farmer's tan. And a Chacos tan! That I'm excited for.

 

May I just say, I love my chacos. They are comfortable, open, sturdy, water-safe, and stylish :) I would wear them everywhere if I could.

 

Anyway, I'd promise pictures tomorrow, but we're going on a full day field trip to the Negev Desert (and some other cool places). I don't think we're getting back till late, and then it's a whole new week of classes, and then I'm teaching primary on the Sabbath, and after that we're off to Turkey for a week!

 

Fun Fact: Acacia trees are native to the Negev Desert. . . not that I'm totally geeking out about that or anything :)

 

 

Saturday Day is a Special Day. . .

~ Highlight of the Day: waking up after a full night of sleep. . . finally! ~

We watched Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark  last night. . . it's so much cooler after you've just spent the whole week studying the Old Testament and the history of the Levant. And that's saying a lot, because it's a pretty cool movie to begin with! Watching it also makes being here in Israel seem much more adventurous . . . like walking through the old city will result in me getting caught up in a dangerous search for some lost religious relic of untold value. It's a side affect I'm totally willing to live with.

On a different note - Last night we went as a group to the Western Wall. It's one of the few times we're allowed in East Jerusalem after sunset, and it was truly amazing to get to observe all the people worshiping there. I think that is my favorite part of being here in Jerusalem - getting to see and better understand people of differing beliefs devoutly worshiping in places considered sacred by so many. There is so much you can learn! We got invited to join in the Friday night celebrations by a Jewish man handing out prayer books, and we totally would have gone if we didn't have to be back at the center by a certain time. I'm sure we'll get similar opportunities throughout the semester.

 Today we went to the Garden Tomb after District Conference (it's still a little weird making Saturday the sabbath), which was pretty cool. We went on the tour that they offer and then sang hymns together. We'll probably go back in much smaller groups later in the semester. They've got a beautiful garden there.  

Well, I'm going to Tel Aviv to swim in the Mediterranean tomorrow, and maybe I can make my way over to the Hebrew University to post some pictures. It depends on when we get back. I'll let you know all about it tomorrow!

Knowledge. . . Good Stuff

~ Highlight of the last three days: Shawarma. Just as good as falafel. Maybe better. ~

 

I'm taking 15 credit hours this semester. I knew I would be taking 15 credit hours when I applied, was excited to see the 15 credit hours listed on my semester schedule, and couldn't wait to learn 15 credit hours worth of stuff on Israel.

 

Now I'm about 15 credit hours behind in sleep.

 

I did nothing but study for two days straight. I didn't even blog!

Yesterday I finally caved and went out to the city for a few hours. Then I came back and studied some more. I feel like I've learned a semester's worth of information in the last 3 days. And did I do well on the test in my Ancient Near Eastern class this morning?

 

I really doubt it.

 

So here's to knowing that the Southern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyrians in 586 BC, and that Herod the Great was around from 37-4 BC, and that the Bar Kochba revolt happened in 132 AD, and Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina.

 

Let the tests begin.

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.

 

Pictures!

~ Highlight of the Day: Hmm. . . don't know yet, it's still morning ~

 

I'm at the Hebrew University, and that means I have access to internet that can handle pictures! Yaaaaaaayyyyyy!

 

Greece from the plane.

 



 

Shekels

 

Pomegranet tree!

 

Jerusalem sunset

 

BYU Jerusalem Center arches. . . at least some of them.

 

Plants! I'm working on a trip to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens. . . it will happen.

 

<---- Look! Plumbago!

Austrian Hospice

 

Accross from the Austrian Hospice. . .

 

Old Jerusalem

 

 

 You see that tiny little white building, you know, the one on the hill? Yeah, that's the Jerusalem center. (Ok, it's actually the building at the top, with all the arches, if that's helpful at all)

My neighbor's pomegranet tree. . . not that I'm jealous or anything :)

 

 

(imagine this middle picture actually in the middle of the other two. . . it's supposed to be a panoramic view of Jerusalem. . .  viewed from the side of the Hebrew University that doesn't have an entrance, as we discovered after hiking down a huge hill and up another one. . . )

 

Aaaand that's about it. For now. Enjoy :)

 

The Sabbath

~ Highlight of the Day: That big glass of water I had after hiking to Gethsemane and back on a Fast Sunday. . . Saturday* ~

 

Today I:

 

 went to ward choir

 looked out at the city of Jerusalem during sacrament meeting (no big deal :)

walked to the Garden of Gethsemane

walked back from Gethsemane

survived the walk back

had the best ice cream ever

wrote 3 letters

and

played an intense game of catchphrase

 

And tomorrow I will make it to the Hebrew University and will post pictures. As long as I can convince two other people to come with me. . .

 

*We have church on Saturday here. It felt just like a Sunday except I had to keep fighting back the panic of having none of my homework done. I have an entire day tomorrow! Woohoo!