free day

Since we observe the Sabbath (Shabbat), on Saturday's here....Sunday's are our free day! We woke up nice and early ( we always do) and went on the ramparts walk. It goes all the way around the old city so we had a really great view of everything! After that we went to the Western (or wailing) wall which is the most sacred place for the Jewish people. They're so faithful and not afraid to worship in front of everyone, I feel like I could learn a lot from their devotion! After the Western wall, we got shawarma from Sam and Eddy's! (too many tomatoes). After that we literally explored the entire city! We saw the Jewish quarter (so much cleaner than the rest of the city), Muslim, Christian, and Armenian quarters. They're all so unique. I love the different music and smells that come as we walk through the streets! Last night we had a mini dance party in the student lounge because it was the grand opening of the Shekel Shack... it was pretty great. I'm working on staying far away from Magnum bars. I even went to the library yesterday with my roommate Stephanie, we were impressed with ourselves. Speaking of Stephanie, she's pretty cool I guess. Sometimes we stay up too late laughing about the weirdest things and we're already compiling a list of the funniest things we accidentally say. My roommates are so funny. We're all super different but we have so much fun together and laugh so hard!

Today we went on our first field trip. We went to a few different sites that were all overlooking Jerusalem from every different angle you could ever imagine. Our first site, Nadi Samwill was overlooking the West Bank (who  knew that was like 5 minutes from where I live?). It is traditionally known as the burial place of the Prophet Samuel. Its also the place in the book of Joshua where God stopped the sun for awhile during the Israelite invasion. (didnt even know that story until today). The next place we went was the Augusta Victoria tower, which was a great view of the city! We also went to the 7 Arches Overlook, also a great view. We took a little hike in a field so that we could overlook the city of Bethlehem! We saw the shepherds fields and a shepherd herding his sheep! (we paid him 8 sheks for a pic). Dr. Huntsman said Christ was most likely born in the springtime...we decided it was probably april 30 around 2pm. so we were definitely overlooking bethlehem on his birthday. We also sang some Christmas carols. (we always do, huntsman loves it).  Tonight we have FHE (i just got called as a fhe mom..yay), and i'll consider doing some homework.. peace. Pics later!

the jc

Can't believe today is my third full day in jerusalem! I love this place already. I woke up bright at early Thursday morning. Really, my roommates and I were all wide awake by about 2:30am. Then as we were finally falling back asleep the call to prayer began. I think that was when I realized that i'm in JERUSALEM. Later that morning we went on a field trip walk around the Old City. I was so tired that I honestly can't even remember what happened. I just remember thinking that it was so pretty! All I could think about on Thursday was how I wanted to go to sleep, but I had to make myself stay awake to avoid the jet lag! I tried to do some reading for my classes but I kept falling asleep, so I gave up and went to sleep. Thursday is one big blur, i was so tired. I almost slept through the night on Thursday night, I just woke up for a second for the call to prayer...that was a success. (If you haven't heard it, you should look it up on youtube. It's the weirdest thing, but i'm already falling in love with it). One of speakers is in a little neighborhood right outside my window, so it is VERY loud.

rachel and I on the first night

view from my balcony!

my roomie stephanie! our first pic hahahaha. were so weird.

Friday was a lot better! Getting up early here isn't hard at all. Breakfast is at 7 and i'm always on time (haha all three days....dad better be super proud). Then we started classes at 8. First I had Old Testament and then Ancient Near Eastern studies. My Old T teacher is super funny and passionate. (his blog is huntsmansintheholyland.blogspot.com....he updates with a lot of pics and details). I love my professor for ANE, he's really cool...but his kids are even greater. They just live here in the center with us and hang out with us all the time! The boys are 17 and 14 and just act like college students, its great. (and thanks to rachel bennett they already know me around here). Finally last night we were allowed to leave and explore the city on our own! I went out with Dwight, Melinda, and Robin and it was super great. We walked through Damascus gate and explored all the shops. The walk from the center to the old city is uphill both ways...super great. But its a quick walk. I love looking towards the center from the old city, you can always see it and it already feels like home! While you walk down the street, so many people yell at us. Its definitely a self esteem booster because everyone says "oh you so pretty" or "we love the mormons, what you eat that make you so beautiful?" They also whistle and honk at us all the time. Feels pretty great. I think they're fans of my blonde hairs. We found this shopkeeper named Shaban who sells shirts and sweatshirts that say BYU Jerusalem, as well as leather scripture cases, ctr rings in hebrew, and lots of other "stuff for the mormons." Seriously, they love us. We have to be out of the old city by sundown because i guess it gets kind of dangerous. We can be in West J but all the shops were closing for their sabbath that starts on Friday's at sundown. Last night we played games, listened to music, played volleyball, and watch a movie. I think Friday's are going to be party times around here.

walking to the city!

crazy spice tower in the old city!

Robin and I in the old city. I guess the painted walls mean they just went to Mecca!

the JC! (home)

Saturday's in Jerusalem is really sunday....haha we have church on saturdays because the Jewish observe their sabbath then. It's called shabbat. So today was our first day of church. It was really great. Sacrament meeting is in this room that has a huge window that faces the old city. It was hard to focus on the speakers because i kept getting lost looking out the window! Then we went into the Garden Tomb! It was really interesting because it didn't feel sacred or anything. There were so many tourists and a lot of preaching and singing in different languages so it was hard to focus!!! Tonight we made cookies with the Ludlow's (my professors family!)

I love this place already and its going to take lots of convincing to make me come home! My roommates are great and i'm making some really great friends already. Love it here.

I'm here!

Hmm for some reason my computer is putting this website in Hebrew.....so I'm not really sure what I'm doing. We finally got here a few hours ago. On the plane I sat by a couple from south Carolina. They were SO DRUNK. Alcohol was free on the plane, so they enjoyed that thoroughly. They were meeting some famous pastor in Jerusalem for a Christian revival....at least that's what I thought she said through her slurred words. The Jerusalem center is so beautiful. We ate dinner outside on the patio overlooking the old city. Then we had an hour of class where almost everyone fell asleep...good thing i think we were only talking about the syllabus. My roommates are great, and I think im happy but I'm not awake enough to really know yet. I still dont feel like this is real life. I thought that hearing the call to prayer at sunset would help make it more real but it still hasn't! Tomorrow we are having a little more orientation and then walking through the old city for the first time!!

tomorrow?

I leave for Jerusalem TOMORROW. and I am so excited. But i'm really gonna miss these people.

best family ever. Allie will be in Peru for the summer, Nate&Liz in Uganda. what are my parents going to do without us?

just some cute best friends

and these best friends. 

and my favorite little sister

and my future roommates :)

and my other SISTA!

hahaha ned bfff

I can't believe i'm starting a blog. This goes against EVERYTHING I believe in. (and it will not continue beyond august 9, you can be sure of that). But for my family and best friends...I will do it. I'm leaving TOMORROW for my biggest adventure yet. I'm going to live in Jerusalem for almost four months, and will be studying at the BYU Jerusalem center. I only [kind of] know a few people i'm going with, so for the first time in my life i'm going into something completely alone. Sometimes i'm terrified, but then I get too excited to even think about being scared. I leave SLC at 11:07 tomorrow morning and I couldn't be more excited! I can't really promise i'll be good at blogging, but i'll try!

oh, this is just my house for the next three and a half months. Right on Mt. Scopus overlooking the Old City of JERUSALEM!!!!!

Peace in the Middle East. (literally). and i have no idea how to blog, so don't judge.