Jerusalem At Last

Shalom! I have now officially begun my first semester studying here in Jerusalem. After a 5 hour walking tour through the Old City, I couldn't be more excited! There has already been so much activity just in the few days I have been here.

Here's a summary of my time here so far: I flew to Tel Aviv on Thursday night through Friday afternoon, then caught a sherut (10 passenger van) for an hour trip to Jerusalem. The sites were amazing even from the window of the van! It caught me by surprise to see so many mountains and green trees, with cities built on the slopes and tops of the mountains. Saturday was full of orientation on campus, a scavenger hunt in the Old City, then a walking tour through the new city area around the school. An extremely full, but awesome day.

This morning I woke up to an excellent breakfast of eggs, fruit, yogurt, and instant coffee (not too bad, by the way), then caught a ride to a church in town. It was a cute little church and I enjoyed their warm welcome! After lunch the whole group of students were led in a walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. I didn't know much about the city before we began, but I sure feel like an expert now! Everything is so important to history and religion, almost like a living, thriving museum. But unlike a museum, things are constantly changing and modernizing, yet still centering around the past. Strange concept, kind of unexplainable. Anyhow, wandering through the Old City was great and I saw all the "touristy" things, such as the Upper Room, Temple Mount (Dome of the Rock), Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Mount of Olives, tons of tiny shops and trinkets, and a whole lot of mosques and churches. I know I'm forgetting an important landmark, but you get the picture. My teacher (who gave the tour) also did a great job explaining the history and importance of each location.

Already, I have such a better understanding of the background and culture of modern-day Israel. It's quite complex and I have a TON to learn, but I sure am looking forward to it!!