How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Sundays (not church days, remember) are usually free days, so this week we decided to have a beach day in Tel Aviv. It was so much fun, I haven't had a warm sunny day at the beach in a while! Boston beaches were fun, don't get me wrong, but there's something about actually getting in the water that really adds to the experience.

After swimming, then laying on the beach, then swimming, then laying on the beach, then swimming...we decided to explore. Tel Aviv has awesome playgrounds that totally put America's to shame. Their awesomeness was somewhere between city parks and Lagoon. The swing I took this picture from was basically a banana chair in motion. I didn't want to get out of it.

This was my favorite attraction at the park, which is saying something. You can get that rope swinging from side to side pretty good after a while. We were really impressed with ourselves until we looked at the next playground over and saw a man going higher than we were, all by himself... Most of the park equipment was just glorified versions of exercise machines -- I think America would stop getting fatter if we just put more fun stuff outside.

And this is where we spent 84% of the day. I already miss it. We definitely stood out a little--a huge group of twenty-somethings all in one-piece swimming suits, and laughing harder than anyone else on the beach. We kept making new friends with people that would stop and ask us what we were laughing at. An old man randomly joined in some of our water games out in the ocean, which had us laughing even more.

I waited all day to watch the sunset, but then I accidentally missed it. I was distracted by my delicious shawarma. Next time, next time. It was a wonderfully relaxing day overall, and I'm already excited to go back. Plus it was fun to show my knees all day, they don't understand why I'm not wearing my shorts. I don't have the heart to tell them I won't be wearing them all summer...

Shabbat Shalom!

I love Sundays! Well, Saturdays. I love the Sabbath. We have choir at 9:00 on Saturdays, then Church from 10:00 to 1:00 (perfect). Last Saturday four of us woke up early to go to the Garden of Gethsemane before church. I loved being there before Jerusalem woke up, it was so peaceful. We're not allowed to go without a guy in our group because a few people have been robbed on the walk over in the past few weeks. That sort of adds to the peaceful feeling of the Garden, since there's such a different feeling once you're finally inside compared to the trail through the valley we take to get there. We sang hymns and read scriptures together, and just tried to wrap our minds around where we were. Out of everywhere we've been, that site is the hardest for me to grasp. There's just no way to comprehend all that happened there.

We saw a man crash his scooter on a busy road on our walk back to the center -- that was a harsh snap back to reality. Traffic here is crazy...sidewalks are not limited to pedestrians and honking does not mean someone is waving at you because they know you. Cedar has given me interesting habits. After church our entire group took a tour of the Garden Tomb. I didn't worry about taking too many pictures because I know I'll be back plenty of times, but I loved seeing this sign in person. We sang hymns together for a while after our tour, and Elder Pieper spoke to us there. He spoke at a fireside that night for us, too. It was definitely a memorable Sabbath. I'm sure dancing with happy Jewish people the night before had something to do with that.

Look!

I want to go in.

Sharing a Sacred Spot

The Western Wall has always been on top of my (growing) list of things I'm excited to see in Jerusalem. Our entire group is going tomorrow at sundown to welcome in Shabbat, but we won't be allowed to take pictures on the Sabbath. I took these pictures earlier this week. Ever since Boston I've felt a constant desire to understand Judaism more, and its people. One visit to the Wall taught me more about their passionate dedication than an entire past semester in my Judaism and the Gospel class.


Men on the left, and women on the right, are tucking their prayers into the lonely remains of their conquered temple. They sway back and forth, a physical symbol of their desire to love the Lord "with all thine heart, and all thine soul, and with all thy might." Watching these people pray so sincerely to what is left of their temple brought me back to all those nights and Sunday afternoons I spent parked up the hill overlooking the Provo temple. Whenever I felt more than I wanted to feel by myself, whether it was sadness or frustration or gratitude, I drove my car to the place I feel closest to the One who I know has felt exactly the same way.

I watched these fellow peculiar people pray to a God they have so often felt forgotten by, and admired their faith and patience. They walk backwards away from the Wall that is overflowing with their handwritten prayers. I know now more than ever that God hears all His children's prayers; I think He reads them, too.

Meet...

Apartment 309!

Left to Right:
Jillian from Washington state, Karlee from Orem, and Allison from Washington D.C.

I'm excited to have a roommate named Allison. It'll help with my separation anxiety from the sister (who, by the way, makes me laugh every day with her e-mails). Love you girl! :)

If Walls Could Talk

Sunday was our first full free day. I thought I would feel weird going out on Sundays and having Sabbath on Saturdays, but I didn't even think twice about it. I'm not sure if that means I'm flexible, or if I'm just still unaware of what day it is because of jet lag. We're gonna go with both.


No one knows what they're doing yet, so we go out in huge groups -- that sort of feeds the "what are we doing" problem, but hey, it's a good time. Almost everybody went on the Ramparts Walk early that morning, a walk around the walls surrounding the Old City. This place is old.
There are lots of things to play with here, like chains in walls and staircases that lead to dark nothingness. Lisa and I tried to do something cool with this chain but it stopped being fun. Right before the picture I decided I didn't want my (huge and ignored) water bottle in the photo, so I tossed it a few feet away. It went down through the hole of a staircase and nailed three people. Oops. Good thing I knew them all. After that I made people help me drink my water so that it would be 1. easier to carry and 2. not as dangerous to others.

I just really like these people.

Settling In

I'm sitting outside the center constantly these days because I'm not melting yet. It has actually been windy and rainy, which is very much appreciated. It's chilly enough that I've had hot chocolate after almost every meal -- I should probably break that habit.

Every city is better at night. A few of us sat on the lawn for a while last night, totally loving the fact that we were talking about something besides where we're from, what we're studying, or why we came to Jerusalem. I've banned myself from asking these questions, Judd and I have found creative alternatives. We've also become the unofficial dance party co-chairs, last night was our successful kick-off.
We walked around the Old City for a few hours after classes on Friday, our first free time. The place causes total sensory overload, I LOVE walking through markets and smelling something different with every few steps.

The roof of an Austrian Hospice gave us a great view of the Old City, I want to be good with directions more than ever right now. I'll get it, I'll get it.

Scott bonded with some of the cute kids that are everywhere. They want to guide you anywhere, then they say "5 shekels, 5 shekels!" Luckily they gave Scott high fives for free.

Seeing kids playing in the streets here gives me a whole new perspective on the country I've read so much about. They're growing up in the middle of so much conflict, but they just laugh and play in the same way as every other kid.

Mom, there are guns in the picture below. Don't say I didn't warn you.