Can you say all nighter? Rather than crawling into my bed and going to sleep last night, I chose to stay awake and fight my eye lids. It was a good idea in theory, but it was killer by the end of the day. Two o'clock in the morning was met by a light breakfast in the Oasis. Whoever thought eating at two o'clock in the morning was a good idea is crazy! I could barely put anything in my mouth because I was so dazed - that and I found everything funny so I was laughing practically the entire time. With a word from Brother Huntington, we were all climbing the stairs to put our luggage on the buses and take our own seats. It was a bittersweet moment, saying goodbye to those who have taught and cared for me during the past few months. These people have become my family: the Muhlesteins, the Judds, the Chadwicks, the Ohmans, the Huntingtons... It was wonderful having them in my life and being able to learn from them. They taught me so much and it was because of them that my Jerusalem experience was as amazing as it was. Thank you to all of you and your families - for all of the hardwork that you put in, for all of the sleepless nights you encountered; I will never forget you.
We arrived at the Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport before four o'clock in the morning. We then proceeded to wait at security for the next...oh, I don't know...hour. It was absolutely ridiculous. I love how thorough the airport is; it keeps us safe from everything. But do you really think a group of Mormon American students is that big of a threat? Sure, we have our moments of stupidity but we aren't going to blow up a plane! I wish I would have gone off on my own and pretended I wasn't a part of the group. I could have been through the security lines in a few minutes rather than a few years! We eventually made it through the first series of security and checked-in. As soon as I had my ticket, I took off for the gate. While there were some who stayed behind...waiting and waiting for everyone else...I decided to be independent and get through the next series of security as quickly as possible so that I could sit down at the gate with a nice cup of hot chocolate. I was the first one to get to the gate, quickly followed by the other few who didn't wait around. I happily got my hot chocolate and waited for the plane to be boarded. Within fifteen or twenty minutes, I was walking to my seat on the plane as happy as can be.
The flight to Vienna was delightful. We made it without any problems. I slept for about twenty minutes of the flight and spent the remainder of the time watching Heavyweights and reading. The time flew by and I was elated. We landed in Vienna with just enough time to go through security lines and board the plane. However, I appeared to be a threat by this security and was thoroughly patted down. Can I just say awkward and uncomfortable? Let's just say it wasn't one of my finest moments. At least it was a woman rather than a man though... The ride to the Washington D.C. Dulles Airport was...BRUTAL. Luckily I was sitting by Ashley Wilkinson so I had the best plane buddy in the world. Unluckily, it was a nine hour flight that was extended to ten hours due to weather disruptions. We flew over Iceland and Greenland; that wasn't too horrible though. Have you ever seen those glaciers? Amazing! It was so beautiful that I had to take a few pictures! I couldn't let that just pass on by! For the ten hours or so on the plane, Ashley and I tried to sleep. Honestly, we did, but it was highly uncomfortable AND freezing. I thought my toes were going to fall off I was so cold! I snuggled up to Ashley for warmth and got in a couple hours of sleep but that was all. We watched a silly teenage drama called Prom and laughed through that...I can't say that I ever had that much drama while I was in high school. I'm glad I escaped all of that. I colored for a few minutes and read as well. But that was basically all I did. It was a long ride...
Touching down on American soil was...oh, I don't know...brilliant? As we walked through customs, we were greeted by security guard after security guard welcoming back to America. It felt good to be back in the land of the free. And the carpet and cleanliness was so foreign but so amazing. It is amazing what little things you take for granted. The layover in D.C. was about three hours and our terminal was very quiet. It was nice to sit back, relax, and eat the most unkosher food I could: spicy italian sandwich with bacon and cheese from Subway. Delicious. The plane ride to Salt Lake City was great! I was in and out for most of it. The last two hours, however, seemed neverending. It's amazing how anticipation can almost stop time. It was ridiculous! As the plane began to descent, my anticipation continued to build. By the time I was walking off the plane, my heart was just pounding! I would get to see my family in less than ten minutes. Rounding the corner and seeing my family waiting for me, I couldn't walk. I had to run! I ran straight into my mom's arms. It felt great to be home. To be back with them. Julie, Ben, Mom, Dad, and Rachel all met me at the airport. I have a wonderful family. I can't tell you how amazing they are. They brought me tacos at the airport! That was...the best thing ever. Haha too long had I been without Mexican food!
The ride back to Bountiful was quiet but great. It was nice to be in a real car again...to not have honking horns all around me, but at the same time it felt so strange. As I walked into my home, I was almost confused...this wasn't home, was it? Where were the arches? Where were the workers? And most importantly, where were all of the people? But as I spent more time there...as I was with my loved ones...I don't know how or why anything else could have been home. I was beyond excited to be back with my family where I belonged. This is my home and I am happy to be back in it. I took a shower and chatted with my family for a few minutes, but then it was off to bed. I was exhausted and ready to sleep. (I had only slept for five hours during the past 48 hours...) I crawled into bed at eleven o'clock at night with thoughts of Jerusalem on my mind.
It was an amazing summer. It's hard to believe that it really happened...that it is already over. But it did happen. And I loved every minute of it. The experiences that I had with forever be a part of me. They will never go forgotten or unremembered. Jerusalem is a part of me and I will never let it go.
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
11 August 2011
O Jerusalem, if I forget you…
It was a lot harder for me to wake up this morning than I thought it would be; but then again, I didn’t go to sleep until after two o’clock in the morning…haha so I should have expected to be tired! I didn’t let my sleepy eyes get the best of me, though. Rather, I got up and got dressed and ran upstairs for breakfast! Breakfast was…okay this morning. Nothing really sounded good so I had a couple pieces of watermelon and a piece of bread. I am excited to go back to a different breakfast every day. Oatmeal, pancakes, eggs, waffles, quiche, smoothies…the possibilities are endless! I am also excited for my Simply Orange. The orange juice in Jerusalem is more like Tang than anything else. I like Tang, but it isn’t Simply Orange…nothing really compares to a cold glass of Simply Orange, though. As soon as I finished breakfast, I headed downstairs to wait for Ashley on the fourth floor. We had planned to grab Jarom and go to Hezekiah’s tunnel this morning. But…Jarom wasn’t really up to it so we ended up changing our plans – it turned out really well, though! I love Hezekiah’s Tunnel but I am glad that we didn’t go today. There were other things that we did that I am happy we did instead.
Rather than go to Hezekiah’s we decided to go to the Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene. This church is set on the Mount of Olives above the Garden of Gethsemane and can be seen from miles around. Its golden spires are absolutely beautiful and unforgettable. We didn’t spend a lot of time inside of the church, just enough to get good pictures. Then we headed out so that we could accomplish other things and get to the Garden Tomb before it closed at noon! So we made our way to the bottom of the Mount of Olives – taking a walk around the Garden of Gethsemane – and walked up to Lion’s Gate. I have used Lion’s Gate a lot this semester. Most students choose to walk through Damascus Gate, but if I had a choice, I would choose Lion’s Gate. It is just as close to the sites of the Old City, but it isn’t as crowded. It is nice not to be shoved and suffocated when walking down the streets! We walked up to the Christian Quarter to purchase a few last items from Shabon; our visit lasted much longer than I thought it was going to, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed sitting out in the streets and taking pictures of the people passing by.
As we made our way toward the Garden Tomb, we stopped to buy some saffron as well as some gummies for the plane ride home… The Garden Tomb is my favorite place in Jerusalem beside the Western Wall. I couldn’t leave without one more visit. While I wandered around the grounds of the garden, I reflected on my time here in Jerusalem and everything I have seen and done…all the people I have met and interacted with. It is hard to believe that I have been here for four months; it feels like it’s only been a few weeks or so. When I signed up to come on the BYU Jerusalem Study Abroad, my main reason for doing so was because I wanted to go to Egypt. The fact that I was going to Jerusalem did not really play into my decision. I wanted to go to Egypt and see the pyramids and learn about the ancient pharaohs. However, as many of you know, I did not get to go to Egypt. Instead, I was taken to Turkey. This bummed me out for a couple of weeks prior to departure. I thought about not going…but from the urging of a close friend, I decided to come and learn and see the Holy land. And I couldn’t be more grateful. I may have signed up for Egypt, but I came…I stayed to become closer to my Savior, my Redeemer – Jesus Christ. He is the reason I am here. He is the reason. The past four months I have come to know Him in ways unimaginable. I know that He lives. I know that he suffered and died for me so that I can return and be with Him and the Father again. He provided a way for me to be saved and I am so thankful for Him. I know He lives and I look forward to seeing Him again someday. Before leaving the Garden Tomb, we chose to sing a few Hymns. It left me with a feeling of peace and calm…I would be leaving Jerusalem, but it would not be leaving me.
Ashley, Jarom, and I walked back to the Jerusalem Center in silence. Few words were exchanged as we made our way past the walls of the City, through the Kidron Valley, and up the hill to the J.C. It wasn’t until we stopped for our last Magnum bar that any words were exchanged…that the threat of tears ever came. Lucky, we calmed our feelings of sadness by going to the park beneath the Center and playing on the teeter-totter and going down the slide. (We also played on a spinning toy…bad idea. Ashley and I were so sick afterward!!)
Back at the Center, I finished packing up my belongings and typing up my journal. It was a very calm afternoon…but very strange. As students rushed around to get their things together, to get their luggage up the stairs, I could help but wonder where they were going. And then, I remembered that they were leaving. At seven o’clock tonight, we walked out fifty of our best friends to say goodbye. It was hard; I’m not going to lie. Some tears were shed; hugs were given. No words can explain the feeling of watching their buses drive away…some of us felt like they were just going on a field trip and that we would see them again soon. But that wasn’t the case. They were going home and we would soon follow.
How do you spend eight hours at night? Well, I watch movies, copy pictures onto my hard drive, and stare at people. I had no idea that eight hours would pass by so slowly. I was ready to leave the Center by midnight…but our bus wasn’t leaving until three o’clock in the morning. It was a long and quiet night. It was almost eerie with only thirty of us left at the Center….
I am excited to go home. But I am going to miss Jerusalem. This has been the best summer of my life, the greatest experience of my life. I am so thankful for the chance I have had to come to this land…to learn about Jesus Christ and His life and to grow closer to Him and His Father. I know He lives. And I love Him. Thank you to all of those who made this trip possible…especially to my loving family, my grandparents, my parents. I wouldn’t be here without you. I’ll see you all in twenty-eight hours.
It was a lot harder for me to wake up this morning than I thought it would be; but then again, I didn’t go to sleep until after two o’clock in the morning…haha so I should have expected to be tired! I didn’t let my sleepy eyes get the best of me, though. Rather, I got up and got dressed and ran upstairs for breakfast! Breakfast was…okay this morning. Nothing really sounded good so I had a couple pieces of watermelon and a piece of bread. I am excited to go back to a different breakfast every day. Oatmeal, pancakes, eggs, waffles, quiche, smoothies…the possibilities are endless! I am also excited for my Simply Orange. The orange juice in Jerusalem is more like Tang than anything else. I like Tang, but it isn’t Simply Orange…nothing really compares to a cold glass of Simply Orange, though. As soon as I finished breakfast, I headed downstairs to wait for Ashley on the fourth floor. We had planned to grab Jarom and go to Hezekiah’s tunnel this morning. But…Jarom wasn’t really up to it so we ended up changing our plans – it turned out really well, though! I love Hezekiah’s Tunnel but I am glad that we didn’t go today. There were other things that we did that I am happy we did instead.
Rather than go to Hezekiah’s we decided to go to the Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene. This church is set on the Mount of Olives above the Garden of Gethsemane and can be seen from miles around. Its golden spires are absolutely beautiful and unforgettable. We didn’t spend a lot of time inside of the church, just enough to get good pictures. Then we headed out so that we could accomplish other things and get to the Garden Tomb before it closed at noon! So we made our way to the bottom of the Mount of Olives – taking a walk around the Garden of Gethsemane – and walked up to Lion’s Gate. I have used Lion’s Gate a lot this semester. Most students choose to walk through Damascus Gate, but if I had a choice, I would choose Lion’s Gate. It is just as close to the sites of the Old City, but it isn’t as crowded. It is nice not to be shoved and suffocated when walking down the streets! We walked up to the Christian Quarter to purchase a few last items from Shabon; our visit lasted much longer than I thought it was going to, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed sitting out in the streets and taking pictures of the people passing by.
As we made our way toward the Garden Tomb, we stopped to buy some saffron as well as some gummies for the plane ride home… The Garden Tomb is my favorite place in Jerusalem beside the Western Wall. I couldn’t leave without one more visit. While I wandered around the grounds of the garden, I reflected on my time here in Jerusalem and everything I have seen and done…all the people I have met and interacted with. It is hard to believe that I have been here for four months; it feels like it’s only been a few weeks or so. When I signed up to come on the BYU Jerusalem Study Abroad, my main reason for doing so was because I wanted to go to Egypt. The fact that I was going to Jerusalem did not really play into my decision. I wanted to go to Egypt and see the pyramids and learn about the ancient pharaohs. However, as many of you know, I did not get to go to Egypt. Instead, I was taken to Turkey. This bummed me out for a couple of weeks prior to departure. I thought about not going…but from the urging of a close friend, I decided to come and learn and see the Holy land. And I couldn’t be more grateful. I may have signed up for Egypt, but I came…I stayed to become closer to my Savior, my Redeemer – Jesus Christ. He is the reason I am here. He is the reason. The past four months I have come to know Him in ways unimaginable. I know that He lives. I know that he suffered and died for me so that I can return and be with Him and the Father again. He provided a way for me to be saved and I am so thankful for Him. I know He lives and I look forward to seeing Him again someday. Before leaving the Garden Tomb, we chose to sing a few Hymns. It left me with a feeling of peace and calm…I would be leaving Jerusalem, but it would not be leaving me.
Ashley, Jarom, and I walked back to the Jerusalem Center in silence. Few words were exchanged as we made our way past the walls of the City, through the Kidron Valley, and up the hill to the J.C. It wasn’t until we stopped for our last Magnum bar that any words were exchanged…that the threat of tears ever came. Lucky, we calmed our feelings of sadness by going to the park beneath the Center and playing on the teeter-totter and going down the slide. (We also played on a spinning toy…bad idea. Ashley and I were so sick afterward!!)
Back at the Center, I finished packing up my belongings and typing up my journal. It was a very calm afternoon…but very strange. As students rushed around to get their things together, to get their luggage up the stairs, I could help but wonder where they were going. And then, I remembered that they were leaving. At seven o’clock tonight, we walked out fifty of our best friends to say goodbye. It was hard; I’m not going to lie. Some tears were shed; hugs were given. No words can explain the feeling of watching their buses drive away…some of us felt like they were just going on a field trip and that we would see them again soon. But that wasn’t the case. They were going home and we would soon follow.
How do you spend eight hours at night? Well, I watch movies, copy pictures onto my hard drive, and stare at people. I had no idea that eight hours would pass by so slowly. I was ready to leave the Center by midnight…but our bus wasn’t leaving until three o’clock in the morning. It was a long and quiet night. It was almost eerie with only thirty of us left at the Center….
I am excited to go home. But I am going to miss Jerusalem. This has been the best summer of my life, the greatest experience of my life. I am so thankful for the chance I have had to come to this land…to learn about Jesus Christ and His life and to grow closer to Him and His Father. I know He lives. And I love Him. Thank you to all of those who made this trip possible…especially to my loving family, my grandparents, my parents. I wouldn’t be here without you. I’ll see you all in twenty-eight hours.
10 August 2011
As the last full day at the Jerusalem Center…in Jerusalem…I decided it had to be a full day spent in the city. No sitting in the J.C. staring at the ceiling; no pointless naps. I would spend the entire day in the city no matter what, and guess what. That’s exactly what I did.
After saying goodbye to my blessed headset and fanny pack and eating a breakfast of delicious pancakes, I made my way to the fourth floor lounge to wait for Jarom Smith and Ashley Wilkinson so that we could begin our day in Jerusalem. By 8:30a we were walking down the slope of the Kidron Valley, making our way to the walls of the Old City. On our way to our designated entrance into the Old City – New Gate – we stopped and took different pictures of the scenery, of the city. We didn’t want to miss a thing; we didn’t want to risk forgetting a thing either. It is amazing how clear the city is in the early mornings. There are few people, few shops open, and few cars driving down the streets. It’s very picturesque.
We began the day in the Christian Quarter of the Old City at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. While we had gone there only a few days before, Ashley and I were eager to get some better photos and be inside of the church without a million other people. There were still people there, but it wasn’t anything in comparison to what we had previously experienced. It was nice to finally get some uninterrupted photos and to truly appreciate the beauty of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Finishing up in the church, we made our way to the Western Wall. Our intent was to take pictures, but we ended up saying our own prayers at the wall as always. I think the Western Wall is my favorite site within the Old City of Jerusalem. There are other sites that are grander or more beautiful, but none of them are the Western Wall. The atmosphere, the spirit of that part of the city is different than all of the others; it makes you feel at home, like you belong. It doesn’t matter if you are Jewish or if you aren’t Jewish. You are welcomed with open arms to say a prayer to God and to keep Him in your heart.
The time eventually came that we had to leave the Western Wall and do some other things. We began by making our way up the stairs to the Jewish Quarter of the city to do some last minute shopping in the Moriah Bookstore. That store is probably one of my favorite stores in the old city. It can easily be compared to a Jewish version of a Deseret Book! Haha so yes, I spent a lot of time in there but I got what I wanted! And that’s was all that mattered at the time. Our stomachs began growling at about this time, but we had to head over to Christian Quarter Road so Jarom could exchange money before we could get anything to eat! It turned out, as it always does, that we did a bit of shopping on the way. Ashley needed to find something for her sister; Jarom needed some t-shirts; I needed to buy something else for my niece (because I haven’t gotten her enough already). It was really fun though and we met up with some fellow J.C. students along the way. We actually ran into a lot of people today; that rarely happens! It was nice to see a smiling and familiar face every once in a while!
Our stomachs led us back to the Jewish Quarter for lunch (because apparently we wanted to play ping pong between the two quarters all day). We ended up in Hurva Square at B.B.Q. I don’t know why, but that place has the best schawarma in the world! I got mine on laffa bread with tomatoes, onions, pickles, and tahini sauce, and oh my goodness. It was possibly the best thing I have eaten in a very long time. The meat was amazing. The accompanying vegetables and condiments were amazing. And the onion rings that I got…equally as amazing. Haha Jarom, Ashley, and I all ended up with the same lunch, actually. Well, except that Jarom got French fries….psh. Why he chose French fries over onion rings is a mystery!
We spent the next couple hours or so in Independence Park talking and resting and massaging shoulders. At one point, Ashley was rubbing Jarom’s neck as I took a nap on his stomach. Haha it is nice that we can all be such good friends…we may be a tad too close though. Maybe it’s a good thing that we will all be going home very shortly! We need some distance from one another. Haha but really, it was nice just to sit in the park. It sounds like doing nothing, but nothing is the best thing that you can do. It gives you a chance to appreciate your life a little bit more and to take in the world around you. Plus, it gives you time to sit down! We eventually made our way out of the park as ice cream called our names from Ben Yehuda Street. As we walked up and down Ben Yehuda with our ice cream cones, we were reminiscent about our first time on Ben Yehuda…our first day in Jerusalem, actually. It was weird to think that this would be our last time on Ben Yehuda Street…well, our last time as students at the Jerusalem Center. I don’t know about everyone else, but I will be coming back here; I can’t not come back here. This city has become such a part of me now; and I want to share it. I want to walk my friends and family around the Temple Mount and show them what a Herodian stone looks like. I want to teach them about King David and King Solomon and King Hezekiah. I want to show them the infamous Broad Wall that I walked by every single day. I want to introduce them to the shopkeepers and to the amazing foods that you can eat. I want to show them where Christ performed the Atonement and where he later raised from the dead. I want to share with them the Jerusalem I know, the Jerusalem I love. I want everything I have seen, everything I have experienced, and everything I have loved to become a part of their lives just as it has become a part of my life.
We made it back to the Jerusalem Center at about 4:30p in the afternoon. We wanted time to relax and clean-up before the barbecue. The barbecue was absolutely amazing! There were steak, chicken, hot dogs, kabobs…salads, desserts, breads. It was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, I still wasn’t hungry because of the giant lunch I had eaten! That seems to happen a lot lately, but that’s okay. I ate what I could and then called it quits…so that I could begin packing. The good news is that I finished all of my packing tonight! The bad news is that I have no idea how much my big suitcase weighs! I hope it is below the limit…because I really don’t want to have to worry about repacking. And my small suitcase is completely full so I don’t know what I would do! Haha cross your fingers for me!
Tonight was our Memory Slideshow. I think most people expected it to be a sad experience but very few tears were shed. Mostly it was nice to see pictures of everyone we love and to remember all that we had done and been through together. Incorporated into the slideshow were different skits put on by different students. As always, they were entertaining and funny. There are some very talented people in this group! After the slideshow, we all got together as a group to take a few pictures. It took forever, but the pictures are worth it. The more memories created here, the better.
I spent the night outside on the grass talking with different people. We shared different stories about our time here at the J.C. It was nice to recall our embarrassing moments, our happiest moments, our spiritual moments. We have had so many great experiences the past few months. I am sad to see it go, but I hope to always have it with me. It would be near impossible for me to forget Jerusalem, to forget everything I have gone through here. I may be going home, but Jerusalem won’t be leaving me.
After saying goodbye to my blessed headset and fanny pack and eating a breakfast of delicious pancakes, I made my way to the fourth floor lounge to wait for Jarom Smith and Ashley Wilkinson so that we could begin our day in Jerusalem. By 8:30a we were walking down the slope of the Kidron Valley, making our way to the walls of the Old City. On our way to our designated entrance into the Old City – New Gate – we stopped and took different pictures of the scenery, of the city. We didn’t want to miss a thing; we didn’t want to risk forgetting a thing either. It is amazing how clear the city is in the early mornings. There are few people, few shops open, and few cars driving down the streets. It’s very picturesque.
We began the day in the Christian Quarter of the Old City at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. While we had gone there only a few days before, Ashley and I were eager to get some better photos and be inside of the church without a million other people. There were still people there, but it wasn’t anything in comparison to what we had previously experienced. It was nice to finally get some uninterrupted photos and to truly appreciate the beauty of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Finishing up in the church, we made our way to the Western Wall. Our intent was to take pictures, but we ended up saying our own prayers at the wall as always. I think the Western Wall is my favorite site within the Old City of Jerusalem. There are other sites that are grander or more beautiful, but none of them are the Western Wall. The atmosphere, the spirit of that part of the city is different than all of the others; it makes you feel at home, like you belong. It doesn’t matter if you are Jewish or if you aren’t Jewish. You are welcomed with open arms to say a prayer to God and to keep Him in your heart.
The time eventually came that we had to leave the Western Wall and do some other things. We began by making our way up the stairs to the Jewish Quarter of the city to do some last minute shopping in the Moriah Bookstore. That store is probably one of my favorite stores in the old city. It can easily be compared to a Jewish version of a Deseret Book! Haha so yes, I spent a lot of time in there but I got what I wanted! And that’s was all that mattered at the time. Our stomachs began growling at about this time, but we had to head over to Christian Quarter Road so Jarom could exchange money before we could get anything to eat! It turned out, as it always does, that we did a bit of shopping on the way. Ashley needed to find something for her sister; Jarom needed some t-shirts; I needed to buy something else for my niece (because I haven’t gotten her enough already). It was really fun though and we met up with some fellow J.C. students along the way. We actually ran into a lot of people today; that rarely happens! It was nice to see a smiling and familiar face every once in a while!
Our stomachs led us back to the Jewish Quarter for lunch (because apparently we wanted to play ping pong between the two quarters all day). We ended up in Hurva Square at B.B.Q. I don’t know why, but that place has the best schawarma in the world! I got mine on laffa bread with tomatoes, onions, pickles, and tahini sauce, and oh my goodness. It was possibly the best thing I have eaten in a very long time. The meat was amazing. The accompanying vegetables and condiments were amazing. And the onion rings that I got…equally as amazing. Haha Jarom, Ashley, and I all ended up with the same lunch, actually. Well, except that Jarom got French fries….psh. Why he chose French fries over onion rings is a mystery!
We spent the next couple hours or so in Independence Park talking and resting and massaging shoulders. At one point, Ashley was rubbing Jarom’s neck as I took a nap on his stomach. Haha it is nice that we can all be such good friends…we may be a tad too close though. Maybe it’s a good thing that we will all be going home very shortly! We need some distance from one another. Haha but really, it was nice just to sit in the park. It sounds like doing nothing, but nothing is the best thing that you can do. It gives you a chance to appreciate your life a little bit more and to take in the world around you. Plus, it gives you time to sit down! We eventually made our way out of the park as ice cream called our names from Ben Yehuda Street. As we walked up and down Ben Yehuda with our ice cream cones, we were reminiscent about our first time on Ben Yehuda…our first day in Jerusalem, actually. It was weird to think that this would be our last time on Ben Yehuda Street…well, our last time as students at the Jerusalem Center. I don’t know about everyone else, but I will be coming back here; I can’t not come back here. This city has become such a part of me now; and I want to share it. I want to walk my friends and family around the Temple Mount and show them what a Herodian stone looks like. I want to teach them about King David and King Solomon and King Hezekiah. I want to show them the infamous Broad Wall that I walked by every single day. I want to introduce them to the shopkeepers and to the amazing foods that you can eat. I want to show them where Christ performed the Atonement and where he later raised from the dead. I want to share with them the Jerusalem I know, the Jerusalem I love. I want everything I have seen, everything I have experienced, and everything I have loved to become a part of their lives just as it has become a part of my life.
We made it back to the Jerusalem Center at about 4:30p in the afternoon. We wanted time to relax and clean-up before the barbecue. The barbecue was absolutely amazing! There were steak, chicken, hot dogs, kabobs…salads, desserts, breads. It was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, I still wasn’t hungry because of the giant lunch I had eaten! That seems to happen a lot lately, but that’s okay. I ate what I could and then called it quits…so that I could begin packing. The good news is that I finished all of my packing tonight! The bad news is that I have no idea how much my big suitcase weighs! I hope it is below the limit…because I really don’t want to have to worry about repacking. And my small suitcase is completely full so I don’t know what I would do! Haha cross your fingers for me!
Tonight was our Memory Slideshow. I think most people expected it to be a sad experience but very few tears were shed. Mostly it was nice to see pictures of everyone we love and to remember all that we had done and been through together. Incorporated into the slideshow were different skits put on by different students. As always, they were entertaining and funny. There are some very talented people in this group! After the slideshow, we all got together as a group to take a few pictures. It took forever, but the pictures are worth it. The more memories created here, the better.
I spent the night outside on the grass talking with different people. We shared different stories about our time here at the J.C. It was nice to recall our embarrassing moments, our happiest moments, our spiritual moments. We have had so many great experiences the past few months. I am sad to see it go, but I hope to always have it with me. It would be near impossible for me to forget Jerusalem, to forget everything I have gone through here. I may be going home, but Jerusalem won’t be leaving me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)