No matter how hard I try, I will never be able to breakthrough my Scandinavian heritage. I can slather myself in sunscreen, I can sit in the shade, but the sun will always find me, burning me and mocking me with its rays. The redness of my skin has become a trademark at the Jerusalem Center. Dr. Chadwick has come to expect me to be sunburned. If I was any color other than red, I would almost be unrecognizable to most everyone at the J.C. Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have any control over the way my skin reacts to the sun. I’m not going to stop going outside so it looks like I will just have to get used to being my own space heater for the time being, or perhaps for the rest of my life.
The day was spent at Gordon Beach in Tel Aviv. There is nothing like spending a day on the beach. Your options are endless. Volleyball, swimming, bodysurfing, sandcastle building: you can’t go wrong when it comes to the beach! A few of us began at a part of the beach with actual waves, where we could actually bodysurf without being beached. I was able to catch a few choice waves; one of them managed to pull my swimsuit off of me. Luckily, I don’t get embarrassed too incredibly easily. It was fun to bodysurf though. I have really missed going to the beach and swimming in the ocean. Provo and school make going to the beach a little difficult. I should consider transferring to Hawaii. That way I could go to the beach every once in a while and not have to suffer withdrawals!
A few of us played a couple of games of beach volleyball. Volleyball on the beach is much different than volleyball in a gym. The sand makes running and jumping quite difficult. However, it makes diving quite simple. I had joined the game right after playing in the water so I became a walking sandman by the time the game was over. Luckily, the beach was only steps away so I could rinse myself off within seconds. Volleyball was one of the highlights of my day. There were parts of it, though, that weren’t happy, that didn’t add to my enthusiasm for being at the beach. I ran after the ball after it was hit out of bounds. Andrew was walking by at the same time. We fought for the ball with our feet for a few minutes, but it ended badly. Barefoot, my toes were no match against his sandals. I ended up breaking the middle toe on my right foot. It is now dark green and approximately the same size as my big toe; it is also buddy-taped. At least I can say that I broke a bone in Israel. I bet there are few people who can claim such a thing!
We got back to the Jerusalem Center sooner rather than later which was a definite relief. I was exhausted after a day in the sun. The heat of the sun really tears energy out of you. I am exhausted. I took a quick shower as soon as we got back so that I could cool down my skin, get all of the sand and salt off of me, and smell and look human again. The lukewarm water felt wonderful on my pink skin. Dinner came and went with little excitement. I ate; I socialized. That’s all there really is to it. It wasn’t until after dinner that the fun began. Kymberly and I were invited to spend some time with the Chadwick’s. However, we took a short detour before going up to their balcony on the fifth floor.
Our night with the Chadwick’s began on the first floor, exploring the apartment they used to live in. It is now a place of rubble. They are turning four rooms into a family apartment. It was a mess in there but it was fun to explore. It reminded me of all the empty houses in St. George I used to walk through with my friends. Next, Dr. Chadwick thought it necessary to walk out to the playground for a couple of minutes. While there, he dove down a slide head first. I’m not sure I’ll be able to look at him in the same light ever again, but it was worth it. Have you ever seen a 55 year old man slide head first down a tunnel slide? This was my first time, and I would be happy to see it again! The last and final stop to our adventure was on the balcony of their new apartment….or ‘hotel’, rather. Their new apartment is kitchenless, unfortunately, but they get by just fine. They have milk, Coke, and cereal. You don’t need much else in this world! Haha it was nice to sit out on their balcony and talk for a couple of hours. Kym and I were also privileged to be let on a little secret that the Chadwick’s, of which I cannot disclose until the end of the program. (Remind me and I will share my information with you.) It was nice spending the night with the Chadwick’s. I have more homework to do tomorrow than I wanted, but it was worth the chat.
It was a good day. While the sun left its painful mark on my skin, I had fun and was able to enjoy my time at the beach. Plus, I got to hang out with the Chadwick’s. Not everyone can say they have done that before!
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