Due to an upcoming final exam, all classes were cancelled today to give the students time to study for the exam. The whoops and hollers across the J.C. could be heard throughout Jerusalem - maybe even as far as Tel Aviv. Students shuffled into the Old City to visit different sites; students boarded vans bound for Tel Aviv for a day at the beach. I, however, spent the day inside to use the time given as was intended; with Kymberly by my side, I stuck myself in a study room and studied until the history of Israel and Judaism was ingrained into my mind. I could tell you all there is to know about the Torah, about Ben Gurion, about the Aliya, about the British Mandate; I could tell you about each of the denominations of Jewry and what sets them apart from one another. I am ready for this test and planned to be ready to take it at nine o'clock in the morning. Unfortunately, to my displeasure, the time for the final has been postponed until three o'clock in the afternoon. I had planeed to to take the test, eat lunch, and head into the city for a day of shopping with Kymberly and Kerri Allison; I guess that won't be happening any longer. With my studying done, I guess I will write my final paper for Islam, while everyone else studies for Judaism.
Aside from the mounds of studying I partook of this day, it was rather pleasant. The morning began with a short sixty minute work-out whcih was beyond needed. I have truly missed being able to go to the gym every single day and run to my heart's content. There really is nothing more satisfying than running until your muscles give out. However, the J.C. gym only has stationary bikes so I guess I biked until my muscles gave out! After a shower and throwing my hair into a side-ponytail, I wrote a letter to a handsome young man serving a mission in Argentina before heading up to the study room. (You're all just jealous that you don't have a handsome young man to write!)
My evening was amazing. After dinner, I bounded down the stairs to the Chadwick's residence. Dr. Chadwick is currently on site at a dig in Tel-Safi, so Mama Kim threw a little part...only, very few people showed up! There were only four of us who stayed the entire time. We drank soda and ate cookies and popcorn. And then, because of my enthusiasm, we watched an Irish Classic: Waking Ned Divine. This was a movie that I grew up watching at home. It has that wonderful Irish humor that very few people laugh at; I happen to be one of those few. Waking Ned Divine encompasses all the greats of film: love, skin, and death. With a pig farmer using fruity soaps to win the heart of the girl he loves, with the wrinkly butts of two old men running into the distance, with the death of a man in shock from winning the lottery, Waking Ned Divine is bound to capture the heart of any viewer.
There must be opposition in all things; where there is happiness, misery must be present. To my great irritation, this came true today. During my time in the study room, it was brought to my attention that my computer charger was not actually charging my computer. After consulting with the tech guys in the J.C., the problem was determined to not be the charger but the computer itself; it is an internal problem, a problem that would be more expensive to fix than to simply buy a new computer. It took me all of twenty seconds to realize that this would leave me without a computer for the next six weeks. You can imagine my anger; you can imagine my angst. I immediately emailed my dad to let him know what was going on and called him later on to try to work out a solution. Because I am in Israel, purchasing a computer would be difficult. For one, I have no idea what to purchase; that is something my dad has always done for me. Also, it is more likely than not that a computer purchased in Israel will not be honored within the United States - meaning that if I have any problems with it after I leave the Holy Land, it will be next to impossible to get it fixed or replaced under its warranty. So, my dad suggested that I turn my thoughts to renting a computer for the remaining six months I am in Israel. I will have to wait until tomorrow to find out if this is possible; I am truly hoping it is. You have no idea how obnoxious it is to have to go into a computer lab to write a paper, to email a parent, to print off an assignment. (Some of you are old enought to know how obnoxious this is...so you are probably chuckling to yourselves. But believe me. My generation is dependent on technology. When it is suddenly ripped away from you, your world becomes very disoriented.)
With that said and done, another "Irish" film has begun in a room not far away from where I am seat in the computer lab: Leap Year. Another movie will finish the day off with a bang!
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