Unreal...

We are leaving to The Sea of Galilee tomorrow for 11 days!

we are staying in a Kubbutz right on the shore,

where Jesus taught.

It just doesn't get better than that.

Party on Ben Yehuda Street

My bestie, Jane’s birthday was this past week and since we were done with finals and it was a night we were allowed to go out, we partied for her 21^st birthday!

ALL our girls went out to West Jerusalem Jewish quarter, which is the only place we are allowed to go after dark.

We got “Thai” food. I put that in quotation because since Thai food is my absolute favorite kind of food, I am a critic. Thai food in Jerusalem = Chinesse food in Mexico. At least they try J

Then we all went to our favorite Gelato place called “Aldo’s” to get a chocolate waffle with ice cream on the side. YUM! And ok, since I have already embarrassed myself enough on my blog by telling all the culturally very wrong things I do, I might as well continue my streak and keep blogging about them right?

So we were all sitting there eating our waffles and my friend Brooklynn took a large bite of chocolate and gets it on her upper lip, only in the middle, like a little square mustache… Got in mind who she now somewhat resembles? Well so did I- and while we were all laughing about the chocolate on her face, I yelled across the table, “YOU LOOK LIKE HITLER!”

 In the middle of the busiest street

In the Jewish quarter

In the largest Jewish city

In the world…

 Needless to say, all my friends’ jaws dropped as they all looked wide-eyed at me, poorly attempting to muffle their laughter. I’m pretty sure the Jewish man playing the piano RIGHT NEXT TO ME skipped a note or two. Embarrassing.

Michael Scott (from The Office): “One day I hope to be the first one to make a funny joke about AIDS, or maybe the Holocaust. But no one think its funny yet.”

Regardless, it was a blast! And for some reason, every time we go out, we always end up dancing in the streets. Dead give away that we are American. 

notice Brooklynn's mustache (2 girls to my left)

We all got Laffy Taffy's and filmed a music video in the street :)

This boy, one of my best friends, is coming home from his mission on Thursday...

and since I will be absent, I am giving him a shout out 

from the Middle East:

WELCOME HOME!

Sweet Tooth

Every time we go out into the city of Jerusalem, we always come across strange, yet delectable looking Arab or Jewish desserts- or maybe they are not desserts? I'm not sure. Either way, we usually try a few out... sometimes delicious! sometimes not. One man even let us come in his kitchen and watch him make these little beauties.

 One skill we have acquired while in the Middle East: 

flashing a big, cute American smile and getting things for free :)

Do you think it will work with Nordstrom at home?

Halloween

Halloween here at the Jerusalem Center was possibly the BEST Halloween I have ever had! We had a costume P-A-R-T-Y, but since no one had costumes and only one day to figure it out, we were forced to be CREATIVE! And seriously I was amazed at the costumes people came up with! I have never been to a better costume party before and that is saying a lot, given the circumstances.

What was I you ask? 5 of my friends and I thought it would only be appropriate to be our FAVORITE Mediterranean dish… FALAFEL! We had 3 falafel balls, lettuce, tomato, and Pita bread! We had to go out into the old city in search of some fabric, balloons, and brown tights, but Jerusalem pulled through for us and we accomplished our task. We looked awesome thanks to one of my bestie’s Lauren M. who is a sewing major (always handy to have around). 

A REAL Falafel (so you can know what we were trying to look like)

 

 Falafel! 3 falafel balls, Lettuce, Tomato, Pita Bread

My favorite people! the Allen's dressed up as "Love Bugs" because they are always trying to set the students up here so they will get married. 

Will the real Sister Whipple please stand up? 

Western Wall / Dome of the Rock

Amy was the lettuce

This is Shelley Falafel Ball. We sewed each other into our brown sheet and then stuffed it with balloons!

2 fleece blankets

The weather here has changed over night...

It is now very windy.

Quite chilly.

Pouring rain.

Sweatshirt weather.

Slept with 2 fleece blankets + sheets + top blanket last night

 (room temp=outside temp)

and i am loving it.

Jordan!

I learned in Jordan that:

- Jordan is not a city in Utah, but actually a country in the Middle East.

- I love Jordan! Such a peaceful country and there is no feelings of constant contention in the air.

- Petra is one of the most spectacular places on earth! Massive, beautiful, detailed buildings carved right into the cliffs! Unbelievable!

- Moses had quite the view when he was on top of Mt. Nebo looking into the promise land.

- Muslim woman are actually capable of showing emotion.

My friend Aly and I went into this smoothie shop in the mall to get a drink. Not too long after we ordered, a little Arab man comes walking toward us with 2 drinks in a drink holder. As he is getting closer I put on my huge American smile and reach our for the drinks and say, “oh! Thank you so much! You didn’t have to bring them to us!” as I am trying to grab them from him, he gets this very confused face and takes a step back and shields the drinks with his body and says very quietly and timid, “no, no, my drinks.”

            I was mortified! I thought he worked there and was bringing us our drinks, but really he was just a nice customer trying to leave so he could enjoy his freshly blended smoothies! I just put my face against the wall, about to die from embarrassment, as Aly and every employee in the store was absolutely cracking up. When OUR drinks were done, the worker handed them to me over the counter, with his lips pinched tightly together attempting to contain his belting laugh as he said, “THESE are your drinks”, and then he lost it and just burst out laughing.

            I have NEVER seen a Muslim woman even smile… the one next to me was covering her face with her hands to hide her more than amused giggles. Kudos to me.

- The Jordan River is very dirty and cold, and it was such an amazing experience to actually see the place where Christ was baptized.

- Italian tourist like to break the rules and jump over railings so they can sit on the edge of a 15 foot high rocky ledge and dangle their feet off. But apparently they do not have very good balance because when he stood up to leave, we watched as he fell backwards off the edge! He was alive and awake, thank goodness, but I can now say I have seen a broken clavicle, an ear that has been ripped off, and a lot of blood.

- Jumping in the hotel pool at night with all your clothes on is more fun in Jordan

- They sing and dance in the streets of Jordan, and yes we jumped right in with them! So much fun!

- The only thing people know about when you tell them you are from America is: Obama, Aloha, and Alaska.

- It is not my best look; dressed as a Muslim with black robe, head cover and all.

Lauren and I in the Jordan River

Amman, Jordan (the poorest city & also where the King lives)

We had to wear black robes and head covers to be able to go into this sacred Muslim Mosque

Looking down into the Jordan valley

Making Pita's! 

Ancient Roman City, Jerash.

Monastery at Petra

The most spectacular building in Petra, The Treasury 

Jumping off a castle we went to at sunset!