Welcome to Minnesota - the land of -35 to -45 degree wind chill temperatures!

After just two requests for an update, I feel pressure to write something new. However, I don't have a whole lot to say. Law school is back in full swing, but I am not. I'm finding it extraordinarily difficult to get motivated. I know I will catch up at some point, because I always do, but unlike other semesters, it's hard to simply attend class. I think that not having a holiday break is catching up with me. I am very glad I went to Jerusalem, but I never had a chance to truly recover from finals (those of you that know me know how I function during finals - no good). All I want to do is lie around, watch the Gilmore Girls, sleep, eat, and talk on the phone. It doesn't help that I've never found class to be particularly helpful...I'm more of a "I did the reading and learned that way" sort of girl. Now that I'm close to graduation and have a job, it's that much harder to really care about class. Additionally, I have to take care of things like my bar application, Barbri registration, graduation application (done!), and ordering a cap and gown. I can't believe how fast time flies...I just have to get through one more semester, and I'm done! No worries, especially you Mom, as things will come together and all will be fine.

In other news, as my title indicates, it is absolutely frigid outside today. It's currently -14 degrees outside, and with the wind chill it feels like -35 to -45 degrees. Insanity. I actually wore a hat today, something I usually only do when I'm participating in outdoor winter activities. If I hadn't, my hair would have frozen instantly. Craziness. Fortunately, I have a heated garage, so I had no car problems. Hopefully the new car would have started anyway, but when it's this cold, you never know.

In fun news, I've been busy planning all my upcoming travel adventures. In February, I'm going to Northampton to visit Sarah , which should be quite fun (on the map to the right, Northampton is near Holyoke). I think we will spend one full day in Boston, and I'm very excited about that. I love Boston, and Sarah's never been, so that should be fun. In March, I'm going to Washington, D.C. with Mary, Jessie, and Sarah (for two days) for spring break. I'm extra excited about this trip, as I've never been to DC. Being a political junkie and a political science major, I've always felt it was odd that I had never been there. So, I'm finally rectifying that situation this spring, and I can't wait. I contacted my congresswoman to set up tours, ordered a visitor's guide, and started some basic research of things to do. Also, I believe our lodging is ready to go, and that is always a relief. If anyone has suggestions for things I must do, please shout out.

Additionally, I'm working on my big summer, post bar exam trip, and I'm also super excited for this one. Dad and I are tossing around different options, including Alaska (the picture on the right), the Canadian Rockies (the picture below), or a baseball stadium tour. I think Alaska would be amazing, but the pictures of the Canadian Rockies are breathtaking. I'm a bit torn about which location to choose. We have a travel agent working on things, so perhaps that information will help us decide. Again, I'm open for suggestions/advice.

This weekend should be fun, as I'm going to a birthday party for a high school friend on Friday and then I'm going to the U2 3D show with Beth on Saturday night. I also can't wait to sleep in on Saturday morning. The rest of the weekend should be filled with...homework! Woot! I haven't been dancing in forever, so let's get that planned peeps. I miss it.

In bad news, and as most of you know, the Twins traded Santana to the Mets for basically nothing. I knew they were most likely going to trade him (the ownership is super cheap), but I thought we would at least get more than we did. This could be a very rough season for my boys, but I will still love them. As long as the White Sox don't win the division, I'll be decently happy.

Okay, that's enough of an update for now - I honestly have been pretty low key lately. I hope everyone is well!

Whirlwinds abound

So, I've been back in the States since the 11th, and not much has been accomplished since then. My apartment is a mess, there are Christmas present boxes piled up in my closet, and I think there might be an inch of dust on my bedroom furniture. Also, I've forgotten what it feels like to do homework. However, I don't really care that much. Instead, I've been doing fun things like watching the Gilmore Girls, eating ice cream, watching movies (Juno and PS I Love You - both cute), staying warm in bed, eating out, and seeing friends, old and new. Right now, life is good. Even Tony seems happier - knock on wood.

I still need to write a Jerusalem wrap up, but not today. Instead, Crim Pro is calling my name, and I really need to answer. Peace out peeps!

Ah Internet Quizzes...they have all the answers, right?

You Are An ESFJ

The Caregiver You are sympathetic and caring, putting friends and family first. A creature of habit, you prefer routines and have trouble with change. You love being in groups - whether you're helping people or working on a project. You are good at listening, laughing, and bringing out the best in people. In love, you value harmony and mutual understanding. You will apologize or give someone the benefit of the doubt, if it means getting over a fight sooner. At work, you are good at building relationships and connecting with people. You would make a great nurse, social worker, or teacher. How you see yourself: Organized, dependable, co-operative When other people don't get you, they see you as: Opinionated, critical, and know-it-all

What's Your Personality Type?

PS to BT: Here's your mention. :) Thanks for making me smile!

Here we go again!

After a whirlwind weekend of sleep, errands, and a bit of socializing, it's back to the grindstone today. I had Criminal Procedure class bright and early, at 8:00 am. Good times. I have another class this afternoon, and then volleyball tonight. Should be a good day. I hope volleyball goes well despite my cold/flu situation. And despite the fact that I haven't played since December 17 - yikes! Oh well, I'm looking forward to it regardless.

So my cat, Tony, seems thrilled that I'm home, but he's also quite upset with me. How do I know this you ask? Well, he leaves me "presents" on my bed, which then require some serious washing machine action. He also vomited on the carpet. I have tried very hard to give him tons of attention, but basically, he's been upset since finals period. This is normal, but this episode seems to be lasting longer than usual. I've now resorted to my last ditch effort - putting a food dish on my bed. Hopefully this will work, as I simply cannot wash my bedding every other day. If anyone has any advice, please let me know. Currently, he is laying on my textbook, clearly sending me the message to pay attention to him or else. ;)

Class line up this semester, if anyone cares: Criminal Procedure, Advanced Torts, Prosecution and Defense of White Collar Crime, Negotiation, and Sexual Orientation and the Law. For the first time throughout all of law school, I'm actually looking forward to most if not all of these classes. What a breath of fresh air, especially after last semester's horrid classes. I hope this excitement lasts - I just need to make it through May 14, the last day of finals, and then I graduate on May 17! Woot! I can't believe the date is so close now; it seems like I just started yesterday. I can't wait to be working again, as that schedule, despite requiring long hours, returns normalcy to my life. Yay!

Okay, speaking of classes, I need to do the homework for my afternoon class. Later peeps!

Home Sweet Home!

I made it home last night - yay! It was sort of a crazy traveling day, as I had four flights instead of three. My first flight was supposed to be from Tel Aviv to Warsaw, but we wound up having a little stop in Krakow (I guess this was scheduled, but my ticket didn't say anything about that). My flight from Warsaw to Chicago was late, so I had to RUN through the airport to make my next flight, which was then of course, delayed. :) Oh well, I was just thrilled to be at the gate and ready to go - I had time to make some calls, eat, and check my email, which was nice. That flight finally took off, and after circling for about at half hour because of the snow, we got to land. Yay, I was home! Kristin picked me up, and after some visiting with her, Danette, and of course Tony, and a shower, I went to bed - for 14 hours. Unfortunately, my cold is now full blown and I don't feel well at all. Oh well, I'm just thrilled to be home!

I will still write a wrap up post in the future, but for now, I should fill in the details of the last few days. On Thursday, January 10, after my exam, I went with Kara, Matthew, and Andy to see the Western Wall Tunnels tour. Basically, there is a long tunnel that runs along the wall, and we got to travel along it. By doing this, we got to the holiest of holy places, the place nearest to something inside the Temple Mount (I think it's nearest to the stone in the Temple, but I don't know for sure - I'm sick right now so everything is hazy). Temple Mount now holds the Dome of Rock too, so that's the same place, if that makes sense. Anyway, the tour was really neat - we got to see ruins from the destroyed temples, and old aqueduct, and the various kinds of stone that were used to build the wall. The wall is MUCH bigger than the small area that people pray at, and the tour put this into perspective.

An interesting thing - the tour ended in the Muslim quarter, and we were escorted by armed guards back to the Jewish quarter. This was odd because we had wandered the Muslim quarter as tourists several times already. I'm not sure why we needed the armed guards, and to me, it seemed like a way to escalate rather than deescalate tension. Perhaps people who finished the tour were harassed in the past or something, but if not, the guards really were an odd thing.

After the tour, Kara and I went back to the hotel and caught a sherout (shuttle) to the airport in Tel Aviv (Karyna and Michelle also joined us). Once there, we took a cab to the hotel where Amber and Vince were staying in Tel Aviv. They didn't leave until the next day, and Kara, Karyna, and I all needed a place to hang out until our early morning flights. It worked out well; a big group of us went out to dinner and then to have drinks at an Irish pub (an Irish pub in Tel Aviv no less). After that, we headed back to the room, where Kara, Karyna, and I took showers and tried to sleep for a bit before our cab came to get us at 2.

I liked Tel Aviv quite a bit. It couldn't be more different than Jerusalem; basically it's a modern city. Also, it's right on the Mediterranean Sea, but I couldn't see the water because it was dark when we arrived. The entire group was happy to be in Tel Aviv, as Jerusalem had worn us all out. I really do think it's a draining place in some ways - tense, full of conflict, etc. I'm not saying I didn't like Jerusalem or that I regret that I went, just that it was a tiring place in some ways. Tel Aviv felt completely different, and that was a nice change.

Anyway, after trying to sleep for an hour and a half, our cab came and we got to the airport at about 2:30 am. Kara and Karyna's flight was at 5:30 am, and mine was at 6:00, and it was definitely a good thing that we got there so early. Israeli airport security puts all other airport security to shame I tell you. They unpacked my entire suitcase and scanned all of my stuff for some sort of material - I'm guessing gun powder or C4, but I don't really know for sure. I also had to go through more security later, again, not as easy as our security, and I think I had to show my passport about 4 times. Poor Karyna had a harder time because she is not a US citizen but rather a legal permanent resident (she is originally from the Ukraine). She finally made it through security, and then her flight was screwed up too. Needless to say, she made it to the gate just in time for her and Kara to board! I said good bye to those two and headed to my own gate, and then I was off to Warsaw (via that random stop in Krakow).

That pretty much sums it up - two weeks of traveling successfully completed! I knew I was ready to come home when I had little patience for the actual traveling yesterday - I found myself easily frustrated by people taking forever to store their bags on the plane, etc. Normal stuff that might not always get to me, if that makes sense. It was time to be home, and I'm happy to be here now. I'm pretty sure today will be an all day PJs day, and perhaps some extra sleeping too!

Thanks to everyone who read about and commented on my journeys; it meant a lot to know you were all thinking about me. Love to all, and stay tuned for the wrap up/reflective entry as well as more entries on regular life. Shalom!

Signing off from Israel!

So my time in Israel is rapidly coming to an end. Tomorrow is our exam, and after that, I will be doing one last tourist thing (a tour of the Western Wall tunnels) and then heading to Tel Aviv to hopefully catch my flight home. We have to check out of our Jerusalem hotel by noon tomorrow, but my flight doesn't leave until 6 am on Friday morning, so I have some time to kill. Most of the flights in and out of here depart and arrive at odd times - super early in the morning or super late at night. A bit frustrating, but not much I can do about that. Anyway, I think several of us will probably have dinner in Tel Aviv and then maybe just head to the airport to wait. Otherwise, several others are getting a hotel room in Tel Aviv, and if we get tired and want to chill somewhere, we might go there for bit. Regardless, I have to be at the airport by 3 am because of potential security issues. Tomorrow might be a difficult day, as I will be anxious to start my journeys home but I will just have to wait. Patience, right? :)

I plan to write a more reflective, detailed summary of my trip in its entirety when I get home, as I think I need some time and distance to gauge what I think and how I feel about this experience. I've had a lot of fun, but I find it to be a very tiring place as well. I want to examine this with fresh eyes, so some time and space is necessary. Stay tuned for that blog - I'm sure you can hardly wait! ;)

Back to my adventures, last night I decided to join a few people for one last dinner out in Jerusalem. I was feeling tired, but I decided I should go because I figured I would stay in tonight to study, rest, pack, etc. A few people turned into 12, and things got a bit chaotic. 12 people means 3 cabs, etc. Good thing Daniel was on top of things; he told all of the cab drivers exactly where to bring us. On the way to the restaurant, we passed through West Jerusalem, and that was interesting to see. West Jerusalem is mainly occupied by Jews, while East Jerusalem is mainly Arab. The difference in wealth was immediately obvious. West Jerusalem seems cleaner, neater, brighter, and just a bit newer or something. We also passed the King David Hotel, where President Bush is staying, and that was interesting to see. The entire outside is covered by tents, and someone said this could be to prevent sniper attacks. I'm not sure if that is true, but it made sense to me. Anyway, the difference between West and East Jerusalem is stark, and a bit sad.

Speaking of West and East Jerusalem, yesterday there was a big protest in the Old City because it's been suggested that Israel cede East Jerusalem to the Palestinians. This idea is not popular with many Israelis, as Jerusalem truly is the heart of Israel, but the issue is currently being discussed. The protesters tried to form a circle around the entire Old City, which would be quite the feat. I'm not sure if they succeeded, but we did see a good number of people participating. Such a protest has been done before, but instead it was a peace protest - the organizers called it the Jerusalem Hug or something similar. I guess there is a video on Youtube if anyone is interested in seeing the Jerusalem Hug - just search for that and it should pop up. Yesterday's protest didn't cause any problems for us, and it was interesting to see.

As most of you know, President Bush arrives (arrived) here today. During class, we heard several rounds of helicopters, and I'm guessing one set was probably him. I guess he's only going to travel by road here when he's traveling very short distances. Otherwise, he will be using helicopters. This is a very good thing, as traffic is already bad here, and they've already had to close several roads, making it even worse. It's also interesting to see American flags on the roads now - they popped up late last week in anticipation of his visit, and before that, I hadn't really seen any. Additionally, there are now guards posted on the ramparts of the Old City, as well as at all the gates and at various places throughout the Old City. I cannot even imagine attempting to secure the Old City - there are tons of little shops, streets, houses, and nooks and crannies to deal with, but I guess they probably know what they are doing. I'm not even sure Bush will be in the Old City, but I suppose they have to be on high alert everywhere.

Okay, back to last night's dinner now, for real this time. We ate at a restaurant in West Jerusalem called Caffit. It wasn't a big place, so fitting 12 people in without a reservation was interesting. They tried to split us into two groups of 10 and 2, but we managed to fit 12 of us at the table. To me, the restaurant was nothing special - it sort of reminded me of a typical American restaurant. I ordered salmon, diet coke, and some apple pie for dessert - all just fine, but again, nothing special. Oh, another side note, sometimes diet cokes are very expensive here, just like in Europe. Last night, I got a little glass bottle for 12 shekels, more than $3! On campus, I get a much better deal, but it's still expensive. Funny what a girl will do for her diet coke! ;) Anyway, Caffit was not my favorite place, but the company was good and I left full. Can't complain too much.

This morning, we had our last class and a mini-review session, which really wasn't a review session at all. Basically, they asked if we had any questions, some people asked some, and we were finished. This was a good thing, as many of us were ready to be done with class, period. Today's speaker, Marc Gopin again, just sort of rambled on, and at one point, we were all thinking, is he talking to hear himself speak, because we don't know what he is talking about...A couple of hours of this might be okay, but he was a bit like that yesterday too. In his defense, he does have bronchitis, so perhaps that's why he lacked focus. Basically, the point is that I was ready to be done with class. 4+ hours a day sitting in tiny desk chairs, the kind we had in elementary school, all one connected piece of furniture, gets old.

Anyway, we finished class, and the plan for the rest of the day is to nap, study, pack, grab dinner, and just relax. Should be a nice evening. The weather is still a bit gloomy, even a bit foggy, so it's a good day for such a plan (the ground was still wet this morning, making for another treacherous journey to and around campus - I must look like an 80 year old walking around gingerly. Funny.) Speaking of today's plan, I think it's time for the nap phase. I already watched a couple of episodes of Gilmore Girls on the Hallmark channel, which they oddly have here, and I think this entry is long enough already. ;) Odds are very good that this will be my last blog from Israel, so don't worry if I don't write for a few days. I've really enjoyed the blogging process, as it allowed me to process my thoughts and feelings about what I've been seeing, and I think it will be an excellent record of my trip. I hope everyone at home enjoyed reading what I had to say as well. Love to all, and I hope to see you soon!

Pictures:
1 -3) All views from on campus, near the building where we often had class. Note today's gloomy weather.
4) View of a part of the Old City walls
5) An old fortress in Warsaw - I know it's odd that I switched back to that city, but I had a few more pics I wanted to share.
6) Part of a monument to the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and I think to probably WWII Polish troops in general
7) Warsaw homes.

Jerusalem is like an ice rink!

Greetings my American friends and family!

We had our first rainy day today, and let me tell you, Jerusalem is a crazy slippery city when the ground is wet! Walking on the Jerusalem stone (Mom, that's what people say it is called, idk) is like walking on ice. Perhaps even a little worse! Campus is particularly bad. We have to walk up a slope to get to our classrooms, and today I swear I started sliding backwards. As that was happening, I was thinking to myself, dear lord, I'm going to tumble down this hill and also, how am I going to get up this hill, all at once. I finally stepped into the plant area and sort of walked up that way. The old city was also slippery, and I felt like I was hugging the wall the entire time. Craziness. Clearly, liability for torts isn't a big deal here - people must just fall all the time.

Anyway, despite the slipperiness, I made it to class, and today I had a hard time staying awake. Not sure why really, but it was brutal. I got about 7 hours of sleep, so that wasn't terrible, but I literally had to pinch myself at times to stay awake. I've been told by several people that the city itself is a tiring place to be, so perhaps that's what is going on. Or, perhaps it's just the carryover effect from finals, the holidays, traveling, and fighting off a cold...regardless of the cause, I was tired this morning. I hope tomorrow is better - I plan to go to bed early tonight.

After class, we went on another guided tour in the Old City. We entered through the Lion's Gate, which was cool because I hadn't gone in that way before. This gate is the gate that the Israeli troops entered through in 1967 when they reclaimed the Old City for Jerusalem. Kind of neat. Also, in case you don't know, the Old City is walled in (I think I mentioned this before), and there are seven gates (I believe this is correct - one gate is actually closed, so there are only six actual entrances). Before today, I had been to the Damascus, Jaffa, and Dung (unfortunate name) gates. Anyway, Lions Gate led us into the Muslim quarter (I learned today that the Muslim quarter is actually half of the Old City, while the other three quarters take up the rest of the space). Once inside, we found ourselves at one of the Stations of the Cross, I believe it was the place where Jesus was sentenced to die. We didn't complete the entire tour of the Stations, but instead moved on through the quarter, eventually stopping near the Western Wall again - somewhere I had already been. I did learn more about the Wall though - it was definitely part of one of the old temples that were destroyed (I think the main temple, perhaps from King David's time). That fact alone doesn't make it the most holy place for Jews however (it's a huge reason of course). Instead, when Muslims controlled the city, they only allowed Jews to pray there once a year, on the date that marked the destruction of the temple. During war in 1967, Israeli troops seized the Old City, and the Western Wall has been available since then. It's called the Wailing Wall because the Jews often cried on their once a year visits, and the troops that seized the wall also cried when they arrived. Quite interesting.

Another interesting thing - the Dome of the Rock, which houses the stone on which Muhammad ascended to heaven, and the largest functioning mosque in the Old City, are built right on top of Temple Mount, the actual site of the destroyed temple. So, the Western Wall is basically right next to these Muslim holy places. Also, Jews can't pray at the Temple Mount, one of their holiest places, because it is not allowed by the Muslims (I think they control the area, but I don't fully understand all of it). Looking at this situation, it rapidly becomes obvious why there is tension here. I do wish the groups could step back for a minute and recognize that a lot of the behavior is ridiculous...all this trumping of each other is just nuts. Building a mosque next to a church, a church higher than the mosque, a temple higher than both, fighting over who cleans the steps, building over holy sites, on and on and on. Frustrating, and not something I totally understand to be honest.

Back to the tour - I also saw the site of the Last Supper and David's tomb. Both of those were small, more obscure sites, and if someone hadn't told me what they were, I wouldn't have known at all. Weird how that works! We also stood on the roof at the point where all the quarters meet - cool place to look at all the different parts of the city. I had been up there on the first day in the Old City, but I didn't know what I was standing on then. It turns out tours can be helpful - who knew? ;)

After the tour, we came back and I have been chilling since then - emailing, chatting online, and watching random American tv shows (I got to watch an episode of Gilmore Girls!). Now I'm getting ready to go out to dinner, so I need to end this post. Hope you are all well, and let's hope for sun tomorrow or I might come home in a cast! ;)

Lots of love!



Pictures:
1) Lion's Gate into the Old City
2) View after walking through the Lion's Gate into the Old City
3) Western Wall with the Israeli flag
4) Me on top of the roof at the cross section between all four quarters of the Old City - looking out into the far distance you can see Jordan
5) Me on top of the roof
6) An Old City cat inside the Last Supper room. This cat seemed to be in rough shape, which made me sad
7) I'm actually not sure what this is. I just like the picture. I took it inside the Old City, and it was in the Jewish Quarter. Perhaps it's a synagogue. :)
8) Western Wall with the Dome of the Rock to the left - see how close they are?
9) View from the top of the roof in the Old City.

A slow blogging day

Shalom!

I don't have much to report today, as I wrote two entries yesterday, but I thought I should write anyway, as my paid inet will be running out soon. We had class this morning, and Marc Gopin presented. Rabbi Gopin has had an amazing life and career. He's worked in Syria trying to create peace there, he's written several books, he's met with Yassar Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin, Bill Clinton, and a TON of other hugely important diplomats. Basically, he goes places that Americans, particularly Jewish Americans, don't go, and he actually makes inroads toward creating peace. Quite amazing.

After that, we walked back to the hotel, which took approximately 20 minutes. Hamline advertised this as a 7 minute walk, which is laughable. Perhaps if I sprinted the entire way I could make it that quickly, but otherwise, no way. Oh well, I'm only here until Thursday and then after a bit of touring, I'm heading to Tel Aviv to catch my 6 am flight on Friday morning. I will have to be at the airport at 3 am because they aren't sure what's going to happen with security with GWB here. Send positive thoughts for my travel home - I want to make it out of here that day!

I just finished a nice lunch with Kara (the company was much better than the hotel food), and I think she and I, plus Amber and Vince, are going to head into the Old City for a bit this afternoon. Tonight we have a presentation by Michael Tsur, who negotiated the release of the hostages from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem a few years ago. That should be fascinating, and I'm looking forward to it.

We've had some great presenters for class here, but I'm still not sure what I'm supposed to be taking from all of it. Other people seem much more disappointed in the class than me though. Perhaps this is because I already experienced HUSL's class in Paris. I didn't have super high hopes, and again, I do think the presenters are terrific.

The weather seems to have changed a bit now - quite a bit colder than last week. Nothing terrible, but people did wear hats yesterday. I just wore my fleece jacket, and I felt fine. In fact, I was super warm this morning as I walked to campus...perhaps that was because it is uphill the entire way and I'm out of shape...just a guess! ;)

Okay, that's all for now. I hope everyone is well - I miss you all.

Lots of love!


Pictures:
1) A view from the Old City, near the Western Wall I think
2) Masada - an old Byzantine church. The Byzantines occupied Masada for a while after the Jews' last stand there.
3) View of part of the Jewish Quarter (I'm standing near the Western Wall, facing the opposite way)
4) Another view of the Dome of the Rock. I guess this building houses the stone on which Mohammad (sp?) ascended to heaven. I don't think it's used as a practicing mosque, but more as a shrine. I haven't been there, as there are very few times during the day that people can go inside. It's built on top of land that is extremely holy for the Jews as well - the area is known as Temple Mount, and I think that was where the original temple was built (do NOT quote me on these things).
5) The entire Kellerman gang: Back row, left to right: Daniel, Kara, Ben, me. Front row, left to right: Joe, Amber (my roomie), and Vince
6) View from the Ramparts Walk

Holy Holiness!

On Sunday, January 6, we had class in the morning. Our presenter was Daniel Rossing, a man who has been the Jewish representative to the Christian communities in Jerusalem for many, many years. I found his presentation fascinating. He described Jerusalem as a city "in between": in between the East and West, Heaven and Earth, Past and Future, etc. He talked about needing to create more "in between" space so everyone can live peacefully here. He also taught us about the MANY different Christian groups that live here and the conflicts that arise between them all. Some of the things he has to do to keep the peace amongst them are simply ridiculous. It's not even about religion, but rather about egos and saving face. Sad, but true. I found the class to be perhaps the most interesting so far, as he provided information about the city and about some of the actual conflicts that take place here.

Professor Rossing also mentioned that because Jerusalem is the "in between," every little conflict here has the potential to flare up into something huge. So, an argument over who owns a step of a church can turn into a major affair, and the whole world is always watching. He also talked about the city as a giant social laboratory, and I found that comparison to be amazingly accurate. Things work here, even if it's insanely precarious. If all the groups that co-exist here can do this, there is no real reason multiculturalism, real multiculturalism, can't exist elsewhere. That doesn't mean that it's easy, but that it's doable.

After class, Professor Rossing took us on a tour of some of the Christian Quarter in the Old City and then of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is supposedly built on top of Calvary, where Jesus was crucified, and it also holds what is supposed to be the tomb in which he was laid (and the stone on which his body was prepared for burial). The Church was interesting, and many people come from all over the world to pray there and to touch the stone/spot where the cross supposedly stood. Personally, I didn't feel much of anything. I've always been a skeptic, and while I can respect why some people found it incredibly emotional and moving (not really in my group it seemed), I also admit that I don't fully understand it.

The Church is shared by the many Christian groups, and I found some of the ways they had to divide it to be ridiculous. All that fighting and divisiveness due to religion. I know this might be offensive to many, but I actually found it silly...The Greek Orthodox will wash the step on odd days and the Greek Catholics will wash it on even days, etc. The real meaning of religion seems to be completely lost in all the arguing. Not that different than America and its Christians however...people will always be intoxicated by power/land/money/etc., so why would it be different here? In fact, people here have 4000 years of history dealing with all those things, so perhaps it makes sense that it's worse here.

Overall, I wasn't particularly impressed with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I get why it's hugely important for Christians, but I just didn't feel it, and I found the fighting over the contents, etc. to be ridiculous and petty even. Again, remember I'm a skeptic, so my perspective is unique on this.

After our tour of the Church ended, some of us grabbed lunch (I had beef and lamb kabob in a pita sandwich - yum). Then, Kara, Amber, Michael and I set off to find the Western Wall. Somehow, we managed to get a bit lost, wandering through what seemed like Jewish residential areas (we saw apartments and schools), but eventually we made our way there. Men and women must separate at the wall, so the three women made our way to our side of the wall. Additionally, you are supposed to cover your head here, but hardly anyone obeyed this (we did). Lots of people were at the wall, and I didn't bring any papers to stick a prayer into the wall, but I did walk up and take a look. It was clear that people were quite moved by being there (this was true at the Church as well), and it was neat to be there. I do wish I had remembered paper so I could have left prayers, but oh well (though I'm a skeptic, I figure sending a direct message to God can't hurt).

About the Western Wall: I believe it was the wall of the original temple of Jerusalem, but that could be WAY off (I haven't read my guidebook in a while). Regardless, it is the holiest spot in the world for Jews (I'm almost sure this is true). Again, similar to the Church, I didn't find myself particularly moved, but I'm glad I got to be there and see it. I can appreciate the history even if I don't understand the religion...

A funny story I've been meaning to tell: It seems there is something called the Jerusalem Syndrome, meaning that people come here and have such a powerful religious reaction that they start believing they are the next prophet or the Messiah or something similar. They then tend to do crazy things, and I think some people have been killed by people suffering from the delusions. Odd...definitely not something I can relate to, but it's an actual psychological disorder.

Anyway, after the Western Wall, we went to the Regency Hotel to check into our rooms. Our time at Maiersdorf is through, and I will be at this hotel until Friday. They say it's supposed to be a 4 star hotel, but it feels like a fancy Holiday Inn to me. Nothing special at all. Also, internet is no longer free, and actually costs quite a bit to use. Thus, my blogging may decrease some, but we'll see (I can still go up to campus and use the inet there for free). I'm disappointed that we had to move here, as Maiersdorf is closer to class, had free inet, decent breakfast, and was definitely fine when it came to living accommodations. Oh well - I'm still slightly homesick, so I think that is making me a bit crabby.

Okay, that's all for now. I think I'm going to try to go to bed early tonight - gotta keep fighting off that cold.

Pictures:
1) Old man outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
2) Part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
3) Sign for Church of the Holy Sepulchre
4) Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
5) View leaving the Old City from the Western Wall
6) Me at the Western Wall - I'm tiny.
7) The Western Wall
8) The Western Wall
9) A view of the Old City from the Western Wall plaza (if that's what it is called)
10) One of the views from the Western Wall plaza

Love to all!

Destination: Dead Sea and more

Shalom! Sorry for the delay - I've been busy and I've been too tired at night to stay up and blog. Anyway, here's the scoop on my latest travel adventures.

I think I mentioned in my last entry that I would be going to the Western Wall on Thursday night (January 3), but that actually didn't happen. Instead, I wound up going out to dinner at a place called Barood, which we sort of just stumbled upon by accident while walking along Ben Yehuda Street. Barood was great - excellent atmosphere, excellent food (I had a steak and an excellent dessert - halva parfait, which I had never had), and excellent company. After Barood, we went to a club, and while the atmosphere was cool, the music was way too loud. I know I'm getting old when I say things like that, but I honestly wanted to cover my ears at times. I don't really understand why they played the music that loud, since it wasn't a dance club, but oh well. The place was hopping, as Thursday night is basically a lot like Friday night in the States.

After the bar (and Cuban cigars for the guys), we headed back to the Maiersdorf, and I was out cold for the night. I find myself still feeling really tired - almost wanting to put my head down when we are out, etc. I don't think it's jet lag, and I do know I'm fighting off a cold (tons of people in the group have full fledged colds, including my roommate, Amber. I feel bad for them). Anyway, I took all the Airborne I brought with, but I'm still taking Zicam, so I'm hoping I can avoid full fledged sickness. Stay tuned for more on that.

On Friday, January 4, a group of us left Jerusalem and headed to the Dead Sea. I went with 6 others from the group: Amber, Kara, Ben, Vince, Joe, and Daniel. The first five are all from Hamline, and Daniel is from Australia. Joe did an excellent job finding transportation, and a van with a driver just for us came to pick us up at about 10:30 on Friday morning. The drive was pretty, and we got to see a different part of Israel - desert, mountains, and the Dead Sea. Our plan was to spend the night away from Jerusalem, so Amber had made a reservation for two rooms via the internet at a place called the Kibbutz Ein Gedi. For those of you don't know, a kibbutz is a self sustaining collective community, basically a commune, run by Jews. This particular kibbutz runs a spa and hotel for tourists, and that seems to be the main way they make money (though I'm not sure).

After about an hour and a half on the road, the driver pulled up at the kibbutz and we went to check in. Unfortunately, the kibbutz claimed to have no record of us in their system, meaning they didn't have rooms for us. They claimed they were completely booked. Amber then showed them her confirmation email, and they still said nothing was available. At the same time, we were trying to hold our driver so we wouldn't be stranded somewhere without a driver. The driver then started calling other hotels to see if we could find a room at a different place. Finally, the kibbutz manager came out, and she said that they did have two rooms available after all, but they didn't include food. She also emphasized that the rooms were not fancy. At that point, we didn't care at all, and we said we would take them. I think they thought Americans wouldn't want to stay in non-fancy rooms; otherwise, I'm not sure why they wouldn't give us those rooms. After we solved the housing crisis, we had to wait a bit to check in and hit the spa, so we went outside, ordered a few drinks (as usual, diet coke for me), the guys played table tennis, and we made friends with some of the kibbutz cats (it seems cats are everywhere in Israel; who knew).

At 2:00, we caught the shuttle to the spa, and the Dead Sea adventures began. For those of you that don't know, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth - I think it's 400 or so meters below sea level, which is about 1200 feet. Also, the Dead Sea is receding, basically disappearing (I don't know the science behind this, but I'm sure google or wikipedia would have answers if you care). As a result of the shrinking, we had to walk a long way from the spa to actually reach the sea. We actually passed a sign that said "Suitable bathing area" or something similar, and we were still a LONG way from the water - that's how much the water has receded. We eventually reached the beach, which was made of hard, dried salt. It was definitely not a beach on which you would sunbathe, and I had to wear flip flops to walk on it. I crossed the hard salt and entered the water to begin my floating adventure.

The Dead Sea supposedly has great healing powers, and is supposed to heal your skin, etc. All I know is that it was the saltiest, thickest water I've ever been in. You literally DO float on top of the water (this has to do with salt and mineral content I think), and once I was floating, I found it difficult to stand back up. I got a tiny bit of water in my mouth, and it tasted horrible! I can't imagine getting it in your eyes - I think it would seriously destroy your contacts upon touch. Also, any cuts or sores on your skin resulted in some burning, but nothing terrible. Despite the stinging and the taste, the whole experience was awesome. I can't explain the feeling of floating on water, but it was just really cool-probably one of the coolest things I've ever done. So far though, my knee isn't healed, and neither is my skin. I bought some lotions from the resort, so maybe if I use them long enough, I will be 100% healed. ;)

Also, the weather was quite nice - partly sunnier and quite a bit warmer than Jerusalem, which made floating in water pleasant. The water itself was cold, but not cold like Lake Superior. It was just fine when the sun was out, and I wasn't shivering or anything like that.

After floating on the sea, we walked back toward the spa and stopped off at the mud bins. We covered ourselves completely in mud, which felt amazing. I was surprised by how good it felt, honestly. I've never done any spa treatments at home, but I think I will look into doing this in the States. After letting the mud dry a bit, we rinsed off in the hot, sulfur smelling showers (I'm guessing the water came from the sea or a natural spring) they provided (smelled and tasted terrible again, but it felt good). We then went back to the spa, showered, and caught the shuttle back to the hotel portion of the kibbutz. The spa had hot baths (some of you might remember how much I loved the baths in Budapest), but the baths smelled so strongly of sulfur that I couldn't bring myself to go in them. Sort of a bummer, but it was okay too.

Let me tell you a bit about our rooms at the kibbutz...they reminded me of the rooms I think American summer camps probably have. In the girls' room, we had two twin beds and one bed on the floor that was basically one of those couch cushion chairs that flip out into a bed (popular in college dorm rooms). The guys had two twin beds and two of the couch cushion beds. The bathroom was tiny, and the shower included a squeegee, which seemed a bit odd to me but in the morning I figured out why it was necessary - water flooded all over the bathroom while showering. Also, our room had no hot water and only two towels, meaning that Kara had to use a sheet to dry off. Despite these issues, the rooms were cheap and clean, and they were just fine for one night.

Back to the kibbutz adventures...Joe signed us up for the 6:00 dinner seating, so we headed back down to the bar for more drinks around 5:30. At about 5:55, we headed over to dinner, thinking that we would be eating at a restaurant of sorts. In reality, it was basically an Israeli Old Country Buffet. Nicer, but really the same concept. Also, all the spa guests lined up outside waiting to get in, just like they raced to catch the shuttle at the spa. I found that quite hysterical - the place was like a retirement home and people had routines they had to follow: spa at 2, dinner at 6, mini golf at 10, etc. Anyway, the food was decent, but no one here understands the concept of a line, and at one point, I had to push myself back up to the food. Also, despite having 3 Jews in our group, we completely stuck out at the kibbutz - I think we might have been the only Americans in the whole joint. At one point, Daniel pulled out his kippa and put it on in an attempt to make us seem more legitimate, but I don't think it mattered even one bit. Everyone stared at us as we ate, but we still had a good time.

After dinner, we headed back to the lobby area for the nightly entertainment promised by our guidebooks. The guidebooks listed belly dancing among some of the possibilities for entertainment, so we had no idea what to expect. Guess what Friday night's entertainment was: karaoke. Mostly Hebrew karaoke I might add. I think we had about 7 songs in English from which to choose. This makes sense obviously, but it made for a LONG karaoke experience. Some folks sang English songs, and eventually, Joe got up to sing a new version of Hotel California - Hotel Ein Gedi Kibbutz. His rendition actually won him a prize, which I found quite hysterical. The kibbutz also served cotton candy throughout the event, and we were surrounded by mostly senior citizens and children. Quite surreal really.

Overall, Kibbutz Ein Gedi was a good experience, but it was also one of the strangest places I've ever stayed. I don't know how many of you have seen dirty dancing, but the kibbutz reminded me of the lodge at which that movie takes place - Kellerman's Lodge. So, we named ourselves the Kellermans and decided we were all on a family vacation together. Quite amusing, and it made the experience quite enjoyable. I'm not sure too many Americans would dig the kibbutz, but I'm glad we stayed there. At on point, Kara pointed to the giant radio tower on one of the buildings and said that it was probably used to send a signal to the mother ship, if that helps explain anything for you. :)

The next day, Saturday, January 5, we were off to Masada (our driver returned to the kibbutz), which is basically a really old Jewish fortress/castle (it was built by King Herod) on top of a mountain in the middle of the desert. As the Romans tried to conquer the Jews at Masada, the Jews chose death rather than slavery, and they killed each other and their families (Jews can't commit suicide if they want to be buried in a Jewish cemetery). Masada is now a symbol of Jewish strength and resistance, and it is a national park. Because it is on top of a mountain, we had to ride a cable car to reach the actual fort (we could have hiked, but I don't think any of us were prepared for that type of an adventure). Masada was quite interesting, and I was able to get some beautiful pictures of both the fortress and the Dead Sea (amazing all around views from being that high). If you want to learn more about Masada, there is an old American movie about it, but I'm sure google or wikipedia would also do the trick. ;)

After Masada, we decided to head back to Jerusalem, as everyone was tired and we weren't sure where the driver would be willing to bring us. On the way back, we stopped off at a market along the road because they had a camel sitting outside as advertisement. We took pictures of the camel, but really, seeing it there (along with the others along the way) made me really sad because I couldn't help but think its life is probably awful. It's tied to a little rope, separated from other camels, and just has to stand all day long on the side of the road. Plus, it's knee was bloody and it seemed to be favoring that leg. The whole thing made me really sad.

When we got back to Maiersdorf, Amber did laundry, and she was kind enough to wash a few things for me, including the five day pants. It was nice to have them clean, as they are good for walking around. Basically, we lounged around all afternoon, and it felt like we were in college. Quite fun! Also, I took advantage of technology and made a video call to Sarah. It was nice to hear a voice from home, as I'm feeling a bit homesick for some reason. I haven't even been gone that long, but a big part of me is ready to go home already. It's always hard to live out of a suitcase, rely on cabs to take you everywhere, not know when your next meal will be or how much it will cost, and not really have tons of control over your life. Also, unlike other places I've traveled, I don't really feel like I can just jet out for a walk or do touristy things by myself. Not only would I be ridiculously lost, but I'm not sure that's a safe thing to do here. Anyway, I'm sure I will be fine. Homesickness tends to come in waves, and I'm sure this one will subside soon.

On Saturday night, a group of us went out to a restaurant called Pasha, where I had the best meal I've had the entire time in Israel. They served us tons and tons of different salads and warm pita to start, and then I ordered the mixed grill kabob dinner. The entire meal was fabulous, and it was completely reasonable in price as well. If I could find a place to buy all those different salad and warm pita in the states, I would probably live there. Delicious.

Okay, that's enough for this post. I will write another one describing Sunday's adventures.

Pictures:
1) Sign for Barood
2) Me and Vince in Barood (playing around with special effects on the camera)
3) Vince, Me, and Ben at Hebrew Karaoke night at the Kibbutz Ein Gedi
4) Sunset at the Kibbutz Ein Gedi spa
5) View of the Dead Sea from Kibbutz Ein Gedi
6) Me with cotton candy at Hebrew karaoke night
7) View from the Kibbutz Ein Gedi
8) The Dead Sea
9) Me floating in the Dead Sea
10) Some of the Kellerman's floating in the Dead Sea
11) Ben, Joe, Kara, Me, and Daniel in the mud at the Dead Sea
12) View of the kibbutz from our room
13) Vince and Ben playing table tennis at the kibbutz
14) 6 out of the 7 Kellermans: Ben, Amber, me, Daniel, Kara and Joe
15) Ben and Kara at the kibbutz
16) Vince, Joe, and Ben rocking the Hebrew karaoke
17) Another view from the kibbutz
18) Masada
19) Masada
20) Masada
21) Me in a tunnel at Masada - clearly the people were short back then
22) Me and the roadside camel
23) The poor roadside camel
24) Sunset from our room in Maiersdorf - Saturday, January 5, 2008

Love to all!