LETTERS

So, a girl here had the great idea to post on her blog that she wanted letters. This is me copying her. I realize that this is sad for two reasons, one that I am copying her and two that I am begging people for letters. But nothing joys me more than to see a good thick letter sitting in my mailbox on the 6th floor. It's like seeing puppies or kittens or white chocolate with almond magnum bars (which I have not seen since arriving back in Israel). Also, pretty soon I will be having midterms. I will begin studying for them... oh wait already started. Ya it's not even October and I am studying for midterms. Sure they are only term classes, but this is just sad. So commiserate with me a little and send me some lovin.

Well, like I said, anyone who would like to spend a little dollar to write me a good hearty letter, you know I would enjoy it thoroughly. I would also enjoy a nice sized package (cough, mom) with some Rips candy and maybe some sour punch straws. I am good on the chocolate (they have Kinder and Milka here, enough said) but the sour stuff is lacking. I also miss Chick-fil-A and Dr Pepper (but those probably don't travel well) and seedless grapes (but a good package never leaves room for fruit). That is all.

Finalmente

The view of Greece and the Mediterranean as we flew in.

From the "viewpoints of Jerusalem" field trip. Rockin the fanny pack.

Sorry my faithful blog followers. joke. Hi mom. Here are some pictures for you guys to enjoy.

Okay So it is now lke 2 weeks since I first started that post, and again I am truly sorry. I have failed as a blogger and as a human. Many apologies. I try to upload pics and then I get too lazy because it takes years. So from now on I will try to get at least one or two pictures in and then just write about stuff.
So I just got back from Turkey last night. It was AMAZING. Seriously, I would love to go back to Turkey again so that I can spend some real time with my Byzantine friends in Istanbul. It is truly beautiful there, the people are friendly, and the Magnum bars are plentiful. Or they were until the JC students got there.
Some highlights of the trip...

• Assos was one of my favorite places. It was gorgeous and I got some amazing pictures there that I will surely edit and try to get up on here.
• Ephesus was also very cool. Almost an entire city that is still there (in ruins of course). The library was my favorite part of that. I also enjoyed singing Hercules songs as we walked around because it just feels like you're in the movie, dangit.
• We stayed in one hotel that had conditioner. What the heck. Who knew the Easterners cared so little about the maintenance of shiny, silky hair
• Like I said earlier, Magnum bars galore. But what I really enjoyed was the Milka chocolate and a Coke. Excellent combination? Oh yeah. Baklava was high on the "Delicious" list too, along with kabobs and some (definitely not all) forms of Turkish Delight.
• We spent most of our trip either driving on the bus or looking at rocks. My favorite statement of the trip "Look, rocks!" Because it applied in any and all situations. Sorry to complain about being in Turkey but uh, how many barely-there ruins can a person really look at, ya know?
• Pamukkale is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Google it. Right now. K now book a flight to Turkey and go there.

Me, Taylor, and Allyson at Hierapolis  

Boating across the Mediterranean

And a shoutout to the cutest baby alive Camryn Annette, my new niece.  

I AM HERE

And it is the best thing of my life.
I got here on Sunday night and was greeted by a Brother and Sister Bentley, a really amazing service couple here at the center. We waited a little bit longer for another group to get there and made the hour-ish trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. We got here and took a quick tour of the center which is BEAUTIFUL. Holy cow, the pictures do not do it justice. The view from the auditorium that we have sacrament meeting in is breathtaking. When they opened the curtains for us and we could see the beautiful view of the city, I think everyone teared up a little bit. My roommates were asleep but they were so nice to make my bed for me so I just had to unpack and get into my premade bed! The next morning we had a delicious breakfast, then left on our first field trip. We went to a few different lookout spots so that we could familiarize ourselves with the city and know the names of the valleys and cities within the city and so on. We then came back to delicious pita pizza, then had our first couple of classes. After that little nap (sad, I am still so jet lagged that I slept through half of both of my classes), all of those who arrived the day before went out on the Jerusalem Orientation Tour. We walked for about 2 and a half hours through East Jerusalem and then through West Jerusalem - which look like two completely different cities by the way - and familiarized ourselves with some of the streets and shops throughout.
I have class, be back later...

Today we had lots of classes. All of my teachers are really nice and interesting and I am really excited to learn A LOT. Because it sounds like A LOT of work so I will obviously learn A LOT. A LOT.

I also went out into the Old City with a couple of other people. We just walked around and went into some residential areas which I really loved. They're a little quieter and the people say hi to you and stuff. We live in the muslim quarter so we try to use some Arabic phrases with them. There's one greeting that sounds like "Salami Bacon" So I just say it fast and people get what I'm saying. We also got some shekels and sweated like pigs all the way up the giant hill back to the center. (It is literally uphill both ways.) I will post pictures as soon as my laptop starts working. It won't connect to the internet here for some reason.

I also took the best Jerusalem nap of my life. I fell asleep on top of a bunch of stuff on my bed and almost slept through dinner. It was a great experience. I will definitely take more Jerusalem naps in the future.

*A little side note, after being in Guatemala a couple of weeks ago, I developed the habit of speaking spanish to people who don't speak my language. It seems to be a habit that has followed me to Jerusalem. Unfortunately the people here do not speak spanish. I need to learn some Hebrew fast...

US Suckways

Aftos!
I think...
I am in Athens, Greece. It's pretty... pretty.
I should probably be in Tel Aviv right now, or at least almost in Tel Aviv.
Our flight from Philly was delayed and so we didn't get here in time to catch our Athens to Tel Aviv flight. We are now flying to Istanbul and then to Tel Aviv. Hooray. Heavenly Father is really making us work for this trip. I am just exhausted. I have had about 6 hours of sleep in the last.. I don't even know if it's 48 hours. I am just tired.... I want to be in Jerusalem already.

Note to self as well as all friends and neighbors: DON'T EVER USE US AIRWAYS IF YOU CAN AVOID IT,

I can fly! but not til Saturday

I am pleased to announce that I did indeed get my new flight plans to Israel. About half of the kids here are leaving today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday), then I go on Saturday and the rest leave after me. There are 51 of us stuck here, by the way. I have a one hour layover in Athens. Prettay cool. Kinda wish I had been stuck there instead of here in hell Phoenix.

We're HERE!!! Wait...

Well, I am in Israel.

Just kidding, I am sitting in the Phoenix airport. Our flight to Philly is delayed and we may not make it to Israel until Thursday.

Sweet.

(Me and Ally in the airport)

Packing is Stressful

It makes me want to blog more than pack.

Good thing I have Mumford and his sons to keep me calm.

Also, 3 hair dryers and 4 straighteners later, I have found the dual voltage hair tools that I am bringing to Jerusalem with me.

You could say that I'm a little bit picky about the way that I destroy my hair with heat.

AH. I can't believe I am leaving home tomorrow.