So. in. love.

I am so in love with Jerusalem! It is the most gorgeous place!

When we were driving from the Tel Aviv airport, and I finally got a glimpse of my new home, I got chills. Like all over my body.

This is the view from my window. I almost cried. It is so incredible!

It has kind of been a whirlwind. It started with over 24 hours of travel, and the jet-lag has finally started to wear off after a couple of days!

Let me just tell you about yesterday.

4:00 am: woke up to the Muslim prayer call. It had to be at 4:00 because it is Ramadan and they had to wake up early so they can eat before sunrise. And people think people being a Mormon is hard? Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention that they fast for a whole month. ya.

Breakfast 6:00 ( I kind of thought they were trying to kill us because the whole 6:00 am thing was just hours after the whole 3 day flying thing, but its ok, its all worth it!)

Then we went for a 4 mile walking tour of East Jerusalem, the Old City. (picture any Biblical Movie of Jerusalem, and that is pretty much it.) There were people begging in the streets. (Of course I was trying not to cry when I saw them) I just kept thinking that if Christ was there, he would have stopped to help them and bless them. Nobody even seemed to notice them. It seriously broke my heart. They have redone the stones in the Old City since Christ's time, but they have left some strips. So I walked exactly where He has walked. I cannot even explain to you the feeling!

Also in the Old City: Vendors trying to get you to buy things

Constant effort to not smile and look into people's eyes (that is one thing I miss about America)

Being stared at by lots of men. (not fun.)

Just a quick tour of everything, so when I will go into more detail about all of that later.

FYI the Old City smells. aka - just hold your breath.

After the Old City, we went into West Jerusalem, which is more like a modern city. We got gelato, which was delish. and listened to performers in the street. And most importantly, used a SHEKEL for the very first time! still confused as to how those things work. Luckily most people here speak English!

I would say that day was pretty great. ps that was all before noon. cool? I think yes.

Today was our first day of school. Love Old Testament, but can already tell the Near Eastern Studies is going to be a struggle for me. I had no idea what this guy was saying. But its ok because he reminds me of the scientist guy in Back to the Future.

This is what we looked like after being on the airplane for a lifetime. Ps on one flight this guy from Serbia said I could lay on his shoulder to sleep. No worries, I didn't.

Also we almost didn't get through customs. They have mean customs ladies. I don't think being overly smiley helped our cases. I kept thinking of the immigration office in the Proposal for some reason...don't ask why. I don't even know.

our first shekels! (later used to buy gelato!) If we look tired, its because we slept for 4 hours in 2 days...

gross airport picture in Vienna. But the important thing is that this was my very first European chocolate experience. never going back. (and at this stop, I paid for it with dollars, and they gave me back a EURO! I am obsessed with this whole money thing.)

I was trying to post a picture of a Palestinian village that happens to be my neighbor, but it won't work. I'll just have to do it later!

xoxo,

elizabeth anne