Sorry i'm still trying to figure out how to post pictures without overloading the internet here ... I'll get some up here eventually!
OK! JERUSALEM!
Yesterday we did a walking orientation of the city to wet our palate to this amazing city! The Jerusalem center is NE of the Old city on Mount Scopus, close to the Mount of Olives and therefore on a hill. The old city of Jerusalem is on another hill across from us on the other side of the Kidron valley. And let me tell you these are SERIOUS hills! The Muslim side of town (the east where we are) is significantly dirtier and more conservative than the west side of town (the Israeli side) and not quite as safe.
Today we couldn't enter the city until after 3pm because Friday is Muslim Sabbath! So I waited till then to enter with my new super good friends Kate and Sarah (we have to stay in groups of 3 or more). We did not take into account that every single Muslim in Jerusalem proper would still be in the city and attempting to get out ... AH! We spent close to an hour in Damascus gate, fighting the crowds and attempting to enter with many others while hoards were swimming to the exit. We all got pinched and pressed into but nothing serious. We watched all kinds of people get pick pocketed too! These little children are super cute, with SUPER little hands! Watch out! After almost suffocating, we joined the throng outside-bound and tried to find a new route under the direction of our new friend "Peter", a Muslim high schooler who has lived in the states and knows "us Mormons" (that is what everyone knows us by here and the majority of the people love "the Mormons"). He hung out with us for like an hour and a half! Teaching me Arabic words and showing us shortcuts through the city! I feel bad for letting him down though; when he asked when he could see us again, we couldn't really tell him anything, or where we would be, or our cell numbers or anything. The kid felt totally rejected! Nice kid though. He went with us to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher-kinda crazy building. It is like 20 different churches in one! Complete with creepy statues, altars, people, and smelly crypts. My mom told me there were all kinds of 'interesting' worship going on there when she visited, but everyone was quiet and reserved while we were there. In fact, for some reason, when Kate, Sarah, and I explored the bowels of the church, no one else was to be found. It was super creepy! The dank, rotting smell, shadowy darkness, and millions of tiny crosses carved into the stone walls. We were surprised to find one of these little chapels unchained, and I, like any normal Price kid, snuck behind the stone altar and much to my imagination's wellbeing, found a passageway of death complete with drop off stairs and nasty odor. Hmmm.
We also went through the Jewish quarter to the West wall of the Temple, or the Wailing Wall. Much to my disappointment, there were no intense displays of devotion. It was cool to see the original wall of Solomon's temple and the worship that occurs there daily. Although many of the sites I have seen thus far do not hold a religious significance to me personally, it is really warming to see how these landmarks touch the hearts of other religious individuals. When I see something super weird, it is refreshing to turn around and see others around me with tears in their eyes, in the midst of personal worship. Although I may not understand or agree, their devotion is admirable; I could probably take a lesson from them!
The food here pretty much rocks and the weather isn't too scorching; in fact, the nights are kinda chilly! We had classes for the first time today; YIKES!!! Goodbye GPA!!!! Everyone gets along great and there are so many fun people! It doesn't really occur to me to miss home or much of anything. I'm so busy, distracted and fulfilled here! Minus the fact we aren't allowed to touch anyone. Haha o well! Hopefully I'll survive
OK! JERUSALEM!
Yesterday we did a walking orientation of the city to wet our palate to this amazing city! The Jerusalem center is NE of the Old city on Mount Scopus, close to the Mount of Olives and therefore on a hill. The old city of Jerusalem is on another hill across from us on the other side of the Kidron valley. And let me tell you these are SERIOUS hills! The Muslim side of town (the east where we are) is significantly dirtier and more conservative than the west side of town (the Israeli side) and not quite as safe.
Today we couldn't enter the city until after 3pm because Friday is Muslim Sabbath! So I waited till then to enter with my new super good friends Kate and Sarah (we have to stay in groups of 3 or more). We did not take into account that every single Muslim in Jerusalem proper would still be in the city and attempting to get out ... AH! We spent close to an hour in Damascus gate, fighting the crowds and attempting to enter with many others while hoards were swimming to the exit. We all got pinched and pressed into but nothing serious. We watched all kinds of people get pick pocketed too! These little children are super cute, with SUPER little hands! Watch out! After almost suffocating, we joined the throng outside-bound and tried to find a new route under the direction of our new friend "Peter", a Muslim high schooler who has lived in the states and knows "us Mormons" (that is what everyone knows us by here and the majority of the people love "the Mormons"). He hung out with us for like an hour and a half! Teaching me Arabic words and showing us shortcuts through the city! I feel bad for letting him down though; when he asked when he could see us again, we couldn't really tell him anything, or where we would be, or our cell numbers or anything. The kid felt totally rejected! Nice kid though. He went with us to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher-kinda crazy building. It is like 20 different churches in one! Complete with creepy statues, altars, people, and smelly crypts. My mom told me there were all kinds of 'interesting' worship going on there when she visited, but everyone was quiet and reserved while we were there. In fact, for some reason, when Kate, Sarah, and I explored the bowels of the church, no one else was to be found. It was super creepy! The dank, rotting smell, shadowy darkness, and millions of tiny crosses carved into the stone walls. We were surprised to find one of these little chapels unchained, and I, like any normal Price kid, snuck behind the stone altar and much to my imagination's wellbeing, found a passageway of death complete with drop off stairs and nasty odor. Hmmm.
We also went through the Jewish quarter to the West wall of the Temple, or the Wailing Wall. Much to my disappointment, there were no intense displays of devotion. It was cool to see the original wall of Solomon's temple and the worship that occurs there daily. Although many of the sites I have seen thus far do not hold a religious significance to me personally, it is really warming to see how these landmarks touch the hearts of other religious individuals. When I see something super weird, it is refreshing to turn around and see others around me with tears in their eyes, in the midst of personal worship. Although I may not understand or agree, their devotion is admirable; I could probably take a lesson from them!
The food here pretty much rocks and the weather isn't too scorching; in fact, the nights are kinda chilly! We had classes for the first time today; YIKES!!! Goodbye GPA!!!! Everyone gets along great and there are so many fun people! It doesn't really occur to me to miss home or much of anything. I'm so busy, distracted and fulfilled here! Minus the fact we aren't allowed to touch anyone. Haha o well! Hopefully I'll survive
Peter! I remember Peter! Cool kid. We'd see him around on occasion. At least I'm pretty sure his name was Peter. Oh my goodness I miss it all so much.
ReplyDeleteGood job blogging Steph. I'm glad so that I can read it and live vicariously through you wishing I was still there. Holy Moly Holy Land I miss it soooooooooo much.