A Day in the Life

The "sunset Crew"

The Center on the 8th floor, my favorite spot.. It's beautiful

Field trips on different buses allow for great interaction

Playing the Bells at the YMCA tower.. Yup all Jarusalem heard me (I totally messed up it was great)
As I walked through the city, I can't help but to think of how familar these things have become. When things become familiar I have a way of taking them for granted. Let me tell you my day...
6:00 am- Wake up to go read scriptures in the peace and quiet; while over looking the city beginning to wake up
6:45- run down to my room to get ready for the day
7:25- Breakfast, my favorite meal ever; usually go with some watermelon, bolied eggs, cereal, or pancakes (the options are endless here)
7:55- 8:50(ish) New Testament starts 5 minutes early so we can cover everything we usually don't finish so we go over class
depending on the day the next few hours could be filled with more class or anouncements... or homework...
1:00 pm-6:00pm: city time
Let me tell you about the city, I walk out of the center doors down a couple flights of stairs through two check point gates out into the road. We begin our decent down the hill walking on red and charcole colored bricks, yellow sand and garbage strewn across the side walk. There are huge dumpsters everywhere as well as sewers the occational wift of pure stench burns the nose. Cross the road and make the assent UP the hill to the old city, if you don't hear a car horn honk every 5 seconds something isn't right. (In america honking is an offense, here it is a way of every day communication)Walking past shop after shop all beginning to look identical. Nothing is more mouth watering than the sent of a fresh shwarma, or falafel with the meat spinning on a spick. Oh my goodness just heaven. The open candy just sitting calling my name at every corner, open slaughter... animals hang and it smells so bad. The people yelling ashada ashada (meaning 10 shekles in Arabic) People are lazy well not lazy they just know how to enjoy the day... Occasionally you walk past some huka which I think smells like cotton candy, but I don't stay long enough to get a good wiff for fear of getting high. :) Walking from quarter to quarter where the language changes so you've got to remember where you are so when you say thank you in their language you don't screw up a Jew (todah) with an Arabic(shukran) thank you.
6:00- Grub in my tummy- food we go crazy at dinner mmm it's good (although 3 months of it I can say I'm ready for some american food)
7:00-10(ish) a night o' fun talking to people, playing in a basketball torney (thats right I rock) wathcing movies, laughing, making up dances, doing P90X with Angela laughing at how out of shape we are.
I am so blessed.... How could I not, I am literally living a dream, I don't know how I could take any of this for granted... Look at the pictures above and see for yourself how lucky I am. It's incredible here. I thank God everyday for putting me here. And in my heart I thank my parents and all those who helped me get here. So here it is to everyone... Thank you, this is life changing.