So much has happened since arriving here is Jerusalem I don't even know where to start.  This little community here at JUC has already begun to feel like home.  Every time I see Jaffa gate, especially when coming back from a long field study, I think, "ahh, I'm home..."  Still, there is an odd tension at this home of mine seeing as I'm on the other side of the globe in relation to Elise.  

I don't think I am going to have culture shock while I'm here and I'm a little bummed out by that.  It may sound odd, but I was pretty curious about the whole experience and now it seems like it may not happen.  I live in Jerusalem, but in American institute with other students and faculty who are primarily American.  Maybe it’s a good thing that I won’t get to experience it.  I don’t really know. 

Today I have been stuck in the library writing my midterm paper for my History of Israel in the Second Temple Period class.  I have to admit the paper caught me a little off guard because it came up so fast, but here it is and it’s due tomorrow.  Good thing I’m almost done.  I think.

I played Ultimate Frisbee for the first time ever last Friday!  It was pretty great!  And!  To top it off, we play in Gehenna…(AKA hell) Hahaha! 

I have really been enjoying the celebration of Shabbat every Friday evening.  The whole campus gets together for dinner and sings songs and we read some liturgical readings, blessings, and prayers.  It’s a weekly celebration, I mean how great is that!?  Really it’s a great time of reflection, prayer, worship, and gathering together to rest and enjoy each other’s company.  It’s quite a beautiful thing.

The field studies have been amazing as well, but describing that in detail really deserves another, much longer blog, so I will let that be for now.

I have fully adjusted to the time change here, although, for a while, I wasn’t sure exactly how it was going to happen.  I’ve also adjusted to the area to some degree.  I know where to grab some food if I want to go out, and I know where the nearest stores are and which ones are open all night if I have any midnight cravings or medical emergencies.  I think it is such a unique privilege to be able to live in Israel.  I wanted to visit for so long, but I knew that two weeks would be just too short (the length of most tourist trips).  I can hardly wait for Elise to come and visit so I can show her around.  I only wish I would have a chance to show the rest of my family around.  It would also be great to have a chance to meet up with the SOBC youth group and show them around too.  I guess I’ll have to do that with words and pictures instead.