Bethlehem

Apparently we all got the memo that it was the right day to wear green. Did you?

This was a very interesting day. This was our field trip into Bethlehem. Unfortunately, Bethlehem is on the Palestinian side of the wall that separates the Israelis and the Palestinians. I really loved Bethlehem and wish that we could travel freely into the city, but this was our one chance to go there.

It was really neat, but the beginning part of the trip was a little shaky. We went to some little lecture that was super biased about how the Israelis were ruining the Palestinians' lives. It is sort of interesting to hear their perspectives, but I am sick of people playing the victim card in everything. I wish that they could get over their differences, forget the past, and work something out. We did get to go to the Bethlehem University afterwards and socialize with the locals. It was so fun, we actually played some ball with the kids. I think that we made their days, but I know that it was one of my favorite things to do, but it was a blast.

This is us outside of the church in Bethlehem where the traditional site of the birth of Christ is. The lines were ridiculously long. We waited for three hours in the church, but it was so much fun. We just chatted and waited. well worth the wait though. If nothing else, I love visiting other churches and seeing the bits and pieces of history that they have made and are preserving.

This is the traditional place where the manger may have been.

After the stops at the different places, we went and ate at this place called the tent. It tasted so good. The sent out these huge platters of food with meat, french fries, etc. We ate like sultans.

Imitation is the most sincere form of Flattery!

 After one of the worst days of my life, namely finals day for Judaism and Islam, everything was completely redeemed. You know it is a good day when someone dresses up as YOU for Halloween. My two friends, Amy and Lizzy, decided that me and my friend James would be great costumes. So they borrowed what we are best known for. James has this shirt that he made that says, "Don't interrupt, RUDE!" I am known for my jerseys and walking around my blanket wrapped around my shoulders. If that doesn't make you feel good about yourself, I don't know what will.

I do have to admit, this Halloween has changed my life. I absolutely hated my last Halloween. I thought it was ridiculous that I had to hide in my own house having to hide from the busloads of kids that are shipped in for trick-or-treating. If it takes an hour to drive one block it is time to re-evaluate the holiday. Really... I don't think that is the way it is supposed to be. But this Halloween... this one was great!!! Like I said, it had been one of the worst days EVER with finals, but as soon as they were over, it was party time. James and I couldn't think of what we could be, but then we had the idea of being zombie missionary companions. Kinda lame, right? WRONG, it actually turned out pretty good with the help of some professional make-up artists. We looked pretty creepy. We started out with good ol' fashion trick-or-treating. All the students got of our professors kids candy so they could come around to the door. We stuck an orange plastic bag to cover the light and put on thriller playing at the door. We definitely had the coolest door at the center. Then we had all kinds of Halloween festivities like fishing pond, face painting, apple bobbing, etc. And to top it all off, we ended with a Halloween dance party and watching Hocus Pocus. Classic Halloween, hopefully next year will be as good... it'll be hard to top!

October 4th... Catch up time

Sorry I have been so bad at keeping up on all this stuff. Life has been crazy with all the homework we have had the past couple of weeks, but I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!! Hurrah! So, I am going to try to catch you all up on the AWESOME things that we have gotten to do. So, our field trip on the 4th was called the Shphelah Field Trip. One might ask himself, "What in the world is a Shphelah?!" Don't worry, I still ask that question sometimes! And by sometimes, I mean usually always. To the best of my knowledge it is the name for one of the geographical areas of Israel. I can tell you what is in it though. There are 5 hills and cities that were built in order to protect the way up to Jerusalem. If I am wrong, don't correct me, let me be happy in my ignorance. So anyway, we went and visited a bunch of ancient cities and saw a lot of the excavations of the cities, for example Gath. That is the place from which Goliath hales. It was really interesting to see all of them, but sometimes it got really long. Good thing there are 80 of us to keep each other company. I'm not gonna lie, the most interesting part of the trip was watching all the helicopters and jets going. Apparently there were all kinds of military bases around us because all kinds of helicopters were doing touch and goes and there were some jets way up there dog fighting!!!! It was so cool to watch them practicing. I have decided that real life is a little more interesting than trying to guess what the past was like.

It was pretty awesome getting to stand in the places where all these stories happened. As a member of the official reenactment committee for the Judd class, I was drafted and cast as the upper half of Goliath in the 5 minute rendition of David and Goliath. It was truly Oscar worthy! We got to play around with some slings and had a 80 person firing line. I am just glad we weren't in real battle because there probably would have been more friendly fire than anything else.

We also got to go sing in these really cool caves were they mined limestone back in the day that way good acoustics. They are called the bell shaped caves.

We also visited other cities that had tombs, dove cotes (I guess that is the name for the place where they raise doves?), oil presses, wine presses, etc.

Probably my favorite place was Lachish. It is one of the cities and we got to see a lot of the walls and stuff from the city, but there were a lot of the stories that we got to hear. It was taken by the Assyrians right before they tried to come to Jerusalem, so we heard the Biblical account as well as the Assyrians and the local story that was written by those being defeated. It was neat. I tried to keep it short because I am sure the longer they are, the less they get read.

New Photo Post

I posted pictures just barely with all the Egypt trip, but there were a lot that I wanted to show other than what I talked about. So here are some.

Is this a familiar scene to any of you? I don't know what it is, but buses for me mean instant naps.

One of my proudest moments. We were driving into Cairo and I played this guy on the passenger side in Paper, Rock, Scissors. Yes I did win, but I am more proud of playing it with some random Egyptian while driving down the highway.

This Oasis is actually our hotel if you believe it or not. Yes... we did live in a bungalow.

Me, James, and this kid named Jake. These are the pillars in Karnak. There is a room in the temple that has 134 of these pillars. It amazes me that they were able to do such amazing things with man power only.

In front of the Nile that separates Cairo from Giza.

Enjoying a delicious meal of french fries and hamburgers at Hard Rock Cafe.

This was at the pyramid light show in Giza.

I learned to do this just for the pyramid. I almost look like it... right?

Bell shaped caves that are made from quarrying the soft limestone.

Watch out Goliath, I'm pretty wicked with a sling shot.

My professor's daughter Emily. She is the cutest thing ever, besides my own nieces and nephews of course. She sure makes me miss them!!!

So... I just want you all to meet my new best friend James

So, I pretty much die of laughter all day long with my new friend James. Here is just a small taste of an experience with him. Here it goes.

Well.. it's been almost a week, since I updated, and 2 weeks since I've written.  Life has been just splendid.  After the huge 8 day vacation of a lifetime, the school work basically hit my like a big dump truck full of homework and studying.  If you though that coming to Jerusalem was going to be a vacation for me...well you were wrong.... I have been studying my little tush off lately.. here's a pic...


Anyway, school is going ok, not great, not bad.... just ok.  Somedays I don't even leave the Jerusalem Center, and I go to bed, and think to myself, 'What did you do today James?', and I answer 'Well, I ate, studied, ate, studied, ate, studied, and now i'm about to sleep.' and then I think to myself... 'WHERE DID I GO WRONG?!?!?!'  haha... But its good to learn things.. right?

Well, some things have happened in my life.... let me fill you in...

1. I GOT A CALLING!!! YES! This is true and rill!  I am the Senior Primary choirister! HA!  I'm so excited! It's going to be awesome.  I already had my first week, which was a disaster, but it can only go up from here. Since when did we add songs I don't know to primary?!?! I've only been gone for what? 10 years?  come on people!!  Once again.. a pic straight from church.. for you...


2. I JOINED A VOLLEYBALL TEAM ON MY OWN ACCORD!  Yes, you probably can't handle this much earth-shattering news in one day, but I, James Peter Grant, on my own accord decided to join an intra-mural volleyball team that.. HAD A DRAFT!! I KNOW!! Who would've thought... it turns out I'm like REALLY good in Israel, but not so much in America... not quite sure how that works..but that's how it is....so I deal with it.  We are 'Team Ace', and it's one of the most fun things I've ever done... everytime I hit the ball I yell 'VARSITY!' just for Brittney....

yup... that's my block....own it!... just kidding.. i'm basically the guy on the far right.... most of the game... and it turns out dancing is NOT helpful... but don't worry... I was in charge of the VOLLEYBALL PLAYLIST!! HAHAHAHA I knew you'd love that!

3. I got to see an orchestra from Germany, with a world-renown cellist come here and perform at the Jerusalem Center.  It was so cool.  Every Sunday night there is a huge concert here, and it is a pretty hot ticket in the classy Jerusalem scene.  Well, me, Melia, and Johnathon decided we wanted to see this youth orchestra that was on tour, and they were GREAT!!!


This isn't a pic from our concert, but you get the idea.  Also....sitting just 2 seats away from me, next to my Johnathon was this political heckler, that was yelling about political statements in between the 1st and 2nd song, and it was super awkward.  After he yelled the crowd start to uproar and getting mad... JUST LIKE IN THE SOUND OF MUSIC....when the Nazi soldier comes out at the concert and says 'They're GONE!'.. ya basically just like that... it was insane.. AND his eyebrows were HUGE!! LIke unto the briar at the base of Sleeping Beauty's tower... HUGE AND GROSS!! I wasn't able to get a pic of him, as I don't have a cell phone to slyly use in a concert setting.. but i DID find a picture of his biological brother online....


They basically look like twins... so imagine this guy....add 30 years to his face, dye his hair black, grey, and white, and you get the guy we sat next to... super awkward!!


Anyway,
things are going well.. I've basically been eating, sleeping, studying, and playing a volleyball game here and there. After finals more fun things will happen... and I will fill you in on some more field trips... enjoy!!!

Peace and Blessings

James

What happens in Jewish class

"Sometimes I don't know if you're talking about antique jewelry or Jewry of antiquity..."

--James Peter Grant

taliafinley.blogspot.com

This is a digital version of my friend James, hope you enjoyed!!!
 P.S. A special thanks to my friends James and Talia for making these posts that are quality.

Egypt Trip: Saturday and Sunday

Saturday

Mosques
We got to go to some really cool Mosques that morning and our tour guide, Islam, taught a little about Islam, the religion. It was really neat to see how they worship and how devote of people they are. I think we forget too often that there are really devout and good people in every religion, especially non-christian religions. I really love our tour guide. He had some really great sayings that we continually repeat, even 2 weeks after we have been back. Here are a few of them. He called us group Toot, after King Tut (which is how it is really pronounced) Here are a few of them. "Toot, come more closer please, lazy toot, actually believe it or not, deal or no deal, yes or not, you believe zis, facebook is my family..." I miss him already

Oscar Awards
Me and my friend James had been commissioned for our very own production of Aaron and Hur supporting the arms of Moses while the Israelites fought, so we set up a small but quality production. It was great. I think we will get an Oscar for our amazing theatrical skills.

Sunday

Sinai
We woke up at 2 Sunday morning to hike up to Sinai. Believe it or not, I was not even tired. I love hiking so much!!! I miss it. It was neat heading up the trail in the middle of the night and seeing how many people besides us got up to see the sun rise on Sinai.

Dance Party Bus
We had a very long bus ride back to Jerusalem, so in order to pass the time more quickly we set up a dance party on the bus. It was flaming hot on the bus, but well worth it. I think I have officially danced 10000 times more on this trip than an accumulation of my whole life put together but it was a blast. I can literally say that there is only one mode of transportation that we haven't had a dance party on, and that is an airplane, but we will remedy that.

Egypt Trip: Friday

Egyptian Museum- Stinking tired but cool
I really wish I had been at full strength this day, but the train ride and lack of sleep took it out of me. This place was sooooo INCREDIBLE, but I would have enjoyed it so much more had a been fully awake. We got into Cairo at 4 in the morning and started our day as soon as we got of the train. By far, my favorite part was seeing the mummies. It was so cool seeing the mummies of the people that we had been learning about. These bodies are 3000 years old! I never want to be that old.

Church-
We had our own little church service in one of the conference rooms off of the lobby. We were all in our normal clothes except for those that were participating in the administration of the sacrament. It was a unique experience that I don't think I will have again to take a meeting with you on a trip.

Dirty Sheet-
That night, we got a call from "room service" that told us they made a mistake and made our beds without changing the sheets from the last customers. They asked us to take the sheets to the front desk so that we could exchange them. Apparently I am really stupid or was extremely tired, because I completely bought into it. I hung up the phone and then got thinking about it. Why in the world should I have to take the sheets to the desk. So I call them up and ask them if they will come change the sheets for us. So a couple of minutes later a man comes to make our beds, but when he comes in he sees that the beds were already made and it really confused him. He didn't speak english so well so he left without doing anything because he thought we wanted him to make the bed instead of change the sheets. We get a call again from the "front desk" saying that we haven't taken the sheets to the front desk. By this time, I was pretty frustrated that a 4 star hotel had made a mistake and was going to make us bring the sheets. I don't remember exactly how it played out, but we finally figured out that it was people from the program. Well, I'm an idiot! But, apparently housekeeping didn't get the memo because another man showed up at our door saying "make bed, make bed." What I don't get is that they send another person that DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH! We tried to explain to him what happened and finally told him that everything is ok and that he didn't need to do anything. I was... punked!