My Excuse for Not Blogging in 3 Weeks

These past three weeks have been a hectic, enjoyable time. It started off with a trip to the Dead sea, then to biblical Jordan; including Mt. Nebo and the spot where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, followed by a week of midterms, and ended with a trip to Israel.

Biblical Jordan was amazing. I grew up hearing these stories from the bible, and this past week I was able to see where they took place. It is shocking to think how long ago these stories happened, and how much the world has changed since that time.

Midterms here were just like midterms in the States; the same stress, the same amount of work, and the same self-questioning: “Why didn't I start studying/writing this paper earlier?!” However, this time the light at the end of the tunnel wasn't the usual one in the States, but it was a trip to Israel/Palestine.

Myself and three fellow study abroad students, which I met here, went to Israel for 6 days and 5 nights during mid-semester break this past week. This trip was educational, relaxing, and a good opportunity to see the differences between an Israeli state and an Arab state.

Our first stop was the Israel/Jordan border (King Hussein/Allenby Bridge). We only had minor difficulties here. We arrived at the border crossing very earlier in the morning, so it took us (comparatively) no time to get into Israel. For some people we talked to later it took over 5 hours to cross the border.

Once in Israel, we spent our first two nights in Jerusalem; exploring the old city, retracing the steps where Jesus carried the cross, and visiting the West Bank. I was at the location where religions have clashed, conquered, and been conquered throughout the centuries.  Jerusalem is the most religiously diverse place that I have ever visited. The history of this area of the world, and the contemporary issues that surround it, are continuously present while traveling through this region, talking to the people, and seeing it visually.

When I thought that my brain couldn't think, compare, contrast, or reflect anymore, I arrived in the West Bank/Palestine. We first went to Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity, which was interesting. However, it was the border between, and the separation wall which spoke volumes about where we were, and that was only the entrance into the West Bank.

The next few days were spent in Tel-Aviv meandering on the beach, and trying to process the experiences of the previous days. Here, I felt like I was back in the States, with modern amenities, crosswalks, and American food. This was nice at first, but I soon found myself missing the hectic lifestyle of Amman and speaking Arabic.

Our last day was spent in Haifa. Haifa is a quiet, quaint city, which is a nice contrast to Tel-Aviv. This was the perfect way to complete this Israeli adventure. (Pictures!)