tel aviv and back

Hey guys! So, I've been fighting with my inernet connection for the past 2 hours (make that 3 1/2, it was 2 when i typed that) trying to get this post out. The inernet here is extremely unstable; I'm learning patience. I've been really busy these past three days going places, seeing new things, and of course classes and home work! So let me see if I can catch ya'll up on what's been going on in this beautiful land.
Life definitely moves slower here, for us students at school and definitely the locals. It's the everyday stuff that really makes a difference, you know? Washing clothes and hanging them to dry, walking everywhere, preparing three healthy sit down meals every day, spending time with family and friends. I know that this is not how everyone here lives, but it's our new way of life as well as what I have observed in the old city of Jerusalem. (I don't know if I ever explained, but Jerusalem is split into two separate parts: old city and new (and then the old city has four main quarters: Arab, Christian, Jew, and Armenian). We live just outside the old city and have spent the most time there. It is the very religious, conservative, and traditional part of Jerusalem. It shuts down almost completely by 7pm, the dress is very modest, and there are the extream orthodox religious people on every street corner. Quite the opposite, the new city is much more westernized and even has some stores from the US.)
Anyway, let me share some favorite pics from the last two days starting in the old city:
Looking through the fence at the few prayers at the western wall (wailing wall). The western wall is the most sacred religious place for the Jews as it is the closest they believe they can get to where the Holy of Holies used to be (they are kept from getting closer because of the Muslim control of the temple mt. and the dome of the rock)
L-R: Christina, Claire, Charlene, Ashleigh, Caytlin, Me, Nicole, and Megan- all in front of the wall.
I was so excited to catch this shot- it's such a descriptive picture of what Israel is today.



Later in the evening, Tom, Laura, and I took a little excursion to the Mt. of Olives. What you see is King Hezekiah's tomb in the midst of a massive grave yard that covers the side of the mt. Laura and I in front of Absalom's tomb.
My fav shot of the night: The old city wall, the graves, and the dome of the rock lit up at night.

And on to yesterday!!! My what a day it was. (-: A group of us decided to head to Tel Aviv after class and visit the Mediterranean! None of us had been there before, and though we got directions, it took us a very long time of taking buses, sheruits (bus taxis), and walking. But it was SO worth it!
It wasn't to crowded, and the sun was perfect!
A funny old Jewish couple I watched for a while
Anna, Me, and Taryn= The crazy ones!
Anna, Me, Trey, and Ashleigh
Our silhouettes against the beautiful ocean. I had never been in a warm ocean before, and OH MY WORD, it was all I'd ever heard and more! So, so wonderful. We swam way out past the waves and just swam and relaxed.
We figured out we walked about 10 miles to and from, and when we finally got home we were exhausted, but it was such an awesome experience. Hopefully I'll be back!