Dear Jerusalem: One Month!

Wow. I can't even believe I've been here for one month exactly. Part of me feels like I've lived here my whole life; part of me can't believe how fast time is slipping away.

For example: there is this one church down the street from us called "St. Mary Magdalene Russian Orthodox Church." It has a super mysterious glow about it because: #1 it's golden roof shines brighter than the DOTR (Dome of the Rock according to David Cramer) and #2 It's only open from 10am to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays (when we have class). So we've all be very curious to get inside that dang gate!


Well today we got out of class at 10:50. We were all debating weather to book it over there and back to the Center for noon lunch and a TON of homework, or to just stay here and soak it in when we had more time to not "feel so rushed." I went through the debate in my head, weighing the pros and cons. Again: part of me said I'd been living here forever and that I wanted to just relax today and that there would be other days to see it later in the semester.................but there was the part of my head (that is probably the voice of SJ and Brielle) that told me to go. To live every moment I had here, even if I didn't understand why yet. Even if I was tired or bored, to just do it.


So I did. :) Gotta love life in Jerusalem.

see the arched building behind it? that's the center!

mary pleading. BEAUTIFUL!

serbian russian nun lady: "church takes some style from orthodox, some style from cathedral"
she was cute. i like this place.

in worship, there is a place for everyone

I think I am just starting to figure out how to live here. Finally figuring out that I just have to do what I WANT to do, not what I feel like I need to do. Because sometimes, you need to ditch everything and do your homework. Sometimes, the city just calls. Sometimes I choose wrong......but I'm learning to be ok with that. I'm learning to love it no matter what.


Also: I HEARD THE CARDINAL FROM THE VATICAN SPEAK

So so so so so legit. But I think the most important lesson I learned tonight was that I am inspired by the unselfishness of my friend Alvin. Long story short: we couldn't all go in (see how many of us there were?) so a bunch of people sacrificed for me and three others to go listen. 

Alvin told me it was ok. 

Alvin to me that I should go because he knew how much I wanted to be there. 

Alvin was tired, I could tell. And everyone waited for us to go get dinner super late. 

The words spoken at that meeting will quickly fade, but I have a feeling that the caring actions and examples of my friends will stay with me for a long time. LOVE YOU GUYS!

Also: finally found my way back to the shwerma place I've been craving for three weeks now. I was #1 proud of our group that we could navigate the streets of West Jerusalem that well #2 happy that I live here and can find/return to the good shwerma place. 

looks clean, huh mom?

Sincerely, Chloé