Day 57,

One final down, three to go. We're all trying not to get overwhelmed. :) In order to de-stress we do some funny things:

• stand on our head. (I have no idea. Ask AJ)
• talk in funny voices
• use the self defense moves we learned tonight in Relief Society on the boys
• walk to the grocery store and get chocolate (it's for the student store. don't worry..........except I totally bought some too. let's be honest.)
• p.s. thanks to my secret sister who gave me MORE CHOCOLATE!!!!!
• do laundry
• write in our journal
• eat food
• watch movies
• play CatchPhrase
• "It's a band! That sings songs!" -Hannah

Seriously. My roommates and I are really good at this. Boker Tov, Jerusalemiters.

 -Chloé Michelle

Dear Seder and Sarah (Day 52),

          Tonight was Seder dinner and Sarah's birthday. We had a bit of roommate bonding time when Pam and I took her to get ice cream in celebration. I have really grown to care for these girls. Have I mentioned I love them them yet? And Jerusalem? Could I ask for anything more?

 The things you can find at the convenience stores...

To the store! Aka the hunt for the RIGHT ice cream.

Try #1

Try #2 

          I've been looking forward to Seder dinner ever since I met a Jewish girl on my bus in 4th grade. We weren't really friends but I always wanted to be invited to her house for Passover. What can I say? You do what you can to experience culture...or is that just me? :) Oh that's right: I'm the nerd for Jerusalem here, not you. My apologizes. 

          ANYWAYS, tonight was finally my turn. After our "pep rally" in Hebrew class, I was beyond excited. Turns out it was all worth it. It was special and spiritual and wonderful. Good table chat. Great people. Learning about culture. That happy feeling inside that you only get when you do I once-in-a-life-time thing. The final moment of the final song where we all bang on the table and I was just thinking: Life. Is. Good.

          I pondered a lot about the "saving" role of Christ in my life. I loved the Hebrew and the harmonies and the format and the sacredness of this ceremony. I think I'm going to make my future family do Passover meal. I gotta go find me a book in the city. The Jewish people hold a special place in my heart.

the washing

(grape juice) :)

the readers

the man of the day: our Judaism teacher, Ophir

looking for the lost bread

Ophir's daughter leads the search

In other news:
• Today was the death of my third pen here. :) Why yes, I do enjoy writing a lot. How did you know? RIP little guy.
• I LOVE WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT! It's been happening all day today and I love the thick feeling you get when the darkness engulfs you. Kinda creepy, yet you can't help but smile. :) Where is a candle when you need one...

Study-time Thought of the Day:
•"I used to be so creative in my papers at the beginning of the semester, now I'm not. What doe that say about me?" -me     "It means you're more...economic in your writing." -Hannah    Thank you for justifying my efficiency and/or laziness.

Dearjeru (Day 51),

Study-time Thoughts of the Day:

• Study guide says: "Josiah: king of Judah and beyond." Sarah Barlow: "Wait, like Toy Story?" Welcome to Disney-study-time Day 2.
• Today a usually “suave” kid walks into class with his hair parted and collared shirt tucked in. His explanation: “Dress like a nerd, test like a nerd!" Obviously, we know how to rock it here in Jeru.
• "Did anyone else picture Rocky theme music in the background when we read that conquering story?" -Andy 
• "Andy, my favorite part about this study session is when I recap what we've talked about to make sure I got it right and you say 'Yep.' Approval from the history major is SO satisfactory!" -me      "Yep." -Andy
• "Wanna go punch the punching bag?" -Luke

Finally responded to emails from Brielle and Sarah. They changed me today. Their personalities just move me: make me better, make me more excited to live my life. Thanks for the inspiration, you two.

Love. Of course. -Chloé

Dear finals-time (Day 50),

Hi guys! I sure miss you! I'm sorry my blog has been SLACKING recently. Isn't it ironic that the more things you have to write about, the less time you have to write about them. Life here is BU-SY! Last week and this week are midterms and next week are finals. I have NO idea how that works....but....it does. haha I LOVE what I am learning here...it's just a lot, that's all. Luckily after next friday, we only have to cover the Gospels and Ancient Near Eastern Studies after the Babylonian invasion......so......life should be a bit more calm. . . . . . .we hope, at least. We are all missing city-time. Aka going to get gummies in the old city......and the sites, of course. I still feel like there is so much more I want to see and we are already half way through! crazy! Ah, well: finals first, then CITY PARTY TIME! The next few days are going to be intense.

We have a test almost every single week day, so we have kind of run out of options besides just cramming each night for the test on the next day. We are all tired and we are stressed, but it’s nice to know we are all going through the same thing.

But…it’s Jerusalem…so I don’t want to complain too much. :) Posts just might be boring for the next 11 days, that’s all.

Thought of the day:

Knossos. Like Cronos? Like Incredables? Like Disney? Like Emporer Cuzco?

:) I like where my studying leads me. Minoan city --> I love Disney. :)

Dearest friends and family currently reading this blog: this is totally rebelling against everything this day-by-day-learning-blog stands for, but here's an update for you: 

Sabbath (Saturday) was great as always. Singing and journaling and life discussions at the Garden of Gethsemane church. I know, right?!?!?

Sunday we went on an all-day excursion to Eilat beach to SNORKEL! kind of a random day, but great to just chill on the beach. The Red Sea is SUPER salty....and actually the snorkeling is not as awesome ......sadly. But fun to be there with the people I love anyways.

Yesterday we went to this "Biblical Reserve." I remember my mom and dad talking about a village they went to while they were here with a wine press that was kind of "reconstructed" to be like an ancient town.........I was thinking it was going to be like that........kind of like that silly little village in Versailles. :) To my surprise, it was basically walking around in the Arab heat while our guide told us random facts about trees and stuff. VERY interesting...but also very RANDOM! By the end of the day, nothing could surprise me. "oh, now we are going to learn about hyssop plants while we crush them in a mortar and pestle? ok. Now we are herding sheep? ok. Now we are making pitas in the fire like girls camp? ok. Now we are listening to a Torah scribe? ok"   Random stuff, right?

Last Wednesday was the Separation Wall Tour. For lack of better words and creativity at the moment: it was LEGIT. ahahahah We had this guy come talk to us who is....long story short...really legit. He basically knows everyhting about the separation of Palestine and Israel. Quick read about the wall here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_West_Bank_barrier. Although, I'm not sure Wiki can really do justice to the intensity of this conflict. I'm not sure I can either.....but.....Basically, Israel puts up walls in Palestinian neighborhoods and we talked about the issues of the conflict between the two. Highly political, a bit over my head....but mostly very very very interesting.

LOVE YOU GUYS! How is everything? Keep me updated! 

My next 10 days will be a bit boring cuz we are all just planning on studying all the time...but I'll try to keep you updated so you know I STILL CARE ABOUT YOU GUYS SO MUCH! Keep me updated!!!!

Sincerely yours, Chloe' Michelle

Dear Whichever Way The Wind Blows (Day 45),

I have been cooped up in a tiny room now for 3 days straight. Silently surrendering to my studies. I was expecting to go out today, but everyone was kinda-jus-chillin'. So I went with it. This is two days in a row now that I've actually done my homework. And you know what? It's been kinda nice. Especially when you see the world in this kind of attitude: http://www.everywhereist.com/madrid-churros-and-the-universe/ And especially when your friends invite you to do awesome things with them.

Hannah today: "I love my life. And everything about this day." I told her I liked that saying. She responds, "I know. I stole it from you. You say it everyday."

I love this place. -Chloé Michelle

The set up.

The direction.

The mastery.

The joy.

The Harper boys join.

The instructor. 

The simple observation.

The lost kites.

Dear Homework,

IT'S A MIRACLE! TODAY I COMPLETED ALL OF YOU!

This is new for me. Be excited.

-Chloe'

p.s. a special thanks to Wikipedia. I could never have figured out the kingship of the entire Middle East with out you. Thanks for the clarification.

Dear change (Day 43),

http://dearconnections.blogspot.co.il/2012/04/dear-connections.html 

2ish months later

Today I have been finally rested enough to do some homework and think some things through. Although, all this thinking has made me think even more: Today I missed life-as-I-once-knew-Provo. Because I'm slowly accepting the fact that it's not how I left it.

There are some kids here at the center. Families of the faculty. One that I am a bit closer to has two boys, 17 and 13...the exact same age as my brothers. I had a super great conversation with them as they came in from school today. The time with them only ended in me missing my little brothers. And I remembered how much they were changing while I'm here.

I also stalked my best friend's twitter account to update myself on his life. I figured: he reads my blog, I'm allowed to stalk his twitter and know what's going on in the day-to-day happenings of his life...especially with his company that I now am very out-of-the-loop on. I may or may not have found his co-founders account. (Don't worry, Garrett. :) I didn't completely stalk you.) It was there I came across a tweet that mentioned the fact that people who have previously lived in Jerusalem have a way of slipping it into conversations with people they meet.

Which made me re-remember some reflections I've had here. Mostly my thoughts about who I will be when I get home. You see, in some ways, Jerusalem has completely solidified "who I am." As Erika puts it: I'm becoming more independent. More of the me I want to be. But in other ways, Jerusalem is changing me. I want to live differently, think differently, even LIVE somewhere different. Recently I have pictured my future self in a big city, something I'd never imagined before. And it reminds me that

things are always going to change.

And I think I'm ok with that. Because life here in Jerusalem has reminded me that somethings are harder than you expect them to be. But other things are better than you could have imagined.

Embrace the change? haha Love you. -Chloe'