Tel Aviv and the OC

Last week I realized that Saturday was really our only free day for the next 3 months. So I suggested to Betsy that we should go to the beach for the day. She took this idea and rad with it. She invited tons of people and made sure we all knew how to get there. So Saturday morning we walked to a sherut station (because the buses were not running on Saturday) and traveled to the beach at Tel Aviv. The Mediterranean was beautiful and so warm. We had a group of about 14 students that all went and it was a good day off after the first week of classes. We had Falafel on the beach and it was wonderful. After we came back a few of us went out to eat in the new city of Jerusalem for a friend's birthday. When we came back from that we watched the Israeli version of American Idol, which was being held in an open air venue in the Hinnom valley. (right below our campus) It was a very tiring day, but it was nothing compared to today.

Today was our first full field study. (A field study is basically a class out in the place we are learning about. In this case Jerusalem) We started at 7 and went until 6. (so yes, 11 hours walking around Jerusalem in 1 billion degree weather) It was long and tiring but very worth it. We covered places that were significant to the Old and New Testament. We started at the old City of David, the city's water system, the steps of the temple, and much more. It was incredible. It seems like every inch of the city has some sort of historical and Biblical significance. We walked from where David's palace would have been to the place Solomon was coordinated to Hezekiah's tunnel, to the steps that would have been used by Jesus to enter the temple mount and much much more.

I took a lot of pictures but it is late so I will post them soon. (It may not be tomorrow because I will be in class all day)

Alright well goodnight
Jason