Best Birthday Ever!

            Although there are many people I miss back in the states(and Canada), this has been one of the best birthdays I've ever had!! I aced my first quiz in my 8:00 Old Testament class, I managed to stay awake and focused on the front row of my Ancient Near Eastern Studies class (which is 2 hours long!), was sung to twice at breakfast and lunch time by the whole group in the Oasis and just returned from a great afternoon in the city with Jess and Julie. I'm on the Out of Center-In Jerusalem activities committee and we had a meeting today. We are arranging transportation for the students back from the Israeli Independence Day Celebration in East Jerusalem.

           Today, in the city, I saw huge headless bodies of raw animal meat hanging in the street (in one of the pictures above), right next to a shop selling weird lingerie and huge underwear and another selling all sorts of fish. I feel like it is a competition between many of the shops to see who can sell the largest assortment of goods. In many there is barely room to walk. One of the pictures on here is of some cauliflower that was highlighter pink! Off the beaten path a bit, we stumbled upon a camel leather goods shop and fell in love with the sandals and backpacks =) He said he would give us a good deal ;) of course he would, that's what everyone says! At the end of the semester, if I have enough money left...I'm buying that backpack or a pair of sandals. We also saw these blue and white dishes that were beautiful and not too expensive, I love blue and white dishes!

            So, as a wrap up for the birthday, my first day of classes went well. There was a funny man outside of Alladin's talking to me about poison (cigarettes) and jack-mormons/jack-muslims ha ha ha and a little boy who gave us directions and then followed us begging for money until jess gave him some. I took tons of pictures in the Old City because I've never been anywhere like this before and who knows if I ever will be again. Maybe if I go on a mission to a third world country....? You never know =)

Sincerely,

Newly 20 and Loving It!