For you Biola Fans

In the Christian quarter of the old city (it's quartered off in different sections - one Christian, one Jewish, one Armenian, and one Arab or Muslim), our school has a good relationship with one of the merchants. They don't typically recommend any one person, but he is the most honest out of them all and he can change our money. Anyway, during one of our visits he saw us walking around and called us over to his shop. He asked us what schools we had come from and showed us the different stickers and emblems he had from each school. He had one from Gordon-Conwell as well, but I was excited to see that he had a flag from Biola hanging right outside the front of his shop! Who would've thought someone had a little Biola pride all the way out here!!

Living in the Old City

Well Friends,

I have finally gotten my room settled, started to get to know people around school, and been out discovering the city quite a bit. I have posted some pictures below that show you the room my roommate and I share and it seems to be a pretty good set up. The building we live in is actually built right on top of the old city walls and is an incredible stone building. Even the floor in our room is old Jerusalem lime stone, pretty incredible. There are many, many, many stairs on campus and it takes about two and a half flights of stairs to go down to the bathroom from our room. It makes showering an interesting process ;). I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that I am even in this city or in a very, very different place. I have a strange sense of comfort, as if this city is already home for the semester, even though it is so different and can seem to be an incredible uncomfortable place. I am sure it helps that I have other American students around me all day, but even as I walk in the old city, it seems as if the pictures I have seen in magazines have come alive. It’s kind of paradox of feeling like being here makes perfect sense even though I’m all the way across the world in a very complex and different environment. The people here are very nice, both at the school and the native folks. I traveled across town today to pick up a cell phone and our taxi driver was a very nice man. They are all very friendly. We do have to be careful in how we conduct ourselves, just like in any other city, but over all I find this place very safe.

One class started today (Sunday), the class that we do all of our traveling and field study in, and we walked all over the Old City discovering the physical elements of the city and how it developed over the years. We haven’t even talked about the Biblical significance of this place and already there is so much to learn. I posted a few pictures below of the journey around the city from our class and I’m sure there are many more to come as the semester goes along. I am continually praying that my mind and my heart can be a sponge that never grows heavy, constantly absorbing the information I am being taught. I can only imagine that as I start all my other classes tomorrow, one taught by a Rabbi, that my horizons are about to be burst through and expanded to places I never thought possible. What a journey this will be!

One part of the dining hall area...up the stairs to the left is where we get food

The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount -
and the wailing wall is just below it

Mount of Olives

Part of the Old City Wall

One of the views from my room...the inner courtyard of the school

These are the beloved stairs we walk down to get to the bathroom (and everything else)

A view of the new part of the city from the roof just outside our room

And this is the room...sorry about the angle here....that is a mural of Jesus on the wall, my roommate and I are thinking about covering it up...it's a little cheesy....the lockers on the right are our closets and the floors are made of stone!

Made it to Jerusalem!

Hey everybody! I made it to Jerusalem. It was a really long day and I am pretty exhuasted but excited about what I will experience this fall! I'll post a little later about my travels so far, but only once I get packed.

Sarah, we should've had this at your wedding

Ode to my 23rd Birfday

Today I turned 23.
I'm not really sure how I should be,
For the most part I'm feeling much more like an adult
and I'm pretty sure that's nature's fault.
But this year I feel I've entered the real world,
And I even sometimes got bored.
Yet, today I still felt celebrated
and I didn't even have to get enebriated.
So here's to birthdays beyond 21,
Although they do not seem quite as much fun.
Another year is always a blessing,
And I will certainly not be guessing
About God's great plans,
For He always has me in His hands.


Thanks for the birthday wishes everybody!

Ah, New England

Well friends, as some of you may know, I spent a week out in my new home of Boston reconnecting with friends and spending some good time enjoying the city. I really enjoyed getting to spend some quality time with friends and having an early birthday celebration! Here's a pic of me and my new roommate Angie!

One thing I love about living in Boston are the many folks I get to interact with that have very thick accents. As a connoisseur of accents myself, I am often gripped by the speech of my neighbors and bostonian natives. For example, while in a dressing room in the mall with a friend, the helpful sales associate made she to tell another patron that her name was Aniter (Anita), just in case she could be of service. Now that is funny.
On another funny note, New England can sometimes be stuck in the 1700's as they name their restaurants and shoppes (did you like the usage of the old english there?). For example, last year we often frequented places such as "The Black Cow", "The Weathervane", "The Pickled Onion"....It only gets better. However, during this trip a certain church won the gold medal of crazy names. As Angie and I drove by the downtown Boston campus of Gordon-Conwell in Roxbury, I was struck by this church's name....it all fits on one sign:

Zion Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of The Americas - Jesus Saves

That's right folks....all in one name. After doing some research I found that they abbreviate their name, like good West coasters might do, and go by Zion F.B.H. Church. It's a good thing.
Anyhow, I love Boston and loved my little trip out East! Good to see you friends and I cant wait to live in Southie when I return from the great Middle East!