Just around the city street... (sung to the tune of 'Just Around the Riverbend')

This is the view from my bedroom balcony.  For reals.

I can’t believe that I have been here for less than a week.  I feel like I’ve done and seen so much already.  This is a good thing.  Things are starting to feel a little more natural and comfortable.  Today we were wandering around the Old City heading for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and my little group was talking, laughing, and looking in all of the little shops and all of the sudden we were at the church.  If you haven’t been through the streets of the Old City then you probably don’t think that finding a church is a big deal, but to do this without using a map and not really paying attention is kind of awesome.  

The best thing about the Old City is that there is always something new to see or do.  You turn a corner and you are in a place that you’ve never been before.  We randomly wound up in the Armenian quarter today and found this awesome church that was having a service, it was such a beautiful chapel, they had all of the seminary students there singing, incense was burning and the sun beams broke through the stained glass and smoke in distinct beams.  It was seriously so cool.

We ended up having lunch on top of the Austrian hospice which is just in Damascus gate, but you get such an awesome view of the city from the top.  While we were up there the Muslim call to prayer sounded and it was like all parts of the city were just there a part of it all, its really hard to describe, so I apologize if this blog isn’t more exciting than it is, but man I can’t help but feel so incredibly lucky to be part of this program right now.  I have awesome experiences every single day.

Other highlights of the day.  

-Taking awesome sunglass reflection pictures on the temple mount of the Dome of the Rock

-Seeing all the Israeli girl soldiers, pretty attractive for women holding huge automatic rifles

-Laughing my head off in the computer lab at awkwardfamilyphotos.com with Madi

-Hot Chocolate with dinner

-Finally being able to go to bed and say, don't call me Shirley.