Mormongwarts...

Life at the JC is going extremely well, I don’t know if you could tell from my last posts, but I love it.  A lot.  It is different though, and recently it was brought up that we were all essentially living in a newer, more spiritual, and less wizard-world-drama version of Hogwarts.  This is probably one of the best ways to imagine what life is like here.  A few examples...while the building we live in is not ancient, the site and significance of the location is, and it feels like there are enough stairs to be a castle.  Our world is in the middle of a major conflict, not between muggles and wizards, but between Israelis and Palestinians and Egyptians and other Egyptians.  Instead of butterbeer we have pomegranate juice, and instead of Every Flavor Jelly Beans, we have a large assortment of gummy bears, worms, sour strips, peach rings, watermelons and other candies.  Every day or so we get to take a trip out of our castle, not to Hogsmeade, but to the Old City or West Jerusalem, and we are tracked via proximity cards and cell phones as opposed to a magical map.  Instead of Quidditch, we have soccer and volleyball and it’s just as intense.  Instead of Hagrid, we have George, Tawfek and our security guards.  Instead of Dumbledor we have Eran Hayet.  Instead of spellbooks, we have the Old Testament.  And instead of magic, we have the spirit.  Along with all of that, I suppose the biggest validation in favor of this comparison is the fact that everyone is together all the time.  And when I saw all the time, I mean all the time.  I highly doubt any of my friends in Provo eat, sleep, watch basketball games, travel and worship with their professors and their families.  The other day we were at dinner and had a question regarding our reading, and so someone simply turned around to the table behind us and asked the professor.  I regularly talk to my professors wives, who are just as awesome, and I lead their children in Primary singing time.  It’s a bit strange to be so connected to everyone of your classmates, teachers and the administration, but I really like it.  Who needs McGonagall when you have Judd, Muhlestein and Chadwick.  So there you have it.  Life is good, and grand at Mormongwarts.  And don’t call me Shirley.