Happy Birthday Cristina!

Obviously, happy birthday Tin--I hope it's a good one.

Well, I've been in Jerusalem for almost a week, and this is one amazing city. We're staying in the Arab Quarter of the Old City along the via dolorosa, which means that nearly every time I walk down the street I'm stopped by a tourist group carrying a large wooden cross. Fortunately, I'm also within five minutes of the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. It's fascinating to see all of the different cultures and religions that interact in the same space. And very sad to see that they don't do it in peace.

These days have been quite intense as far as the issues we're engaging. Every day we have one or two speakers to present a different perspective on the Arab-Israeli conflict. We've gone to the Holocaust museum, talked to Palestinian students in the West Bank, and visited the propoganda-heavy Menachem Begin Memorial Center. It's definitely been both difficult and good for me to get deep into the issues here, but if nothing else I'm grasping the complexity of the conflict and learning to empathize with both sides. Also, Dad, I think that you're wise.

I've also been getting to visit a lot of awesome places. We went to the Dead Sea while we were still in Jordan which was so much fun--it definitely lives up to its reputation. Today I went to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mt. of Olives, and tomorrow we're heading to the little town of Bethlehem. Last night we went to the City of David and went into Hezekiah's Tunnel--which is mentioned somewhere in I or II Kings--which was a narrow passage-way in underground caves from OT times that was pitch black and had water past my knees. We walked in the dark for forty minutes and I loved it.

I'll remark again how ridiculously quickly this time is going and what a fabulous opportunity this semester is. And now I need to give this computer up to the next eager MESPer, so Ma'a Salaama!