I've caught the bug.

Who thinks it's a good idea for me to not go to real school anymore and just study abroad?

I DO. :)

Applying for this ASAP.

I was thinking about doing it this year but next year, they are offering classes that I actually need. It's meant to be. :)

But yes, it's going to be the bomb.

MesoAmerica 2012. Yes.

(JOIN ME.)

:)

Quick Rant.

Remember how last week in Turkey it was a non-stop party? No homework, just constantly hanging out and chilling?

I miss that a whole lot.

I've been reading so much to day.

AND I've been in class for a good 5 hours (it was supposed to be 6 but Hebrew was cancelled).

And we had to do laundry and linen exchange. I feel like I haven't even had a chance to breathe.

All this homework is kinda stressing me out. I am not used to having to READ for classes. Usually I just have to take notes during the lecture and then study hardcore for the tests and learn lots of botany facts (with the help of J-biebs.) BUT NOW, I have to actually READ which is seriously so time consuming. Biology majors aren't accustomed to this.

Hopefully things will start looking up but I am so swamped with assignments.

Ahh. Okay, end rant. :)

My foot is doing better. I've been icing it on and off today and I took off the ace bandage so now it's just chilling and now I get to look at my cute little bruise. :) And when I say little, I mean not all that little. hahaha So yep.

Class tomorrow for two hours and then we are going into the CITY. We are FINALLY going to go to Shabaan's (spelling?) and to the post office! Wooo!

It will be quite the adventure.

Time. For. Bed. :)

Funny Story.

Today I almost thought I broke my ankle. Good thing I only sprained/twisted it. :)

It's allllll wrapped up nice and snug and I've been taking ibu and icing it.

Luckily, it really isn't that bad at all. Although it's been feeling worse as the day goes on. But it is only minorly bruised and a little bit swollen.

But it's better than it being broken. :)

A thousand words.

Hands-down favorite picture of the entire Turkey trip.

It just makes me crack up looking at it.

(Please notice BOTH J. Low and the Harps in the background. Half of that was planned but we didn't expect this brilliance.)

More stories (and hopefully pictures) to come soon!

p.s. in case you couldn't tell, we're home! (Back in Jru.)

Argh.

I really hate dreams that seem real.

Like the kind of dream that once you wake up, you're sure it really happened.

I had one of those dreams last night and it was a good one. Too bad it didn't actually happen... :(

It's about time.

One year down.

One year to go.

I've been waiting a long time to get to this point and I'm glad it's here. :)

Finally.

Gobble.

Turkey-bound.

Be back in a week! Don't miss me too much! :)

Teacher's Pet?

Favorite professor just walked into the (basically) empty library.

Sees me "studying" (i.e. blogging) and says that I should receive bonus points for being so studious.

Absolutely.

He also saw that I had his reading out next to me: obvious mental bonus points.

We totally just bonded as well.

Bueno. :)

Uncharted.

No words

My tears won't make any room for 'em, oh

And it don't hurt

Like anything I've ever felt before.

Bad news: Today hasn't been very good.

Because of a lot of reasons.

Of which I won't go into. Because frankly, you don't care and I don't really want to share.

But it'll be okay.

Good news: Tomorrow I have my favorite class (with my favorite teacher!). :)

And I'm totes going to bed SUPER soon (which is early).

I just currently hate my Old Testament class. Well, not the class, just this assignment.

ARGH.

Onto a better day, please!

Remember.

In honor on the 10th Anniversary of Septemeber 11, 2001, I figured that I should probably do a little post about it.

It's really strange how these ten years have passed. It seems like it was so long ago yet I remember what I was doing so vividly. And not only that but looking at these powerful pictures here brings back so many prominent memories. Which I realize is semi-ridiculous because I was only in 5th grade and the attacks didn't impact me personally at all.

But the events have changed the way that we live today and it has impacted the entire world in a variety of ways that we couldn't have even imagined.

I remember waking up that morning in California and my dad told my mom that two planes had crashed into the World Trade Centers which in my 10 year old mind, I didn't know what that meant so I just blew it off as an airplane crashing.

Later at school though, everyone was talking about it and it became a much bigger deal. Everyone was talking about it and I feel like we were told about what was happening from the teachers. Everyone was also freaking out because people were concerned that San Francisco was next and it caused some emotional chaos.

When I got home from school, I turned the TV on and on every single channel was footage of the events in New York and for some reason I found it fascinating because I was just so awestruck by the magnitude of the event. Even though the video images were exactly the same, over and over again, I couldn't stop watching because my 10 year old brain couldn't fully understand the impact of the events and even now, reading through articles on the anniversary, I'm learning new things about the event that I didn't really know back then.

I just think that it's important to reflect on our past and remember the events that have transpired. And that is what this post is about.

I really like this quote from Mayor Michael Bloomberg, at the site of the World Trade Center this morning who said: "Ten years have passed since a perfect blue-sky morning turned into the blackest of nights."

Why I love the Jerusalem Center:

It's funny how I've only been here for 10 days and yet I feel so at home here. Maybe it's because it is so easy to feel at home.

Here are some of the reasons why living here is seriously the BEST:

1. I only have to walk upstairs two flights to a) eat a meal, b) go to class, c) go to all our little hangout rooms, etc. I also only have to walk up another flight of stairs to get to my professor's office and then another flight of stairs to go to church, the library or even leave the building! Amazing.

2. Our professors live in the same building as us. So sometimes we eat dinner with them. Like on Tuesday night when we ate with my favorite professor* and his wife. Quality.

3. On Thursday night, one of the students had a birthday and his dad happens to be one of our professors* so his parents threw him a party. We had a crazy wii dance party and cupcakes and just a super fun time.... with our professors. Awesome.

4. Following the party, we then played some volleyball and basketball with said professor*. hahaha so great.

5. To get to our rooms, we have to walk outside and through these cute little terraces; always a good time.

6. My branch president's apartment is next door to my apartment. And his wife loves us and also likes to bake cookies..... :)

7. It's a nonstop party.

8. Our branch is like 3/4 singles ward; 1/4 family ward (and by ward I mean branch).

9. The view from our balcony is the best in the world.

10. Watching your professor* play Just Dance on the wii at a birthday party. Seriously, the best.

*This is all the same professor. haha

Hmmmm I realize that my list was a little bit lame BUT that's okay. It is seriously so nice here, I LOVE it. :) Good thing we have 3 months left!

Comments?

Here's the funny thing about living in Israel.... with no facebook.

Instead of relying on notifications to boost my I-have-friends self-esteem, I am now relying on emails/comments on my blog.

So! If you read my blog, COMMENT.

If I email you, don't take weeks (or like two days haha) to respond. You're killing me.

That is seriously all I ask. And if you notice, I am SUPER fast at emailing back (it's also helpful that all ya'll are sleeping during my waking hours so I can almost guarantee that you'll wake up to an email from me, if you email me. :)

Alright well, things are going well. I've been up since before 6:45 and I have been either in class, eating a meal, or wandering around the city/Hebrew University campus ALL DAY LONG. I just started homework like 20 minutes ago and it is going to be a looooooong night (although not really, I just won't finish all my reading, oops!).

And, soon I will start a new series on my blog called..... well I haven't thought of a good name but they will be people spotlights. It's going to be good. :)

Good night world! (or should I say laila tov!)

(OH, AND DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT!)

joy.

Guess who's sick in Jerusalem?

This girl.

What a marvelous way to start out the trip. Hopefully this little cold will go away soon though.

I've been drinking tons of water, sleeping and poppin' Vitamin C like candy so it'll definitely be gone soon.... hopefully!

Curious?

Wanna know what I'm up to now?

Behold, my new blog for the next four months:

Danielle's Escapades.

And I just posted the first post!

Enjoy! :)