Ramblings of some memories

Last night Dave and I met friends at the Bombay House, one of my favorite restaurants. When I walked in, there was something about the smell that reminded me of the time I spent in Israel and more specifically Jerusalem. I went on a study abroad with BYU's Jerusalem Center about 12 years ago. I don't speak about it often, for no particular reason, but have found that it comes up in conversation more and more. When we sat down I remarked that the smells reminded me of Jerusalem and the couple we were with laughed and said they had just said the same thing. Oddly enough, Michelle had gone about 3 years after me and her husband actually over-lapped with my trip. During a month that our group was traveling around (see below) another group comes and stays at the center - my friend Jared, Michelle's husband, was in that group. So of course, I never met him, but a small coincidence.


Anyway, this all took me down memory lane. I have a horrid memory about important things so this was more of a hazy, maybe walk down a lane. I was really homesick while there, not very happy at all, but really got into it in the end. I didn't take my course work overly seriously because none of the credits would transfer to my university (I didn't go to BYU except as a student for the semester) but would really like to retake the courses now, pass/fail of course.

We spent a lot of time in and out of the Old City of Jerusalem, which has an amazing history and diversity to it. I love this photo I took of a Haredi father and his children.








Being there for the semester I was, we were able to travel more extensively and for one month we left the Jerusalem Center and spent time in Jordan, Egypt, working on a kibbutz (Ein Gev is where we stayed while on the Galilee, but I believe that we stayed and worked on a kibbutz down the road). We would spend time doing day trips around this history rich area where Christ spent a lot of his ministry. The picture to the right is of me taken where Christ gave the Sermon on the Mount, or the Beatitudes.





To the left, Pete and me in a boat on the Sea of Galilee.











This picture of a man and his children was taken in Jordan (I am pretty sure). Amazing things to see there.








What I really need to do is find all of my photos, sit down with others and figure out where they are all taken. In the picture below, my friend Angel is on the left (she is who I posted about just previous to this, her son is in the hospital), she and I were locker partners in high school and ended up being roomies in Israel, mostly randomly. She is one of the best people I know. Next to her is Stephanie - she formally introduced me to Dave, better known as my husband, then me, and then Holly, who I see pretty close to never but oddly enough her older sister lives right up the street from me.



***edit 02/07*** I was just at the hospital visiting Angel, Rob and Charlie Cooper -(which is a whole other emotional post that I might get the guts to write ) and Rob started making fun of Ang over this picture of us in Jerusalem 12 years ago. And because Rob is in a position to make fun of his totally hot wife because he is in triathalon condition, I thought it only fair to add this pic of Ang taken today, at Charlie's bedside, 10 days without sleep. Um, Rob, seriously, how did you luck out? Not only is she beautiful but one of the nicest, most sincere, caring, smart people I know. It is good to be able to laugh with them when all I did was cry on my way to and from the hospital!***

The moral of the story for me - which wasn't learned early enough- is don't let great adventures and opportunities pass you by. I wish I could do it all over again and put in some effort. I would also like to take similiar class now, except from Rabbi Rosen, he was a pompous .....

Of course this will have to be when I learn to manage my time better, so I am not holding my breath.

Have any of you read "Exodus" by Leon Uris? An amazing book with almost all of its contents taking place in Israel and the cities and areas we lived in and visited. I would highly recommend it.

Back to the Bombay House. I would say most, if not all of the people who work there are from India. And most wear turbans or another form of a head dress because of their religion, they are Sikhs. Our water boy was telling us why his was wrapped a certain way and a few other things about his religion. I really need to learn more, so maybe I will study it, but I will tell you that he was carrying a dagger, for religious purposes, but wasn't allowed to show us.