Jerusalem in Snow!

Ooooooh, I looked out the window and what did I see? Snow in Jerusalem, how can it be??
It rarely snows in Jerusalem and two weeks ago we had the biggest snowstorm in 21 years!  20 cm of snow and the whole city shut down, no school, no work, no buses.  It was my first ever snow day!

View from out my window

A week later, Miriam, Aaron, Moshe, and I drove up north for a day to see the snow and waterfalls from the all the excess water.  

our "campfire" by the lake where we ate pita and hummus

waterfall

Mt Hermon, a likely spot for the Mt of Transfiguration

the lake we visited

a snowman!

ruins

the mighty Jordan river

Christmas Eve in Bethlehem

Christmas in Jerusalem is hard to notice. There are no decorations or holidays or indications of anything special (I kept having to remind my lab members that I wasn't coming in that day because it was Christmas; they gave no passing thought to it). BUT Bethlehem, which is an Arab city about 6 miles south of Jerusalem and about 1/3 Christian, celebrates Christmas with enthusiasm.  This Christmas Eve, most of the LDS families I knew were going down to Bethlehem for at least a few hours on Christmas Eve, for the parades or choirs or services.  Aaron and I decided to go in the late afternoon and meet up with a few families at Shepherd's Field for a Lutheran Christmas caroling and service.  We took a bus from Jerusalem, usually filled with only Arabs but today a mix of American/European tourists and the Arab locals. 

View of rolling hills outside bus window on the way to Bethlehem

 From the center of Bethlehem we took a taxi to "the YMCA in Beit Sahur" (according to Tyler, the YMCA was where the Lutheran Shepherd's Field was and the best meeting point).  

Christmas decorations in Bethlehem, from taxi

The taxi dropped us off at this very dark YMCA, where Aaron and I were convinced that it was the wrong one. 

dark, deserted YMCA

We walked all around it and up and down the street, asking for directions.  Everyone told us that this was the only YMCA in Beit Sahur.  Finally we walked down the street a few blocks and found another building that also said YMCA.  We went inside and asked where the Christmas caroling was.  He laughed and said, "follow the star".  He then proceeded to lead us outside and point towards a glowing star strung over a path leading through the trees.  

Of course, follow the star!  We should have known!

We made it just in time for the last two songs and fire roasted lamb and pita bread.  

After, a group of us went with Sahar, a Palestinian member of the Church who lives in Bethlehem, and had kanafe (Arab treat with cheese and honey) and then to her house where we read Luke 2 and sang a few more Christmas songs.  

When all seems to be dark, confusing, and lost, just follow the star!

Trip to the Emergency Room

This was about two months ago, but I was working in the lab late at night by myself and I broke some glass and cut myself. I wrapped it up and kept working but an hour later I still had some sharp pain in my finger. I took a closer look and realized that I likely had a small piece of glass stuck in my finger!  It was superficial but the entry wound was very small so I couldn't dig it out myself.  The next day, I called around and found out that with my insurance, the best place to go to get it removed was the emergency room.  And so I took my first (and only?) trip to an Israeli emergency room.

The wait was short and I was surrounded by mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews in the waiting room.  When they took me back, I was surprised to find a very sparse room, just an examination bed and a table with a few supplies on it.  I was also surprised to see blood on the wall and the table!  That increased my already present anxiety.  The doctor, an Orthodox man with a New York accent, came in and gave me a shot to numb my finger. That was the worst part, from there I was as pain-free and happy as a lark!  He pulled out the piece of glass and said, "I will be right back" and then disappeared and never came back! I waited for about 10 minutes, bleeding all over the examination table until finally someone else came in only to grab something from a drawer. I made him wrap my finger up and I went on my way.  At the least, the visit and antibiotic cream was free!

Complain and ye shall receive

A few weeks ago, I was grumbling that I wasn't getting a Christmas this year.  I've been away from home before on Christmas, but it is a strange feeling to live in a predominantly non-Christian country during the Christmas season. There are no lights, no Christmas music, no signs  or mention of the holiday season around the city; a strange contrast to the fact that I am living just a handful of miles away from where the Savior was born.  And even though I know I can focus on the true meaning of Christmas, I still missed the sentiment and the traditions of the season back home.
After a few days of self-pity, a few things started to happen.  An American family offered to let me borrow some Christmas lights, a friend gave me a Christmas music mix to play on my computer, I re-memorized Luke 2.  And then today I was walking home from the lab when I came across the most random object on the side of the road. I am still not quite sure what it is, if it is a baby pine tree cut down or a branch of a very large pine tree.  I paused, a little surprised and not sure what to do, looking around to see if it came from a tree close by.  Then I made up my mind - this was going to be my Christmas tree.  I alternately carried and dragged the tree home and set it up with my Christmas lights. It is perfect for my room, my little Christmas miracle. And I learned a very important lesson: ask and ye shall receive. Or every once in a while complain, and God will throw you a bone.

Mom's visit