Biblical Adventures!

Yay for field trips full of fun Biblical experiences...exhibit A: Herding Sheep

Well this is me and my new buddy...goat

  

So i guess technically that picture was of me and a goat...but you can see the sheep in the background!  Well anyways, our field trip was to this awesome place called Neot Kedumim, which I'm pretty sure is a national park.  Besides herding sheep, we got to do lots of other cool things straight out of the Bible!  Some of those things were...

 Making our own Zatar, which is a very popular spice here in Israel.  We ground up this tiny little plant, and walah! We received a wonderful seasoning for our pita!  And while we're on the subject of pita, guess what else we got to do.  Yup, you guessed it.  We made our own pita bread, and it was straight up boy scout style.  We had to make our own dough, our own fires, etc.  We even cooked the pitas on top of a metal bowl...I'd say that's pretty innovative.

 Overall, I think that this was one of my favorite field trips thus far!  This place was just so beautiful, and because we all chose to come to Jerusalem during the winter, we are the only ones who get to see the lush green that cover the low hills or (shephelah) which is where we were.  And we learned a lot of Biblical principals here, not so much doctrine, but rather the actual things people during those times ate, cooked, etc.

Emily, Abby, Ally, and I with our new pet sheep

Today, however, was a totally different experience.  We've been experiencing quite a few rain storms this week, so I was pretty skeptical about this field trip today thinking that we'd be completely poured on.  But thankfully the Lord was on our side today when it came to the weather.  We ended up making it to the City of David completely dry!...leaving was a different story though.  But don't worry, we didn't get rained on. We trekked through Hezekiah's Tunnel!  It was such an awesome experience walking underground, in knee deep water for most people...though I'm not most people, so it was thigh high for me, in a man-made tunnel holding so much history!

Donovan, me, Ally, Emily, and Abby after our crazy tunnel walk!

Joshua, Me, and Nathanael in the City of David (of course Joshua refuses to look good for the camera)

Our lovely awkward family photo...yes I look disappointed in my children

Love ending on funny pictures :)

love and miss you all!

Britt

Shepheeeeeeeeeeeeelah, Goliath's back!

I had by far one of the best free days ever this past monday!  I was lucky enough to go out with this gorgeous group of people

Panorama overlook of the Western Wall with a few of my favorite people

We ventured throughout the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, getting an awesome tour at the Ariel Center for the First Temple Period, and visiting the Broad Wall

at the Broad Wall, yes Nathanael looks like a stud...cuz he is

And then....SHOPPING! Sorry for Martin and Nathanael who had to suffer through a whole group of ladies shopping their hearts out in good old West Jerusalem.  But because of these guys, there were some very happy ladies, including me at the end of the day.

yes, it was quite a good day...well good for my closet, bad for my wallet.

Yesterday however, we went on our field trip out in the Shephelah, or low hill country, here in Israel.  Our day started early at 7:30, and we were out literally ALL DAY.  But once again, it was such an awesome day full of fun people and beautiful scenery.

A shot of the crazy lush green that we witnessed since we came during the best rainy semester!

Though it was cold and rainy, our day was still fun, as we got to re-enact the story of David and Goliath where it actually occurred, and I even got to practice my slingshot skills...though I might add I probably will not be going pro, as my rocks tended to fly out of my sling in the wrong direction or before I even started to swing haha

Maddi, Ally, and I at one of our sites

Faith, Nathanael, Jessica, Mark, and Kristin in the Shephelah!

All in all our Judd class had a great time!

And this was the view we witnessed to end our day of field-tripping :)

love you all!!!

Britt

Jeep Wrangler

I love those moments in life when a compliment comes that's totally unexpected.  I feel like in our close knit Jerusalem Center community, we have all just bonded to the point where, nothing bad can be said about anyone, sooooo the compliments and love come flooding in.  Today during FHE, we decided to say our favorite things about the person sitting across from us.  I think I got the most amazing compliment anyone has ever given me...as he compared me to a Jeep Wrangler from none other than Taylor James Henderson III.

Crazy I know, but he said it so eloquently as to describe me as a classy ride ready to weather any situation and able to go in with full force.  I don't know about you, but it seriously just made me float up to cloud nine.  who wouldve thought that such a good compliment would come with such an unconventional comparison.

love! and more pictures to come from today's crazy field trip :)

Decisions Decisions

Well the decision has been made.  Last night I officially changed my major from business management to public relations.  My friend Emily Tsai from back home was so nice, helping look things up and listening to me ramble about life plans that I've been trying to make, and she was the one that called in my decision.  Done deal guys, I have officially declared!!!  Well, that is, once I get into the major and everything.  I still have to do the prereqs :/  But this decision is seriously a load off my chest.  I'd say that I've been mulling over it for about the last 6 months or so, and I feel really good about this decision, no regrets.  As terrifying as it was to make this final decision, it has taught me so much about how my Heavenly Father is guiding me.

Today in church, since here we have our sabbath on Saturday, it was undeniable the spirit I felt.  Ever since I've gotten to this beautiful place, it has been clear to me how strong I can feel the spirit.  But it's not just the spirit of these places that touch me, it's also the spirit of all the people here.  I know it sounds super corny, but I can see how the gospel works its way into each student here, and each faculty member in fact.  Something about this place makes each person glow.  Maybe it's the fact that we get to walk where the Savior walked every day, or just the amazing beauty of Jerusalem, but I can see every day how the testimony and spirit of each person here touches me and increases my testimony of the gospel.

I love it here, and I love every moment I get to spend with all of these incredible people.  They might not know it, but every day I'm with them, they are helping me grow closer to my Heavenly Father, just by being themselves and by the examples they are setting for me.  I want to be just like them and emanate that spirit of Christ for others.

For all of you back home, I love and miss you!  If I could, I'd bring you all here to be with me for every step of this adventure!

...and  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF SCHWARTING!!!!! THE BIG 24 WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!

love always,

britt

Orange you lovely!

I think I've fallen in love, and I don't care who knows!  Meet....

MY ORANGE!!!

Isn't he beautiful.  Ahkmed in the kitchen knows how i love my oranges, so today when I entered the Oaysis cafeteria I was surprised with this beautiful baby sized orange.  Gotta love Ahkmed.  And yes, me and Emily are swooning at this child-sized orange because of just how dang beautiful he is! I'm not quite sure if anyone truly feels the same way I do about this orange, but his juicy goodness just made my day after a long 4 hour block of classes.

So I wouldn't be doing this program justice if I didn't mention some of the amazing field trips our faculty takes us on every week.  Here's a little snap shot!

This is Tel Beersheva

We got to walk around all of the excavations done here and at a few other sites, but I just thought this was an amazing overlook shot of all it.

Now I know I mentioned that we just got back from Egypt this past sunday, and I showed you a few pictures, but after learning about all of these things last semester in humanities201, it was truly amazing being there in real life! We got to see, touch, and even go inside them!!!

Me and Megan inside the tomb of the Menkaura pyramid!

Yes, it wasn't especially glamorous inside, especially since it was about 200 degrees and stuffier than you can imagine, but we got to see the inside of these magnificent creations to house the kings of Egypt after their deaths! And it was a site...and smell I'll never forget!

 Aren't these the cutest boys you've ever seen!?!..plus our tour guide Islam :)  These are some of the men I am lucky enough to travel with for the remainder of my trip.  And they are pretty much the best group of guys ever and awesome in all aspects, if you couldn't already tell from their beautiful faces.

And here's one of my favorite boys!!!

Joshua and I at Chefren's pyramid

Me and Joshua met for the first time at the airport, and ever since then we've been inseparable! hahahaha no I'm totally kidding about the inseparable part, but he has been such an awesome friend to me, and I'm so happy to have him here with me to share this incredible experience.

 yup, love at first sight! haha, but who couldn't love his adorable face...he truly is incapable of smiling.  Don't worry, me and many of us girls here have tried to teach him...but we always end up failing.  One day, it'll happen.  Every day we get closer, I can feel it!

And when you think of Egypt, of course you think of...the Great Sphinx at Giza! (yes, another question on our humanities tests..but I got this one right this time!)

Nathaniel and I at the Great Sphinx

Romance in Egypt

yes that's me kissing the Sphinx.  Sorry guys, but I guess I'm taken for a bit ;)

After we left Cairo/Giza, we flew off to Luxor for a couple days where we got to do so much! We took Felucca sailboat rides down the Nile, road camels through the streets, took carriage rides old-school style, and we visited many sites like the Karnak Temple and the Luxor Temple.  When you think of temples, well at least when I do, I normally picture a magnificent building that is pure and white.  These temples were no less magnificent, but just in different ways.  The creativity and the skill that went behind just designing these masterpieces is seriously unfathomable.  And the crazy part about these buildings too was that the bright colors survived all this time! We could still clearly see the remnants of the bright colors that once fully adorned these columns and walls.  Though, these temples date back thousands of years, their beauty is undeniable. 

At the Karnak Temple in Luxor

And just so you all get an idea of how nice BYU is to us students...here is where our hotel was in Luxor...

sunset on the Nile

We were lucky enough to have a beautiful hotel (the Sheraton) right on the Nile River.  Probably one of the most beautiful sites I've seen.  Yes, I am one spoiled girl, and I am loving every moment of it!!!

Oh, and Happy Chinese New Year to you all!!!!!!!!!!!

Pictures!

yes that's right, 2 posts in one day! but this one is pretty much just more pictures for you all to enjoy!

Here's just a pic of a large majority of our class trying to act out hieroglyphs on the side of the Kufu pyramid...I kind of think we failed

Me on a camel :) in Luxor

Arab Night in the JC with these fine men (Cory, Spencer, and Piers) dressed up like true Arabs!

More Arab love!

Me and Martini and our matching outfits just chillin at the Shekel Shack

now on the left you will see my trusty body guard AJ, and
on his back is my besty Joshua Steele. Oh guy love

And for all of you back in Provo 159th ward, here's me and Neal's engagement photo at Tel Beersheva!!! haha just kidding, but I'm so glad to have him here with me!

Joshua personally requested I put this picture up to show everyone how talented he is at modeling.  I think I would have to agree. Just look at his pretty face! (and this was on our rampart walk on the Old City wall)

 And I think that was the best picture to end this post on.

Habibi!!!

Well I guess I've finally caved.  Here for your reading pleasure is the beginning of my blogging career.  Save it to say, I think there has been too much of my trip so far to some up into one tiny blog post. However, I will try and catch you up to speed.  On January 4th 2011, I jetted off at 4 in the morning to the Salt Lake City airport to meet up with my Jerusalem Center class and head over to Israel.  We finally arrived only about 24 hours later and started our adventure!

I feel like I've bonded with every single person here, and each day brings better food, more shopping, and more places to see! 

yes that is the beautiful place I get to call home for the next 4 months

For those of you reading (especially Lauren Rawe and Kelsey Briggs) you will appreciate this picture...THE ROYAL PALACE! yes, for all of you who don't know, this picture is the only identification I missed on our humanities exam last semester.  DOME OF THE ROCK.

 And yes, I can literally walk here any day of the week now, and I can't believe I got this question wrong. 

Of course, there have been many other places I've been to so far, but I think the one that tops the books right now is Egypt!

yup, no big deal, it's not like I'm leaning against one of the pyramids at Giza or anything :)

and now I'm holding that pyramid in my hands!!!! yay for corny shots

and here are some of my lovely friends! We are quite the picture happy taking group, but who wouldn't be when you're at the PYRAMIDS!!!! 

Egypt ended up being kind of crazy because of all the rioting and what not, but thankfully BYU keeps us well protected at all times, and we were completely safe the entire time if any of you were worried about me :)...which you should have been!!! just kidding!

Now I know none of you people reading this at home will believe me...but yes I did some hiking while in Egypt. Yes, actual physical activity.  I hiked up Mount Sinai at 3 in the morning to see this beautiful sunrise

and if you don't believe that I hiked this beautiful mountain that my friend Moses once climbed...here's some proof for you non-believers (cough cough Brooke, Nick and Jordan)

Now we have returned home safely to our beloved Jerusalem center, and I'll be sure to keep you up to date with my next crazy adventures!!