syncing...syncing...

What did the iPod say when it fell in the pool?

I'M SYNCINGGGG.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be that person who put the jokes on the sides of popsicle sticks. Those really bad ones that you hear and then groan.

Personally, I have been trying to link up with that writing zone– tune in to the flow and just let the words spill... but I'm not syncing.

I know: a true writer sweats and grunts and hauls through those times. I weep, whine and complain. And finally, a week later, I post this. And then I continue to weep because Blogspot is cantankerous [or I'm an idiot] and the pictures I want to share aren't jiving with my words. Captions aren't lining up, photos aren't settling the way I'd like them to, I found a baby seal floundering in a puddle of oil, etc. Though, it may not be Blogspot's fault. Formatting is not my forte.

Looking back, it's been a great week. Sunday was a highlight– 11 hours of class time. Sounds awful yeah? But really, it was my favorite day. When Jerusalem is my classroom, class is awesome.

We crept through Roman sewer systems, sat on the 1st century steps of the temple, climbed through the ruins of the pool of Bethesda... my favorite part of the day was standing on a rooftop in the City of David.

With this view, we read "I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth..." in the very center of those hills in Psalms 121.

The walls of the Old City

The Herodian Temple

Field studies are awesome. If you're interested in seeing more photos, I volunteer my facebook page. Some folks have tagged several photos of me (thank you to all those wielding cameras that day) and you can see a bit more of the day. [in other words: go ahead, Facebook stalk me.]

My favorite 'classroom' class is Arabic 101. It's twice a week, in Bethlehem. It's neat learning phrases and words that I can wield on the general public. My professor really encourages it "In this country we like to say this! And here is how you can use this phrase! Use it! Speak this!" and, of all the people in the city: the shopkeepers, the cleaning ladies, the cashiers– her target audience is!!

The bus driver.

The bus driver whose face is like a dark storm cloud. His teeth are like lightning bolts and his thundering brow rolls over and over with powerful glowerings.

I will not talk to the bus driver. But our arabic-speaking cleaning lady seems really sweet! Also, I've volunteered to work at Domari- a gypsy after school program, or something of that nature. Apparently the kids are "naughty" but they speak arabic! Fair trade. They can be obnoxious and I will bludgeon them with my fresh vocabulary.

Anyway, in the midst of figuring out how to phrase it, I have had a great week. So much so that I have made the commitment move– the one I didn't do for SUNY Adirondack, and only reluctantly for Gordon.

Reppin' the academy through my clothes.

I'll put this out there: I have high expectations for this semester. Let's see what happens!

Emily