Kim Priore

Hey all – this is just a quick note since we are running out to a barbeque with some of Doug’s 11th graders, but I wasn’t sure I’d have another chance to post before leaving.  It’s been a great couple of days – Thursday was pretty low key, although we did enjoy a tour of Bethlehem University, courtesy of a priest who, among his other adventures in life, once worked as an English teacher for the Saudi Arabian army.  Awesome.  Yesterday (Friday) is Doug and Mandy’s day off, because it’s the Muslim sabbath and theirs is a predominantly Muslim culture, so we took off for the Dead Sea.  We journeyed to that holiest of holy places, the Ahava Factory Store.  It was truly a religious experience.  Also fun was floating in the Dead Sea and feeling the lovely burn as it (hopefully) set about to healing my various skin ailments.  Woo!  Saltiest water on earth.  Ow.  Last night we met up with Josh and Lauren once again, this time on this side of The Wall, and went out to a restaurant called “The Tent,” over in Beit Sahour near the Shepherd’s Fields, for some yummy Middle Eastern food.  Josh and Doug enjoyed a nice hookah (and Shan gave it a shot!) and made plans for the arrival of DC and Dr. Mu.  Today we went on a field trip with the entire high school to the Herodian (a giant mountaintop fortress built by Herod the Great) and the Solomon’s Pools, and then winding up at the local Checkers for some burgers.  I think that was the kids’ favorite part, but Doug gave a great tour nonetheless.  This afternoon the Fab Four headed for the left coast, and saw our 3rd sea in 10 days – and watched the sun set over the Mediterranean out at Ashdod, the former Philistine capital.  Also we managed to keep Shan from heading off down the road to Gaza, so you know, that’s good.  We even found a McDonald’s, and I’m happy to report that fast food soda is almost as good here as anywhere else!

Ok so that’s all, like I said, barbeque tonight and then we’re doing Jerusalem all day tomorrow – Holy Sepulchre, Garden Tomb, the market for last minute souvie’s, etc – and then off to the airport where I’ll be spending most of the night and flying out at 5:30 Monday morning!

It’s been a fantastic trip – of course not looking forward to say goodbye, but looking forward to seeing everyone again, handing out souvenirs, boring you all to death with pictures – and then hitting the ground running for 2nd Semester!