Pre-Thanksgiving

Well, it's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and I'm getting ready to fly home tonight. My time at Georgetown this semester is flying by, and my study abroad is quickly approaching. The view on the right is from Mt. Scopus, the campus I will be at come Spring. I'll be attending the Rothberg International School at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, baruch hashem (blessed be the Name). The campus itself is located in the Eastern part of the city that was captured (or incororated, as it were) into Israel after the 1967 6-Day War. It is surrounded by Arab villages, but it is in Israel and therefore incredibly safe.
I purchased my plane tickets this past week, so I've now made a major financial commitment to going. The reality is beginning to sink in more and more all the time that I'll be abroad in Israel next semester. My flight leaves from DC on January 15, although I'm leaving home around January 11 or 12 to catch up with Georgetown friends. My semester ends around June 9, and I'll be back home Lord willing around June 10.
For the first month I am in Israel, I will be in an intensive Hebrew language program called an Ulpan. This will get me talking Hebrew, which will allow me to navigate, at least on some level, Jerusalem. My Hebrew right now is really terrible, so I'm excited to learn as much as possible and get some practical experience.
The real semester begins in Mid-February, at which point I will continue taking Hebrew along with some other classes. One class I'm looking forward to is on the archaeology of Jerusalem (pretty practical place to study it, eh?). I'm also going to take an Old Testament class to see the Jewish perspective on the Scriptures. A couple govrnment courses, finally, will top off my schedule. I'm definately looking forward to a more relaxed academic environment in Jerusalem, and actually taking Sabbath rests (nothing goes on in Jerusalem on Saturday). I can't say that I will be a bum, but I will take advantage of the slower and friendlier Mid Eastern culture.
Well, I'd better be going. I'll try to keep this blog updated more as the time of my departure approaches. Shalom.