Under The Stars

Tonight I was going to go to bed right after a piano concert. Ha it's college so of course that didn't happen. Anyway so while I was chillin in the living room Allyx walked by with a blanket and set out in the courtyard area of the dorms. She then called for me to join her stargazing. After I collected some blankets of my own, it's so cold here already, I went and joined her.
Though we could only see more than three stars after staring at the sky for a bit. Then some of the boys we've gotten to know showed up to visit the girls next door, but they came and chilled with us too. And that was pretty fun. One of the boys had brought his guitar so he started playing for us. Then he left with some of the other boys and Wes came out. He's my FHE dad, and he's really nice too. Anyway he stole Tayler's guitar and played for us some more, then the girls from the other apartment came and hung out with us. Then some Allie came and sat on our blanket of music.
Then Kevin, a boy from my english class and ward, walked by and I waved at him, just to say hi. He took it as an invitation and came and chilled with us. Then I kinda kicked the boys out cause it was 1 in the morning. We had listened to the boys for more than 2 hours! It was wonderful. My roommates were proud because I had been social *insert rolling of eyes here*
Anyway then our apartment and the girls next door were supposed to watch a scary movie together. Well since Danielle and Kristen didn't come back for half an hour Allyx and I started to watch what but 1 Missed Call. That is a freakin scary movie, predictable but scary and it has a sucky ending. Which you all know I hate. I have to have some closure! But of course this movie didn't have any. SO to chase all the bad images away we started to watch Raise Your Voice. A cheesy Hillary Duff movie, but it is doing it's purpose.
Oh and it's hilarious because the a wall roomies and the girls next door are watching Prom Night, another predictable scary movie, and we can hear them screaming. So it's nice to be able to laugh at them too.
Well it's early so I gotta blaze ha ha.

When a Stranger Calls

So Tuesday night I sat out in my living room doing homework for several hours. Then I went into my room to check on something and I had a missed call and a voice mail. Now I haven't seen One Missed Call but if I had I would have freaking out I'm sure, ha ha. Anyway I checked the voice mail and it was the ward clerk saying that the bishop wanted to see me right away and to call him back. So I did and right after I said "You called be about an interview...." The call cut off. Well I waited a bit and I received a phone call again. It was the bishop this time telling me that the clerks phone had died and would I be willing to come see him. I of course said yes and we said goodbye. I quickly changed out of my pajamas, the whole time muttering under my breathe. I did not want to be in the Relief Society.
Well I walked over to the building, talking to mother so I wouldn't get attacked as I walked through the gardens. Anyway I arrived and the bishop called me into his office. You are now reading about a Temple Committee member. Wahoo.
Oh and I'm fighting with my roommate. Only because she has issues with kicking out her friend with benefits*, and keeping him from crossing the chastity line. Oh well. It's only two more months there.
I did go and get pictures of Christ to put up all around the apartment to see if that would help with the spirit of the apartment. I was not the only one who wanted them to change the atmosphere of our apartment. Only time will tell I guess.
Laterz!

*apparently I can't call them that because they only cuddle and my roommate really does have feelings for him.

baking

"Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can."
-Douglas Pagels

So this morning I woke up to the most wonderful sound, rain. It took me a few moments to realize what it was I jumped out of bed and threw open all the windows. Luckily my roommates love the rain as well.
I had pre-decided that today would be a day of baking because I am a student living coordinator, it's kinda like a mix of Relief society president and an RA, and I hadn't met my girls yet. I thought cookies would be the best way to do that. So I started with no bake cookies. Which I found out are some of Allyx's favorite kind. Then I moved onto Double chocolate cookies. Thank you so much Lani for my wonderful book! Thankfully our oven decided to cooperate so the chocolate cookies came out perfectly. I dropped off over 6 dozen cookies! Of course two dozen went to each apartment so it wasn't that bad. It was funny because Allie and Jossolin were sitting in their doorway watching the rain so they got to hear me talk to the other two apartments and they just laughed when I came to theirs. I'm glad I have friends here. :}
So a review of the week:
Monday was classes and FHE. FHE was really fun because the whole ward went out to this huge field and played different games, they provided dinner too which is nice for us poor college students. ha ha. Oh mom and da also came up this week cause da was doing something with the something or other.
Tuesday I hung out with the parents in the morning and then went to class, oh and we went grocery shopping. It's really nice to be able to put a meal together.
Okay so day by day is really boring basically I hung out with some boys in the ward at our apartment. Well kinda. I sat and watched a movie with them and then went and did homework.
But I did find out how huge and beautiful the gardens here are. And I have several places that I have narrowed down to where Richard could have asked Lani to marry him.
Then yesterday I went to a concert with Jossolin. It was amazing! I think it was called Buckets and Tap shoes. It was really awesome. Then it's today and it rained but sadly it stopped. Hopefully it will start up again.
Well laterz!!!

Why, Oh why?

"Some books leave us free and some books make us free."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
So Saturday I slept in, meaning around 10:30, and when I woke up my roommates excitedly told me there was a dance that night. Now I'm all up for dances cause I think they are fun so I agreed to go. Then Allyx wanted to pluck my eyebrows, then wanted to do my makeup, then Danielle wanted to do my hair. Well one thing led to another so I got my eyebrows plucked, major pain btw, and some of my bangs cut. Here are some pictures:




The first two are right after my hair was done, the middle was a few hours later and the last was after the dance.
It took almost all day but it got done. Thankfully. Oh and we made banana bread too. Only the outside cooked faster than the inside. Our oven is retarded!! Thanks Lani for the recipe!! The dance was fun but not as fun as usual with my friends back home oh well. Though I did get compliments from the people I knew who were there, which was like 5. ha ha

Surprise!

"The path to healing from a loss is different for each person, one which may have many unexpected twists and turns, but a road that has been traveled by many."
-Kirsti A. Dyer, MD, MS
I was surfing youtube the other day listening to some of my favorite songs that aren't on my ipod and what did I discover but that the cd I really really want finally came out in the US!!! Soooo if you are looking for a Christmas present for me go pick up the Within Temptation cd titled "The Silent Force." That was the best news I got almost all week!
Thursday:
Since Allyx and I stayed up late talking again I woke up kinda late. Meaning about 9:30. I slowly got ready and was still ready by 10:30. This is getting to be an issue. I went to humanities and we talked about Adam and Eve through the ages. We looked at different pictures from different periods and that was cool. The first one we looked at I was really proud of myself because the teacher asked what period it was from and I said Roman Empire and I was right!! Though the only reason I knew that was because it looked Greek but it had Christian carvings too. But I guess that's how anyone knows right?
Then I went to the bookstore to buy a bumper sticker for my computer, tis my goal to have it covered in such things, but kinda got distracted. When I walked in to the bookstore I heard a guy selling starving student cards and since my sister told me to buy one I thought, hey I'll go in get my bumper sticker and come out and buy one. Well I started to wander around, bad idea for a book lover! And found a book of Irish myths and legends. Well I love Greek Myths but I thought I would try something different. So I looked at the price and it was 15 bucks. I had twenty and I thought the starving card was 5 so I went to go get a starving card just to make sure. To my surprise it was 20. All the money I had. So I still got it, vowing I would be back for atleast the bumper sticker.
Then I went home, had a quick lunch and went to english. I will tell you the smith building was made for confusion! There is no rhyme nor reason to the numbering system in that building besides the first number being the floor you are on! I walked in one big square before I got to my classroom! I could have just taken the first right and be there but the numbers told me to go left. Stupid messed up number system...... grumble grumble growl.
Anyone once I got there class was good. A quiz was dropped because no one could find the online material. So we went through step by step with the teacher to find it. Also the kids in there are more like 18 19 with only two returned missionaries. So it feels more like a high school class, which I like.
After that I came back home and tried to go to bed early by watching a movie, but Allie came by to grab me cause she was baking cookies. I couldn't resist so I went. She is crazy fun. Then she went out with some other friends so I got to know her roommate Josoline. That was fun.
Then I came home and tried to go to bed but Allyx and I started talking again and the early to bed thing didn't work out.
This morning I went to math. That was fun because Kristen who is in my stake at home is in my class. She's pretty crazy herself. When she saw my backpack she said it was sweet and the color only made it cooler because it fit my personality. It's bright green. I love it.
After class I went to the testing center to take a math test to make sure I was in the right math class. I past the test with an 80!!!! It's not the best but when you figure I guessed on some of them it's still pretty good.
Then I went back to the bookstore. I walked straight to the book of myths then to the bumper sticker bought them and left. I was so happy!!!!!! I read the book until I had to go to woods.
In woods we learned how to make the board all finished and square and parallel and junk. It was really cool because our teacher was talking about how when you cut certain types of wood they'll change colors for just a few moments and then go to a natural color. Anyway in the middle of that he said "It's a special moment you share with The Father" or something to that effect. I just thought it was really cool because anywhere else he would have been in big trouble but here it's just part of normal live. I like it.
Tonight I was surfing an online button collector thingy, sounds stupid but some of them are really funny, and I looked up OTH ones. Well some of them were talking about stuff that hadn't happened yet so I did some checking and it turned out that season 6 started on the 1!!!! So I went online and watched the episodes that have aired so far.
LUCAS CHOSE PEYTON!!!!!!!!! For anyone who cares, or knows what I'm talking about.
Danielle made a cake so we invited our neighbors over so we could get to know them, that was fun. Then they left and some of Allyx's friends came over and everyone left to go over to their house. I stayed behind cause I was waiting for a couple of calls, which came btw.
And now I'm just chilling looking at everyone elses blogs. Megan is so cute..... I miss my family. Good thing mom and da are coming up on monday huh?
gotta blaze!

More college

"If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style, let him first possess a noble soul."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
So Monday night Joe, one of Allyx's friends, came over and we hung out, the three of us I mean. We had a blast, I don't remember what we were laughing at but we were laughing hard!
Anyway Tuesday I went to class, obviously because that's why I'm here right? I woke up around 8:30 and by 10 I couldn't stand being in my apartment, only because I was the only one here and there was nothing to do. So I scoped out the building with my next class and sat in the sun while doing Sodoku. Nerdy I know but it helped with the hour that had to go by.
So I get to my humanities class expecting there to be at least some people there right? Since it's like 11:25. Wrong there was only one other person. We started talking then a few others showed up then our teacher. WEll apparently those that showed up are all that in my class. There's about 9 of us. I'm real excited because we'll be reading Paradise Lost and Zen's motorcycle guide or something like that. All I know is that Rutter used to rave about those books and now I'm going to be reading em!!!
My first devotional was cool too. I sat with my roomies and accidently put one of them to sleep. Oops :}.
Then I had to bolt to english. That class is okay I guess. We're going to have tons of reading of course but oh well.
That night I just did homework and laughed at somethings my roomies did.
Then yesterday I went to Math, Religion and woods. All being 15 minutes apart. That was crazy because they are all across campus from each other.
Fun weird fact about math, I sat next to Josh Barton's aunt. Can you say awkward?
Religion was fun I guess, so far it's just talking about the class.
Woods was really boring until we got into the shop and cut a 19inch board. There are some cute guys in that class but they are all 23 or older. Not that I'm looking.
I really like having Allyx as a roommate because we stay up talking. Like ti's nothing huge or anything but we just talk. I like it.
Oh something fun about my dorm. In 129 there is Allie, I think I talked about her in my last post, anyway. Everytime I go past her apartment and she's in the kitchen I hear a "Hey!" so I stop and talk to her. It's pretty funny and fun.
Oh so Kristen made cupcakes last night and I snuck one to Allie because we had been IMing. Well not really snuck because I told my roomies because they were standing right there when I did it. Ha ha. The story is funnier because it was at like 1140 at night.
Well I got to get to class now. Laterz!

College anyone?

So Wednesday I hopped in the car with my parents, with a lot of suite cases, and drove to Idaho. We arrived and checked into the hotel, well my mother did I sat in the car with da. Anyway she came out and started talking about a girl she had met that was supposed to be staying in 137 in Kerr hall. The same hall as me only a different apartment. We went to our room and then mom and I went to the bookstore to get my books, only we couldn't until Saturday. We ran into the girl again and I learned her Name was Danielle. We also tried to get my Icard but we also had to wait with that. We were heading back to the car when we saw Danielle again. Only I didn't say hi because by this time I felt like we were stalking each other. Mom and I went back to the hotel and picked up da to go to dinner with one of mom's old friends for college.
Then it was back to the hotel and watched Bones, which I sadly got addicted to three weeks before college and now I don't have a tv here. Sigh...... Anyway that night I couldn't really fall asleep because I was so nervous about meeting my roommates. I think I finally fell asleep around 2 in the morning. Long story short I stood in line for housing and my Icard then went to my apartment. I was the first one there, yea, and I was unpacking when my first roommate showed up and who should it be but Danielle. We thought that was really weird. She took the other room which was okay by me. Then I went and got groceries and stuff with my parents when I came back I met another roommate, Kristen. She is roomed with Danielle which is cool too. Then my other roommate showed up, Allyx. Is that not the coolest way you have ever seen to spell Alex? Anyway we get along really well because she's not super girlie and neither am I, unlike the other two girls, plus she's an artist, only ten times better than me ha ha.
That night was the parents dinner and that was really cool. There was Polynesian dancing and a fire dancer, that was my favorite part :} Then I spent the first night in my apartment. We stayed up till around 130 talking about different things. it was fun. the next two days were just getting to know campus and stuff with a team of freshmen. It was just like EFY and no one really felt in college. My parents left too, and that was kinda sad but I guess it's necessary. Saturday one of Allyx's friends came over and they went to go sketch in the gardens. Allyx invited me along because Danielle and Kristen had some of their boy friends over and she could tell I wasn't exactly comfortable. Her friend's name is Mie Ling, but she goes by Mei Mei, or however you spell that. That was cool because that's what K lah calls me, it's Mandarin for little sister. Anyway
I-night was fun too. Some of campus was set up like a carnival with tons of different stuff. I hung out with one of the girls a few apartments down. We've become good friends too. Then sunday we went to church and a CES Fireside. Oh Saturday night I got an e-mail from the bishop saying he wanted to see me! I seriously thought I was going to be called as the relief society president. Luckily it was a get to know you interview. Thank heavens. ha ha
Today was my first day of classes. They went pretty well. Math seems like it will be fun. Everyone in there is really nice. When I went to my Provident living class I was sitting there waiting for it to start and who should walk in but Crystal! Richard's sister. How weird is that? It was cool and all but I just didn't expect it ha ha.
It was a good first class. So that's about it.
Gotta Blaze

A Day of Mischievousness

"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." --Robin Williams
So I wanted a fun way to tell my friends I was back from Jerusalem, apparently none of them listened to when I was coming back. I was going to go to each of their houses on Sunday and give them their presents but I was way to waisted and I had to wait for an aunt and an uncle that never showed. So on Monday I had a stroke of brilliance. While I dropped off my mother at work I called one of my best friends, Jans, and after some grumbling from her, it was a minute before 11 when I called, got her to go on a mission with me.
I drove home picked up some window markers and then proceeded to pick her up from her house. After waiting for a few minutes and scribbling things on the inside of her bedroom window we went on foot to Holl's house. Her car was not the same when we left :} On the back window in big letters I wrote "Guess who's back!" and then wrote all over her other windows, though I did leave the front one clear so she could see out of that one. Then as we started to walk to Kat's house she drove around the corner and down another street. Luckily she didn't see us, but unluckily we now had nothing to decorate. We decided we would stalk her house until my mother called to be picked up from work, a good hour later. So we walked around for a bit and then chilled in the church parking lot right across from Kat's house. She drove up and had her boyfriend and his best friend in the car so an ambush was out of the question. Once they had gone inside we figured we could take all the time in the world to decorate the car... well we were wrong. I had finished the back window "Guess who's back!" and had started on one of the widows that faced her house when I heard the front door open, I yelled "Crap!" and dove behind the car. Jans however was a little slower, but she did make it behind the car. So we sat there quietly laughing at the predicament that we now were in. We kept looking through the window as they walked over, Kat, her boyfriend and his best friend, and finally one of them yelled, "We can see you." Apparently they hadn't seen Kat's half decorated windows. Jans burst out laughing at this while Kat yelled "Jans!" because she had heard her. Well Jans popped up and Kat said something and then I jumped up. There was a high pitched squeal and suddenly there was a Kat wrapped around me. She was across the street too and I was behind the car so don't ask me how she did it. Anyway she must have hugged me for three minutes straight while her boyfriend must have been givin me strange looks. Oh this is the one that she started going out with a week before I left for Jerusalem.
Then there was yelling at me for not telling her I was home for two days. Then she left but in Nick's car so we finished up with her's went back to Holl's and did some more to her car. Then dropped off Jans at her house and went and picked up mother.
All in all a good day, oh and I went and took pictures with some friends later that day it was good.
One more thing, for all her enthusiasm of me not getting shot while I was over there I haven't seen Kat since. Funny how someone says they care but is to wrapped up in their boyfriend to show it huh?
Gotta blaze!

Home again.

"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."
- E.L. Doctorow
Remember how Yasmine's boarding pass was having issues? Well she was able to get it to work at two am. She stayed up late and wouldn't let poor Nadia sleep. Anyway so I went to print it in the morning. It was my first thought after I woke up, and the printer would not work! So I sat there with Host dad and tried over and over again until Yasmine called and said everyone else was at the hotel ready to leave. Thirty minutes early too, I don't think that had happened the whole trip. So I rushed getting ready, someone else took forever in the bathroom like always. And at 8 Yasmine called and said they were outside waiting for us. Oops. So we walked out there and said goodbye to our wonderful host family and Nadia. She almost made me cry because she was almost crying. Plus now who am I gonna say Bumzah with? The original 6 then climbed into the van and drove away. I waved goodbye as long as I could. Oh and we still didn't have a boarding pass for Yasmine.
The drive to the airport was filled with a briefing of what to do in the airport and also joking around. More joking than briefing. And looking out the window as I don't remember a lot of the sights. Only how fruity the cab was and being sick. And yes Kathlene I am mentioning that again, ha ha.
At the airport we went through a line to get to the x-ray machine and Audrey got grilled for the whole group. Then our bags went through the x-ray machine, if it was okay you could proceed to the check in counter if not you had to get your bag searched. I had to get my bag searched. I took it over to the counter and they asked if I had any liquids in it. For a moment my mind went blank, not good.
"Um, I have shampoo?"
Guy looks at data pad thingy and shakes his head, second guy opens my bag and digs into side of my stuff, luckily right past the poster for Al-Nazak, and pulls out sand from the trip to Haifa.
"You pick this up yourself?"
"Yes"
Guy puts it back and tells me to close my suitcase. I fumble with it for a moment and he puts the good to go sticker and I proceed to the check in counter. I get my bag checked in and so does everyone else... well mostly Yasmine was still getting her bags combed over by security. Then finally they seem happy and let her go. She checks in and first phase of security is over. Then we go through a metal detector and carry on x-ray machine. You think we would be done right? Oh yeah we kinda have to get our passports stamped to leave the country. Everyone passes through with no problem. Third phase of security passed through. Wahoo.
We proceed to our terminal and everyone else is hungry, I'm not so I stay with the bags, Josh mostly stayed too. He wandered off once or twice but mostly stayed with me. Then he went to find everyone because they were taking forever. Then Yasmine and Kathlene showed back up. Apparently I was forgotten, thanks guys I felt loved. Ha ha. Then I was hungry so I went off to get food and change money. Well I got food but right as I got it they called our flight to boarding so I ran back, not wanting to get left behind. Then left food with Yasmine so Adam would not eat it and made a quick pit stop and got back in time to load the plane.
It was a nice ride because on a row it was Audrey, Kathlene and I then Yasmine was in front of me. I got to watch two movies I've wanted to see, Kung Fu Panda and Made of Honor. It was great. I only slept and hour on the plane, if even that. Then we landed in New Wark. We went to the passport stamping place and everyone went before me and Josh and waited on the other side, but when I went through they were gone! So I waited for Josh and we had some choice words for them when we found them. Bumzah. We just thought it was funny. Then we picked up our check in bags, went through a security point, re checked our bags, went through another metal detector/carry on luggage x-ray and headed to our terminal. Once settled I went and got my money changed, advice always change money in that country. The rate was way better in Israel/Palestine. And then I totally booked it to the nearest burger stand, sadly it was McDonalds, and got a cheeseburger. It was so amazing!
Then back to the terminal to say goodbye to Yasmine. But we were so tired I don't think it sunk in until I was on the plane that she was gone.
The plane ride to Utah was awful, I didn't have a watch so the whole time I had no idea how close we were. Plus I was in and out of conciseness and had weird half awake half asleep illusions. Like the side of the plane being the Old City wall for example. It was crazy. Then we finally touched down in Utah and as we got off the plane I totally almost asked where Yasmine was. It was just so natural to have her there but she by that time was on a plane to Cali. After everyone was off the plane we went to meet our families. As we walked through the tunnel thing that is only one way before you get to the open part of the airport I turned and bet Kathlene and Audrey ten shekels, my mind is still in shekels, that my mother would cry. Sadly my mother cost me 20 shekels. But oh well, she was close. The group said some goodbyes and we left. It's weird not to be with them today. And I miss Nadia, and my host family. Though I am happy to be back home. I just wish we had had more time in Jerusalem, or that the world wasn't so big so we could see all our friends more. Just something so we won't lose contact.
Oh and some differences I noticed, the sky is so blue here, I don't know if it's because we're closer to it or that we have a lake right there, but it's so blue. And clouds look funny now, and pennys. That might sound funny but when you get used to silver colored money and randomly have a copper one again it just looks out of place. I miss Jerusalem... Maybe I will go back with BYU in the spring. Hey it's only 9600 bucks. I can earn that much in two semesters right? If I don't eat or anything frivolous like that right?

Extra Long

"The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."
Mark Twain
So yesterday we went back to Ramallah. There we met with the students from Genin that we had met on the Islamic tour. The group from the US made a power point about our trip with the students from Genin made a power point about RI-SOL. Then as a combined group we watched a presentation from the organization Right to Education. It was basically talking about how the universities in the West Bank are having a hard time teaching their students because of the interference from the Israeli Government. Whether it be because of blockades, or shutting down the schools, things like that. Then we had a presentation from Al-Huq, a human rights organization.
Then it was back to Jerusalem to have our final Dabka lesson. That was really fun because Lemise, sorry if I spelt that wrong, came with us. We had a lot of laughs at ourselves because we messed up. But they tell us our final performance was really good so that's all that matters right? Oh and Audrey didn't learn with us because she totally fell asleep on the couch for most of the time. That was funny.
Then we probably did some more stuff with Lemise but I totally can't remember. Sorry.
Then we went back to the hotel and work on performing our power point. Then it was back to the host families. When we went to our bedroom Kathlene and I found T-shirts that say "Someone in Jerusalem loves Me" and a ceramic plate on our beds. Our host family is absolutely wonderful! For dinner we wanted pizza so Muna, Kathlene and I went to the pizza place on the corner, well the Yummy corner is on the corner the pizza place is right next to it. While we were waiting for our pizzas to finish cooking Yasmine showed up because she was getting pizza too. So Muna invited her back to the house to eat dinner with us. That was a great meal. Then Yasmine left and Kathlene and I finished packing.
Today was we were to meet the group from Genin at the US consulate to give our power point presentations. The only problem was that the soldiers at the checkpoint decided not to let them through. So they had to go to a different one and wait there for three hours before finally getting through.
Meanwhile at the consulate our group gave our power point to about 6 people. But it went really, really well. Even if I do talk with my hands to much. Something that comes from taking American Sign Language for four years I guess.
We had lunch and then it was off to Arabic class. At this point the students from Genin were through the checkpoint and on their way to Jerusalm, so Devina, I think I got it right this time, went to meet them. Arabic was only 2 hours today, thankfully. Then after class we were walking back to the hotel when we saw Audrey's aunt, uncle, and cousin. We talked for a bit and then said our goodbyes. We then met the Genin students at the hotel and went to the old city. We went by Shaban's to see if our rings were done, they wern't, but we saw BYU students there and Audrey's aunt, uncle, and cousins again. One of the students that was there grew up in the same neighborhood as Audrey, her family, and I so we got a group picture to commemorate the largest gathering of the Oak Hills 2nd Ward that has probably ever happened in Jerusalem. Ha ha. Then we went walking around the old city. Nadia stopped in this one shop and took forever! She was getting us presents even though she knows she didn't have too. Then we went to this hotel/restaurant by our hotel and had a farewell dinner/dessert thingy. Nadia gave us our presents but in an awesome way. Each gift was wrapped in wrapping paper and it had an often used word/phrase by one of the members of the group and we had to guess who it was. For Josh it was Sah, Adam I don't Know, Yasmine It's for the baby, Audrey (I don't remember hers), Kathlene Naadddiiiiaaa, and myself Bumzah. It was great. The actual present was an amazing wooden box and then some Palestine paraphernalia. My favorite was a bracelet of the Palestinian flag. A girl at Al-Nayzak had one and I had been meaning to buy one in the markets but hadn't. It's a good thing too.
Then we had a wonderful time at the dinner. Then after Kathlene and I went to a wedding at the hotel with our host family. Nadia and Yasmine showed up late. There was dancing and giant sparklers and really loud music. It was fun.
Then back to the house and for some reason I was charged with printing the boarding passes for tomorrow. Heaven knows why. Anyway so I printed Audrey's with no problem. Yasmine's was being difficult and I was about to print the students when the power went off. It came back on and then when I was about to log back in to continental it went off again. Apparently the house does not want me to leave. Ha ha. Actually it was just because the big oven was on at night or something like that.
So I printed the students boarding passes after grief with the printer but Yamine's still won't. Hopefully it will work in the morning, if not we are leaving extra early so we will hopefully have time.
Well that's it. I can't believe this trip is almost over. Three weeks has gone bye so fast. It seems just like yesterday I was saying goodbye to everyone back home. Now I have to saw goodbye to all the wonderful people here. It's so sad. But hopefully I'll be back soon. Hopefully.

Update

To tired to blog tonight. Will make tomorrows post very long.

A Free day

So today was good and bad. It was a free day, that was good. We went shopping for 9 hours, that was bad. I am not a shopper. Everyone knows back home that when you take me shopping you need to either take lots of sugar with us or go for two hours max. Sadly the whole time there was no sugar in sight.
It was good though because I got everyone in my family presents. Wahoo! Also lunch was wicked awsome because we ate at a resteraunt that was on top of a tall building so we had a nice view of The Dome Of The Rock and the Mount of Olives. It was cool. The food was also really good, and there was a lot of it on just once plate. I think the girls could have ordered on plate and we would have been good.
After lunch it was back to more shopping. We were supposed to head straight to the hotel, drop off the things we had already bought, then go back for more shopping. But oh no, Yasmine and Kathlene kept getting distracted by things in the shops, so it took like four times longer than normal to get back to the hotel. But once we were there we chilled for about an hour. I liked that part. Then back out to the old city to look for shirts and hats. I'm so happy I found something for my brothers. I hope they like it. We walked around so much of the old city. We even found the place where locals go to buy western clothes. There were no tourist shops anywhere. It was kinda weird to see that section only because we are so used to tourist shops.
Anyway around 6:40 we headed back to my host family. They are very protective. I like it. Anyway so I got there on time at 7 but everyone else, excluding Audrey because she went off with one of her friends at lunch, went to West Jerusalelm. I couldn't stand more walking and shopping so it was nice to just come back to the house and relax. Muna is teaching me how to make braclets so I finished my first one while we watch MI, which is a hard movie to follow when you can't really hear it and can only understand some of the Arabic subtitles. Ha ha. Oh story, story!!
So I was sitting there making my braclet and Host Dad, I forgot his name so I call him Host Dad, went to the door and told me to come so I did, not knowing what in the world was going on but Muna showed up like two seconds later so I just followed him out the door. Then through this cool gate thing they have and we walked over to the ST. George Hotel. There was a wedding going on. The part where the bride and groom go from the car to inside. It's called Zafa. It was really cool. Theres a small band playing and singing and clapping. I'm going to a wedding with the family on Friday but apparently it's more of a western wedding so that's not going to be happening, sadly. I think different cultures are fun to learn about first hand.
Then it was back to the house to keep working on the intricate design of my new braclet. When Kathlene finally got home, I make it sound so late ha ha, we had dinner. The awkwardness is definatly gone. We talk a lot more at meals now. Ha ha. Well goodnight!

My favorite day so far

Today was an early day. We woke up at 6:30 and were at the hotel by 7:00 am. When we got there we learned that it would be a while before Nadia would arrive because she was delayed at a checkpoint. Argh! I could have slept in! Oh well. When Nadia arrived she had already picked up everyone else in the taxi van so we headed straight to Nazereth. It was a two hour ride with an amazing view. I was proven wrong once again because I though atleast some of the landscape would be sand but it was rocky. And as we went north there were lots of farms and green trees. It was a nice surprise. In Nazereth we toured around and met the Mayor. That was cool because he gave us a history of the city and about Nazereth Elite, the "Jewish" Nazereth. It was really cool. We also toured some churches that are supposedly built on the well that the angel visited Mary at. I like the second chruch that had mostly mosaics from all over the world. It was nice.
Then to my favorite part we went to the Medateranian Sea! It was a half hour drive from Nazereth to Hyfa but that was okay because we were going to the Medateranian!!!!!!!! Can you tell that was the highlight of my day? Anyway, we got there and played and played and played. I didn't have a swimsuite with me and niether did Kathlene so we looked for cool rocks. There were tons of them and it was hard to resist not picking them all up and taking them with us. Then Yasmine and Nadia came and played with us. A lot of picture taking was done, that was tons of fun. I felt like a photographer taking the pictures and directing Yasmine into positions so that her bump of a belly would show along with the Medateranian. Maybe I'll look into being a photographer again.
The boys and Audrey went swiming, well more like wading in because it was a red day and you arn't supposed to swim when it's a red day. Nadia, Yasmine, Kathlene and I had fun walking in the shallow waves, though we did get wet when a big wave came, though only our pants, or when Nadia splashed us.
It was so amazing!! It was so beautiful and I don't know how many hours we spent there but it was so amazing! And we kinda got to see the sunset as we drove back too. Though that drive was very long because 1) Adam was being himself and 2) we were all very tired, very, very tired.

Whatever today is.

This morning was even better than last night. The awkwardness of being in a host family is quickly desolving. Though there is still some. They are so nice, you can't but help to like them.
After breakfast with the host families everyone met at the hotel. Yasmine was happy to report she is no longer the only guest there. There is a family of parents and their older daughter. So now Yasmine is not afraid of the ghosts there. Though I suppose it's our fault for teasing her about it that it made it so concrete. ha ha.
We had wonderful news too! We were able to go on the Islaamic (does anyone still have any doubts that I can't spell?) tour. The boys needed nice shirts and pants so we went a looking. That is until Nadia said that the students from Genin and Nabalis were at the African society. Then we had to book it over there. We meet one boy(Gameel) and three girls(Lemees, Dema, and Zayna). Then we had another Dabkha lesson. Gameel and Zayna had taken lessons before so they were a lot better than the rest of us, but we did a lot better than yesterday. Towards the end we split off into three groups of three so we could learn a series of steps. My group was Josh, Adam, and me. I don't know where the boys and our teacher went but by the end it was only by trying to get down this one move that is really hard for me. So Yasur, a wonderful guy that had taken us around the Old City and the whole reason why we were at the African Society, showed me some steps that were Dabkha but modern. It was pretty cool, but by the end I was really, really sweaty.
Then it was off to the Islaamic tour. That was interesting to learn the culture and the history of the Masqe. I'll post pictures of what we looked like later. Okay other people will because my camera is gabrokey.
Then we went to lunch with the Palestinian students and then we had to run to arabic class, just like always. I think I'm starting to get better at picking up words and things but I'm not sure. Well that was my day!

Sunday

"Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity."
-G. K. Chesterton

So today was a good day. I was able to go to sleep early last night and I'm sure Muna and Kathlene are glad I'm a heavy sleeper because they were making bracelets in the room we share. Then apparently they did other things too. I don't know because I was out cold. But this morning I woke up in a sort of bad mood. Okay I didn't wake up in one. It was when Kathlene started to move around it turned bad. Muna doesn't get up until a while after us but Kathlene was banging things and being as loud as possible. I can kinda get how Lani felt her first semester at BYU-I when she had that 16 year old roommate. But taking my wonderful mother's advice, I'm trying to just go with it.
Then after a wonderful, but awkward, breakfast we went to the hotel and surprised Yasmine by waiting in the 4th floor lobby outside her door. She took forever to come out though. Ha ha
Then we went downstairs and met the boys and Audrey. While Yasmine had breakfast we talked a little about the host families. Adam was put on the spot because of somethings about the their host family and he went into a reclusive mood. So as we were going to Dabka, I have no idea how to spell that, class I started to talk to him about what to get his little brothers. That helped him to get into a happier mood. I think it's funny because I treat him like a little brother because I don't have one, and I don't think he minds because he doesn't have an older sister. It's kinda a reversal of roles because I'm the youngest in my family while he's the oldest. It's actually kinda nice.
So when we got to Dabka we took a tour of the building that the African Society is in. It's actually pretty amazing. Apparently it used to be an old Turkish prison but three generations ago it was given to those people who came from Chad and other countries in Africa. It's pretty cool.
Anyway Dabka lessons went really well, it was a workout though. By the end all of us were sweating bullets. But in a good way. Ha ha. The only bad part was that during the dancing my camera was stepped on a broke the inner screen. I believe the memory chip and everything else is fine but on the main screen you cant see anything but this crack. Hopefully it can be fixed when I get back to that states in 5 days. But I'm not counting or anything.
After Dabka we went to lunch and then split into two groups, Me, Audrey and Adam, then the rest. We went to Jafar sweets to get a certain type for Audrey and we had fun talking. Then we went to arabic class.
It was good but long, very, very long. Yasmine was there so we got a thirty minute break. On that break I got something for my mom. Now I just need something for my sisters, brothers and dad.
Then we went back to arabic class. After that was finished we all went back to our host families. When Kathlene and I went into our room we found cute little stuffed animals on our pillows. So we decided that it would be a good time to give them the gifts that we brought. I brought 6 mugs and a book of Utah and Kathlene brought a ladle holder and some pens. They seemed to like them so yeah. A cool thing is that I gave them BYU mugs and their niece graduated from there. So they have a connection. Also it's getting less awkward, I think it's just because both sides are nervous. But as time goes on it's getting better.
Well goodnight!

Saturday

Really quick details about yesterday. We visited this monestary in the mountain in Jericho and we rode the worlds longest cable car below sea level to do it. How cool is that?
Back to today. Ha ha
So last night we moved in with our host families. Kathlene and I moved into the same house, about a 30 second walk from our hotel. The boys are twenty minutes away and have to go through a check point everyday ha ha. While Audrey, I've decided we are friends and friends use first names, is about ten minutes away.
Our host family is really nice also they speak really good English. That's a bonus because our Arabic is really weak.They are really nice and help us a lot with it though.
It's kinda awkward though. I don't know what to say to them or what to do. Mostly I feel like I'm interrupting their lives. Though they are really really nice. I just feel so weird.
This morning we ate breakfast with them at 7:30 and it was amazing! It was basically what we had been eating in the hotel only better because everything that needed to be hot was. Then it was off to church for the two of us.
We walked the whole way and had lots of fun doing it. We got there an hour early because we left the house an hour early, it was just so awkward to sit there. So we just talked to some people who were there early too. The students we at Galilee so there were only the people form the region and some visitors. And because of that church was only two hours long. They cut off Relief Society and Priesthood. Audrey showed up a few minutes before the meeting started and the boys were half an hour late. Apparently they got to experience the checkpoint first had. It was fast and testimony meeting and that was pretty cool to listen to the different experiences and things of the people there. After church we walked the grounds of the Jerusalem Center. Then Kathlene and I went back to our host family to have lunch with them and some of their friends. It was really good and it was fun to hear them speak Arabic, even if I did only catch a few words here and there.
Arabic was long as usual but we got to talk to some of the kids there. It was intimidating at first but once we started talking it was better.
Then it was back to our host families. So yeah. there was our day

Three days ooo

Wednesday

Yesterday we went to Ramallah. We left the hotel and drove to the Consolut in West Jerusalm and met Alli. Then it was into the armored van with everyone and Slick. I think it's really fun having all the security but I don't think anyone else feels the same. Okay so maybe fun isn't the right word, maybe safer or important would be better. Whatever. The drive out there was really nice. The countryside is not what I pictured but most of what I've seen hasn't either so there was no big suprise there. When we arrived at Ramallah we went to the RI-Sol office. That was fun becuase we got to see where Nadia and a few other people we've met work. Oh and I guess it was kinda fun to play communication games with the students there. But in truth it really was fun. We got potateos for one of the games and sadly I lost mine somewhere. *sniff, sniff* I liked my potateo.
We also watched a movie about water in the villages in Palestine. That was really sad. It made me want to go home, get rich, and donate all my money to build wells, and sewage systems.
Then it was back to Jerusalm for about an hour or two of freetime. Kathlene and Yasmine went shopping, no suprise, Josh went with them for lack of something better to do while Adam, Miss B. and I went to the Tower of Kind David Museum of the History of Jerusalem. That was fun to walk around the citidale and see a lot of history.
Then it was off to AlNaysak for the last time. We learned about circits and using a sodder! I've been wanting to use one of those since I was in my welding class last year. It's been interesting to see how my interests are showing up everywhere around here. Then we had a BBQ with AlNayzak as a final goodbye and it was sooooo good!
We walked home after that and I had some really good talks. One with Miss B. about wether to call her Miss B. or Audrey since she's no longer my teacher. Then one with Adam. He's not that bad once you think of him as a little brother.
When we arrived at the hotel I came upstairs and tried my best to stay up. I took a shower, watched tv, did some soduku waiting for the computer so I could blog. But it didn't work so well. Around 10:10 I was out and out until 1:00 am when I woke up burning up. So I opened the window and went back to sleep and woke up several times after that. I don't know what's going on because this is the second night in a row I've done that. But that's probably more than you wanted to know. Well since I'm supposed to be at breakfast right now and I haven't gotten out of my PJs yet I'll write later.


Thursday and Today
Alright so yesterday, the day I couldn't sleep, started off really bad. I was really tired and my roommate did little things that really irritated me for some reason. Like leaving the door to the room open when I was changing. It's not like anyone would walk by our door since it's the last one in the hall but still. Then for some reason going back to Al Ma'amal didn't help either and art usually does. Oh yeah art. My painting kinda turned out cool, I think it still really needs work but I can't really do anything about it now. We also did another project. I don't remember what it is called but it's based off of traditional Arabic art work. That was kinda fun. Then while everyone else went off into the old city I went back to the hotel and just relaxed for an hour before arabic class. That was as fun as always. But I did get to meet me and Kathlene's host family. They are really nice. Then it was back to arabic. After that I went back to the hotel for some more alone time and just to relax. Then it was off to the dance concert. I really wish I could remember the name, it's like Dabkha or something like that. It was freakin amazing! Also I got to talk to Daveena, sorry if I spelled that wrong, and Ben. They were so much fun to talk to. But yeah the concert was amazing, I really don't think I could do somehting like that ever. Then we came back to the hotel and I had a really fun talk with Miss B. about the future. It was not only fun but it was nice to have a real deep conversation with someone for the first time in what two weeks? Yeah we talk and stuff here but it's not like in depth talk about personal experiences talk. It was really nice.
Then today we went to Jericho. We met two students from Genin, Rowan and Achmed. They were really fun to meet and get to know. We visited a palace and a church in a mountain. That was cool because we actually got to go inside and the monk that lives there, alone no contact with hardly anyone, hardly lets anyone in. So that was really cool to go inside. Then we went to the Dead Sea. That was tons of fun. Everyone tells you can float and stuff but I didn't expect to actually float no effort. It was amazing. Only it was disgusting to lick your lips after they had been in the water since it was so salty. I definatley don't recomend that. But I do say go to the dead sea.
Well Bye!

Another day

This is the day after the last post, so Tuesday I think.

Okay so today I thought would be boring because it was supposed to be the same as yesterday, go to a museum and then arabic training, but it was awsome. We went to the museum named Al Ma'mal and we got to paint! I think on almost every application of a get to know you I said I loved art. Well someone must have been paying attention because we totally did art. It wasn't a boring project either like you have to paint like this or you have to be realistic. It had basic rules but after that you could just have fun. The project was done in steps. The first was to pick some kind of cactus and draw/sketch it with a marker, leaving a positive space, and coloring in the backround with a different color using lines to make an interesting pattern. I really liked my sketch because although it didn't come out like I thought it would it still looks awsome. Well there was a second step to that sketch. We were to pick two color pencil colors and color in some white space or use charcol to add shading. I used color pencil, they call them colored crayons how weird is that? To color in some of my white space. I really hope I can bring it home to the states to show people.
Then we got a huge piece of paper and used the same idea as the sketch only using one of my favorite mediums, acrylic! Paint that is if you don't know art ha ha. That painting isn't going as well as I would like it to but it's still a work in progress. We go back on Thrusday so we'll see how it goes.
We then had about an hour break before Arabic class so I came back to the Hotel and relaxed for a bit. Then we headed to class. Well Me, Miss B., Josh and Adam went. Yasmine was at a staff meeting for RI-Sol and Nadia and Kathlene were shopping in the Old City.
We waited for about five minutes and then we started class. This class was really good because we are really learning things we can use on the street. We even went out for half an hour and had to ask questions to store owners in Arabic of course. That was fun and now I know how to ask how much, what's this and can I look around? It's really nice.
Then we had free time again so we sat around on the couches in the lobby like area of our floor and had a de-brieffing on the past couple of days. Wahoo. It was fun though cause we had a lot of laughs.
Well gotta blaze!

Quick Update

Hey everyone! This is a quick update of one of the days here in Jerusalm. I do believe it was yesterday which was a Monday... I think. I lose track of time here. But don't worry this is just short blog so you can get an idea of what's going on here. I'll be more specific later.

Today was really nice because we were able to sleep in. Something that was desperately needed because I am definitely not used to walking around so much. Also the boiler here was fixed so we had hot water this morning that was another bonus.
This morning there was free time in the morning since our day started late so Miss B., Kathlene and I went to the Garden tomb. That was really interesting, I wish we could have had it more to ourselves because there was this huge group of tourists from somewhere in Europe. They weren’t the nicest people and were really loud. But luckily they were mostly leaving by the time we got to the actual tomb. It wasn’t what I had pictured but it was still interesting to go there. After that we went back to the hotel and
We were all sitting in the waiting room after breakfast waiting for Nadia to come so we could go on a tour of the Islamic sites in the Old City and she showed up. Sadly we couldn't go on the tour because we don't have a permit yet. So we have to wait and see if we can get one at all. I hope we do because how many times in your life will you be an American in the Holy Land with a chance to go into the Islamic sites? For me maybe only this once.
Instead of that we went to the Rockefeller Museum and that was cool. It allowed for time to myself, just to think and be alone. Something we don't get a lot of. IT was also cool to see everything they had there. The Greek inspired stuff was specially interesting because I am really into Greek mythology.
After that everyone but Miss B. went onto the walls of the Old City. It was awesome to walk the ramparts and to imagine being in ancient times. I feel bad for Nadia because at one point we had to walk on metal stairs suspended over nothing. They were connected to the wall and everything but they were over empty air. And it was one or two stories up and poor Nadia is afraid of heights but we talked her through it. The whole thing took an hour or two. We started a Damascus gate, walked to Lion's Gate and back again. Then we headed Jaffa Gate. I'm pretty sure that's where I got sunburned because there was no shade whatsoever. But it was so much fun to be up there and to see the city from a different angle.
We then headed to lunch and ran into a bunch of tourist groups at the restaurant we ate at. That was semi-annoying because one I hate huge packs of tourists and two the price of the restaurant was really high because of them. But I guess that’s part of the life in a huge historical city, sah?
Anyway after that we still had about an hour of free time left so we went to Shaban’s, a store that is really fair and most of the BYU students go to because he is so nice, in the Old City. Nadia really wanted to see what we, the students, had been talking about with Shaban so we went and shopped there. I got this really cute backpack thingy because I hate looking like a tourist with my camera and money purse hanging over my shoulder. For some reason no matter where I go I just can’t stand that look.
After a while in Shaban’s we realized we were a bit late for Arabic class so we booked it to the building. We were late but not so late that the teacher left. We had a really good class. Mostly on simple sentences that we could use around the city and how to answer them. It was really really helpful. Then it was free time again because class was something like three hours today. It was supposed to be five but we went through our lesson really fast.
For free time the students went back to the hotel and just relaxed for a while, and the teachers went to dinner. Well we got hungry too so we went exploring. Someone decided not to go to any of the restaurants we had gone to before so we wandered for some time. Though somehow no matter what street we took we always ended up back at the hotel. Finally I had had enough so I went back to the hotel with Adam and had some snacks my wonderful mother had packed. Josh and Kathlene wandered some more before finally going to one of the regular restaurants. And that pretty much sums up the day. Goodnight!

Random

RULES:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING!
5. Bold the questions and with the answers, give your own comments on how it relates to the questions.


How are you feeling today?
RULES:
1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING!
5. Bold the questions and with the answers, give your own comments on how it relates to the questions.


How are you feeling today?
Belle Reprise- Disney Beauty and the Beast
Wanting more? Yep


Will you get far in life?
Let Love In- Goo Goo Dolls

Far with love?


How do your friends see you?
One Last Hope- Danny DeVido

Oh wow...


Will you get married?
I Never Told You What I do For A living- My Chemical Romance

0.0 Oh dear

What is your best friend's theme song?
Hands Open- Snow Patrol

I wish


What is the story of your life?
World Will Know- Newsies

Haha

What was/is high school like?
In The End- Linkin Park

Yep that's it.

Uhm....fairly accurate, actually....

How can you get ahead in life?
Angel Of Music- Phantom of the Opera

Nice, get taught by a stalker


What is the best thing about your friends?
Steal My Sunshine-Len

Uhmmm...?


What is in store for this weekend?
One Family- Tarzan

*looks around* Yep

To describe your grandparents?
Wunderkind-Alanis Morissette

Um... i don't think so


How is your life going?
If I were a rich man- fiddler on the roof

Yep. Very Yep.


What song will they play at your funeral?
Leaving Town- Dexter Freebish

That's Ironic


How does the world see you?
Hear me out- Frou Frou

Isn't that the other way around?

Will you have a happy life?
Jump, Jive, Wail-Brian Setzer

Yes?


What do your friends really think of you?
THe Nicest Kids in Town- Hairspray
Wow.


Do people secretly lust after you?
This Is How a Heart Breaks-Rob Thomas

the answer is NO.

How can I make myself happy?
Going Under- Evanescence

Brake free? Yep

What should you do with your life?
Popular- Wicked

That's so not cool

Soooo......

The Israel trip is back on, the snag? We have to sign forms that say if we die it's our fault because we knew the risk. Wahoo.
I'm really nervous to go over, not because of the risk, but because it's been what, two months since school got out. Guess where my arabic went. Some place I have no idea how to get it back. Fun fun.
I get to go to cali with my mom and dad for the fourth. My uncle has a condo/beach house thingy so it should be fun. Plus the beach is just across the street so lots of time will be spent there.
Oh and go look at the pictures my teacher posted on the provo high blogs(see links on right hand side of blog), they're pretty cool. Notice how in every picture I'm in of the arabic ones I'm doing something with my hand. It's because I take asl I tell you! Oh and the mock trial pictures of the asl ones, I took those as a dutiful ta should. Oh the first three pictures and some after that was my class. It was small, only 9 people by the end of they year. But we had tons of fun.
So this is random but, I figured I took 6 years of my asl teacher though she's only been at phs for three. 3 years of ASl, two of being a TA and one of arabic. Nuts huh?


more cat pictures

The Summer

"Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at the moment."
--Robert Benchley
So school got out and I thought it would be great. Well I was wrong, as usual. The Trip to New York, instead of Israel, was fun but it was only a week. So far this summer has been pretty boring. Hols is gone again this week, Jan is gone too, and Kay? Well let's just say we aren't talking because I think she's being stupid with boys.... oh yeah my earlier prediction was right. But she's right back at it, again.
Saturday was fun though. Hols got back from her cruise and we, me and her, went for ice cream and shopped for a present for her roommate this week for BYU scholars. That was fun because we talked in an Australian accent for most of the night. Don't ask me how it got started.
On a total saparate note boys are funny. I won't eleberate right now but they just are.

Oh and I guess my summer isn't a total waste, I've been hanging out with my sister and favorite niece. It's been way fun.
Laterz

more cat pictures

Updates

"Filling a bookcase is like gathering a social circle."
- May Lamberton Becker
Lets start with the good news shall we? I graduated, wahoo, and am now getting ready to go to college in July. I got my new laptop another wahoo!! I also got with it a free nano ipod. Sweet no? I also get to go east for the first time in my life. The bad news with that is my trip to Israel is cancelled. We are not sure if it is just postponed or forever cancelled we just know I'm not leaving on Sunday. But I am leaving Monday for the east, a fun trip with my mom and dad before I leave. I just wish I could go to Israel, I went to a two day culture and language class to prepare to go and it was so much fun. Our teacher was from Morocco and she was hilarious. Professor Belnap, the professor in charge of the arabic program, was there the first day and he told my parents he was impressed with me. That made me really confident that I could survive for three weeks in Israel.
My birthday was a blast, I had a family dinner that I feel kinda bad about because I spent most of it with my three friends but I had tons of fun and I still got to see family so...
So I have dubbed one of my friends with the nickname of Mena. Why? Because my older sister had a friend of that name who flirted with all the guys and all the guys had a crush on her. And that equals my friend perfectly. She is all over this one guy when he's around even though she tells me repeatedly she doesn't like him and then when he's gone she's flirting with all the other boys. Yuck.
Oh well, I'm just glad I'm not like that.
Gotta blaze

Update

I got to go to prom!!! It was so much fun!! I went on a blind date so that was kinda nerve wracking at first. Yes I know, a blind date to prom but it was sooo amazing!!! Here are some pictures:



Emily and I played cards before the boys came because I was sooooooooooo nervous. I had nothing to worry about. He was so nice. I couldn't ask for a better date.

The other big news is that I get to go to Israel!! Not like in a video or anything but go. As in I will be in Jerusalam. In Nazereth, In bethlehem!! How freakin sweet is that??


see more crazy cat pics

Updates

"A love that can last forever takes but a second to come about."
- Cuban Proverb

Let's get the Arabic part of my posts out of the way shall we? My Arabic teacher found out that she will be the American teacher taking the four students to Israel this summer. How cool is that? And I have a really good chance of being one of those students! It's so awesome! I really hope I can go. Also me and 6 other students from my class (7/11 ha ha) got to go to the state capitol to watch the Governor sign a bill giving more money to the more exotic languages such as Chinese, Arabic and Russian. Here is a picture of us that is on my teacher's blog. Since I doubt anyone checks those out because she's about as good as updating as I am, I'm putting them here.
Just so you know why some of us look unhappy/ uncomfortable is because we were getting pictures taken left and right. Not to mention the Gold room was extremely hot. Also some of us ie me was not expecting it.
The ride up and back was pretty fun too. I like hanging out with boys I've decided. Though only a certain kind.

So now that's done let us go on to American Sign Language. So apparently every year there is this HUGE deaf conference at UVU. Tons of deaf people come from all over the country. Who knew? Anyway I went this year and had a blast. We watched some movies that were about deaf, or were made by, deaf people. One was really cool because It was a deaf woman talking about her experience in Austria in WW2. It was sad but interesting.
I got to go to a lecture from a famous deaf woman. Don't ask me her name I can't remember. Though it was really thought provoking.
In class we did a test, well I did it last year level 3 is doing it right now, on this movie called "Eyeth." It's all signed by this one guy and I got to meet him. It was so cool.
Anyway here's a picture of us on the bus that is on my teacher's blog. Since I doubt anyone checks those out because she's about as good as updating as I am, I'm putting them here.

Laterz!

Bleh

" Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sun-dial in the shade? "
Benjamin Franklin

So I got in the newspaper the other day because of Arabic, and now the whole east coast is looking at us.... It's cool but scary ya know? I'm just afraid I won't live up to everyone's expectations, but what's new?

The friend situation hit a peak about two weeks ago. Me and Kay had a fight over texts. Welcome to the 21st century no one talks to each other any more. Anyway very hurtful things were said but things that needed to be said were said and things were brought to our attentions that needed to be. It's all good, at least we talk now. Though I still have a problem trusting her and even though she acts like nothing happened I can't. She slipped back into the flow so easily, I wonder if it really mattered to her. Well just another way I learned to protect myself I guess.

I'm almost done with school, two more weeks but I think I'll stay just to have something to do. Oh and thanks to the sister who gave me a place to look to for work!!

Sweet!

" Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. "
- Muriel Strode

So I went to Arabic class the other day and got some exciting news. The program we are exchanging videos with Palestinian students with is sponsoring four students to go over there!! I could have a 1 in about 35 chance of going! And that's if the other two classes around America decide to send in applications! I'm so excited. I just need to fill out the application first. Oops.
Speaking of the video exchanges we got one recently that asked if we had heard any arabic music. Before we started filming our responses our teacher thought it would be good to be able to say that we had. So we listened to Nancy Agram(Ajram), and now I have her songs stuck in my head. Though I can't understand them, funny huh?
Wow I talk a lot about Arabic class now.

Anyway, life is boring as usual. Though with a lot more arguments now. It seems like Kay and I can't go two days without getting mad at each other. Ah drama between friends. I wonder when I'll tell her I'm leaving.
Told Hols and she's fine with it. I should probably tell Jans too. I can only hope my roommates will be cool when I get there.

Wahoo.....

So the letters to Iraq came and went. I even got a response!! It was pretty sweet. I sent one back but there was a problem with an Iraqi soldier talking the letters from the teachers so we'll see if I get a response. I also was taped for a conference in D.C. how cool is that?
Anyway life is okay. Friends have so many issues but hopefully that can be dealt with. We'll see. The school year is going by way to fast. I kinda wish it was august again just because that was a much simpler time. Oh well.


Oh and something to be excited about? Blogger can now be translated into Arabic!! I would do it but I'm kinda scared I wouldn't be able to read anything.

Great.

So remember last post I said I was talking to students in Palistine? And how I was freaked out I was going to say something that would spark something? Well guess what? My teacher told us we are now going to be writing letters in Arabic to students in Iraq. Like I wasn't scared enough before.
Anyway life is okay. I think I patched up a friendship with Kay.... kinda. But now I know when she's giving me a lie. I don't know which was better, believing her and finding out later it was total bull or knowing right away it was bull. Tough cunundrum huh?
Wow that's a hard word to spell, and I didn't even do it right.
So I've decided that I hate waiting. I applied to several schools and they are taking forever to get back to me. It's awful. People tell me it's good that they haven't rejected me yet so their is still hope but I hate waiting. For people too.
Silent weekend was a bust for those who care. Something I love got in the way, snow. Atleast a hot fedex guy saved us.

Yikes.

So I'm in Arabic right? Right. At the begining of the year my teacher said that we would be writing to Palastiniean( that is a very hard spelling) students, in arabic. I thought it would be no problem you know. and then she threw us a curve ball. No longer will we be writing, we never did, but shall be sending video e-mails to them.... Jigga what?
Apparently Washington D.C., how cool is that, decided it would be better to send videos rather than letters. Apparently it is easier to sensor things in video format.
Now not only do i have to know what I'm saying I have to speak well and not look like a total idiot. Well that worked but I sound like an idiot. The video went up on the website the other day and I can totally hear my voice warbling! So not cool. Not to mention every oneelses videos look really cool or have interesting props while all I have is a small ink drawing I did two days before while bored in Creative writing.

I just hope I don't say anything to cause a bigger war.

That time again!!

The time for Powderpuff once again rolled around. This year there was much enthusiasm from the seniors because we kicked trash last year. However there was much um... how to put this... restriction from the higher up people because they didn't want a repeat of last year with all the injuries.
Oh well it happened and seniors kicked trash!!!! Not as much as last year becuase the juniors were also well coached this year so it wasn't a smash em up game. Though you wouldn't know that by looking at my knee.

That's one big grass stain with several others around it. I tend to end up on the ground in any sport I play.
i did wicked awsome though. I blocked a pass, the ball bounce off of my hand and into one of our player's hands. I also did some hard rushing making their QB mess up passes and I made it so other girls could pull some flags.
Sadly we only scored once but really it should have been more but the refs were being stupid. Luckily we always stopped the juniors from scoring the 3 times they got near the goal. Wahoo!!

Oh and there were no serious injuries like last year, and it was the juniors getting ticked off too.

Just to say...

I oppose a certain relationship in the group.
I think it's going to end badly either before the end of January or when graduation roles around when one of the people stays in high school and the other goes to college.

Just wanted to say that so that I won't have to say told ya so to the person. And if the person even reads this I support you just know I don't want you to get hurt.....

Halloween

"Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly"

So I'm happy to report that the dance was amazing!!!
For the day date we took our dates to a pumpkin patch and told them to find a pumpkin. We didn't tell them why till after they were bought and we were at a church parking lot.
Then we told em that we were to go bowling.. with the pumpkins. Some were kinda lumpy so they rolled funny but we had a blast doing it!
That is till one group's split open and we all started to smash ours on the tarp. Though that was pretty fun too.





We then dropped off the boys and got ready for the actual dance and dinner. I picked up my people( my date and another couple) and went to the house we were to have dinner at. Only we were the first ones there. We thought it would be awkward to go in without our friend being there so we drove around the block multiple times. For ten minutes or so. But everyone finally showed up so we had dinner, managed to have a small food fight too.
Then it was off to the dance and after that we played fugitive.
I would like to report that for it being the first time I was one of the fugitives my date and I won in under 20 minutes. Running a mile is no easy cake walk believe you me.

Anyway last night I helped one of my friends get ready for Halloween. How you ask, by tatooing her of course!! We did some pretty wicked tatoos but sadly when she came to school today some were kinda wiped off. I had worked so hard on that barcode too.
I only did three, the barcode, a chain on her arm, and the flames on her arm. My other friend did her neck, the one on her lower arm, the japanese symbol, the I heart you on one ear, and stars on the other.
All in all it was a fun night.

Finally!

" Be your own fan first, before you are anyone elses. "
~ Sly fox ( StoryWrite Member )

OKay so remember how my sister got married back in the begging of July? I finally got the pictures off of my camera. The reason it took so long was because I lost the cable to connect my compy and camera but I got this cool gadget that lets me get my pictures. Wahoo!
so here are some of those pictures!







I still have no idea who did that to their car. *cough cough*

Anyway Halloween dance is a go. I asked... twice. THe first guy was already going and the second guy probably won't answer till the day before, oh joy.
Laterz!

A club constitution.

"If I only touch one heart in this life, then I have achieved my life's goal "
~ Heavenly Angel ( All Poetry Member )

I had to write a club constitution, I decided that I should not write when I'm tired.....

We the people of American Sign Language club, to form better conversational skills in sign language, will meet once a month, on Wednesdays, in the room of B2-23 to practice with others who wish to improve as well.
The members will fund some of the activities with the help of the school.
We the people also promise to obey all laws and bylaws presented and given to us by the school and administration.
We will also give service that is not beneficial to one person only, but to a group that is truly in need.

Updating

"Chaos is the score upon which reality is written."
Henry Miller
Life is good? I say this because life is good but also really bad. If that makes any sense whatsoever.
It's good because I'm close to getting my 4.0 i've been dreaming of since freshmen year, friends no longer want to kill eachother and I went to two rocking, very different birthday parties over the weekend. Life is good no?
Then saturday morning I got a phone call,
"Hello?"
"Hey, did I wake you up?" (the time being 9:30ish)
"No, what's up?"
Silence..... at first I thought it was my phone being it's stupid self and losing the connection, then I heard the sniffs.
"Kay? Kay what's wrong?" I started to freak, Kay is not the person that falls apart easily.
"My grandpa, he's dead." At first I was relieved that she wasn't hurt or someone wasn't robbing her house.
For the next little bit I talked to her while she choked on tears. She was confused why she was crying because, believe me, we both knew it was better he died. That sounds harsh but he was abusive to his wife and he was a drunk, so much so that he had boils all over his body from drinking or something like that. So we talked it over a little bit and she wanted to get ready for the day so we hung up.
A few hours later I went to the local Wal-Mart, my mother had a gift card and I had no cash, so I could buy her something to cheer her up. I found a cute lovable pig that was soft and easy to squeeze, perfect. So I took it over to her and spent some time talking about other things to take her mind off of the death. (oh we named the pig Sir Plushie).
Anyway that's basically it for now
Laterz

Homecoming

Well it's been a year since my first dance... to bad I didn't go this year. I was the only one out of the group of my four closest friends who didn't and one of three of the larger group.
Our football team sucks again. No point denying it. We just do. We lost 34 t0 7 or something like that. at least in the "non school related" powderpuff game we kicked their girl team's butt.
I've had more drama in the past month of school than my whole high school career combined. But I guess that's what happens when you get friends and they're all hard headed. Planning a theme for Halloween has been the main root of it.
First we decided on boardgame charaters, then clue. then Hols said that would be to expensive... how you might ask? I don't know her cops and robbers idea is more expensive.
Then the idea to be disney princesses was thrown in, no not enough for our group of nine. Well how bout just princesses then? Once again Hols shot it down. We had it mostly planned too. I was to be the princess of Rome/Greece, Kay as the princess on night, Em as the princess of Day, Jan as the princess of Hell, didn't hear some others, and Hols as the princess of the Pirates because she didn't want to be all fluffy dress and whatever. But she shot it down with out a second thought and then claimed to be open minded about ideas.
I talked to Kay about it cause she was ticked about Hols, who wouldn't be?, and Kay went into this speach thing, okay not a speach but it got my vote. She talked about how she wasn't just thinking of her, but of me and Jan and Adrianne because it's our last year to do this and how she, Kay, didn't think that Hols remembers that. I have to agree, sometimes Hols gets a one way track of thinking and won't get off. But whatever.
I still like my idea of famous couples in history but no one else does.
My senior year is coming along great.

Random quiz again

I laugh at about all but one of these answers.

K: crazy
A: Hott
N: easy to fall in love with
A: Hott
N: easy to fall in love with
I: very good kisser

F: loves people wild and crazy adore you
O: has one of the best personalities ever
R: a good person to be with
D: can kick a$$


A: Hott
B: Amazing kisser
C: good kisser
D: can kick a$$
E: has gorgeous eyes
F: loves people wild and crazy adore you
G: very outgoing
H: cute
I: very good kisser
J: is really sweet
K: crazy
L: loves laughing and having fun
M:makes dating fun
N: easy to fall in love with
O: has one of the best personalities ever
P: popular with all types of people
Q: a hypocrite
R: a good person to be with
S: makes people laugh
T: smile to die for
U: is very sexual
V: not judgmental
W: very broad minded
X: never let people tell you what to do
Y; loved by everyone
Z: can be funny and dumb at times

Drowning anyone?

"A clash of doctrines is not a disaster--it is an opportunity."
Alfred North Whitehead

So school started last week. I hadn't realized how much work I would have until the second day ( my school is set on a block system. periods 1,3,5,7 one day, periods2,4,6,8 the next).
Day one:
First period is no sweat, I TA for my favorite teacher, Miss B., who teaches ASL 2 that period.
Third period is my first hard class, Advanced Placement(AP) World History. I have to read a chapter from the text book every week, then read another book and fill out the 70 page packet that goes with it. Doesn't sound hard but it is.
Fifth i go back to ASL but this time for my own class, level 4. Yeah for being the only student in level 4! That's not going to be easy either, what with pass offs and reading another book due at the end of the term. But atleast I'm with level 3 and friends right? Plus it's fun when the teacher says you taught her.
Seventh so far is easy. It's metals and all we've done so far is go over saftey. Which is kinda disgusting but good to know.

Day two:
Second is an internship/TA for the main office. It's a little exta work for the internship but so worth it to be in there with Shelbs.
Fourth is another killer class, Arabic. Learning to recognize the sounds is hard but I think I'm getting the alphabet down. Now how to connect the letters together.....
Sixth is Creative writing, so far so easy but I know it's going to get harder. It's a college class in a high school setting, woot. Rutter's cool and everything but I think I'm going to die.
Eighth is AP psychology. It's the same as creative writing, easy so far but I know it's going to get harder. Atleast Kay is in there so I can keep some of my sanity. Well Holls is in there too so I should be good. I hope.

Semenary is easy and I love my teacher, he's the funniest I've had so far. But he know's when it's time to be serious. I absolutly love that........
9 classes, 5 that are going to drown me in work. This should be a fun year.

Shopping

"There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
W. Somerset Maugham

So I went shopping with Ly, Jan, Adri, and Kay on Wensday. Suprisingly it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. There were some small fights about what I would try on but other than that nothing major happened. I got some really cute shirts before Adri had to go. I dropped her off at my house so she could get her car, then Ly decided that she should probably go help her mom with stuff so Kay, Jan and I stayed and talked for a bit before Jan had to leave too.
It was down to me and Kay, which might not be the best thing for the rest of the population. We went to the mall and managed to find some cute slacks for me, after a lot of questions that I felt stupid for not knowing the answer too.
"What size are you?" "I don't know"
and more of the like. Poor Kay, I have no idea how she deals with me.
After that we went shopping for some stuff for her and then went to Red Robin for a late dinner, it being around 8 at this point. That was fun because we got to talk, which we were doing before but I felt like we were older and were old friends catching up, ya know. It felt more suffisticated(sp?) because we were talking over dinner in a kinda fancy resteraunt. Sounds stupid but whatever. Then we came back to my house and talked while playing cards.
I told her about my beserker story that I've had rolling around in my head for a while and she liked the sound of it. I just hope I can use it this year in creative writting. That should make Rutter think I'm even more weird.
Gotta blaze!

Bleh.

Bleh shopping. I went with my friend today to scope out clothes for next week when I actually have money to buy them. Ugh, five hours of shopping is not fun. I got bored half way through but I kept going because I need some new clothes. It was horrible. I never want to go for that long again, but I know when we go with Kay, it will.
BLEH!!

"The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public."
George Jessel

I’m giving up talking to people because it seems like every time I do I offend someone.

We’ll see how long this lasts.