ATL-TLV

I'm currently hanging out in the Atlanta airport, which is actually nicer than I remembered (the international terminal, at least). They have a mini exhibit about MLK Jr. with a couple of his books (which was much more interesting after taking the civil rights movement seminar after last semester), a lot of children's artwork from the Atlanta area, and surprisingly good food. I got here about four hours before my flight so that my parents could make it back to Spartanburg at a reasonable hour, so I wandered through the overpriced shops before finally settling down at gate E17.

For some reason, I keep expecting to run into someone I know. I usually get this feeling when I'm in airports - after traveling so much over the past four years, mostly to and from Houston, I've gotten used to meeting up with random Rice students in various airports. If I were traveling anywhere else (Europe, for example), I wouldn't really expect to see anyone, but going to the holy land is a whole different animal. Last time I was in Israel (on Birthright, in 2006), I ran into one of my fellow camp counselors at a falafel stand, and I know at least two people that I'll be intentionally "running into" while I'm over there. Undoubtedly, there will be a few more that I'm not even expecting, with all of the teen tours, summer programs, and Birthright trips that happen this season. So, I keep looking over my shoulder, watching and waiting.

Overhearing names like "Daveed" and "Erez", watching young girls dance around the gate in long colorful skirts, and seeing one of my fellow travelers davening Maariv (the evening prayer service) off to the side is getting me excited already. I'll sign off for now, and after a 12 hour flight and a trip in the sherut (shared taxi) to Jerusalem, I'll be home!

First post...

Last summer, many of you followed the adventures of Lauren and Daniel through Europe. This summer, I'll be studying at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem from June 1-July 28. Most of my mornings will be spent in the classroom, learning Talmud (Jewish oral law and tradition) with amazing teachers and fellow students. In the afternoons, I'll be taking other elective classes, working on my Hebrew, and exploring. I'm not really sure what to expect beyond this, but I know that it'll be a great experience.

My flight leaves tomorrow (Sunday), and I'm about halfway packed. I spent most of the evening rummaging through old home videos and spending time with my aunt and uncle who were visiting for Drew's graduation. Tomorrow I'm going for one last run through the park, then to brunch with the fam, and then on to Atlanta to wait around for my flight. Hopefully this will be the last boring post you get from me..... next post in Jerusalem!