Yesterday we had to wake up at 6:45 to be down by 7:15. My throat hurt a little, but once we got on the bus, i listened to my ipod and looked out the window/slept. I always try to stay up and look out the window until we reach the freeway. Jerusalem and its hills are so pretty. I sat next to Katie and kept on doZing (mom, that was for you). We ended up at a biblical nature reserve. It used to be an army base, but then soldiers (i think) decided to make it pretty by planting every tree and bush that is mentioned in the bible. We played this one team game with a hula hoop and no one really cared...but i was in a good group who wasnt rude..yay! We then started talking about the meaning behind this game and what we did wrong because it took about 3 seconds per person, rather than 2. People were giving funny answers (katie relating it to having a child), but i was distracted becauseee...IT WAS RAINING!!! Rachel, Katie, and I ran out and started to dance..others just watched. haha.

We then sat around an ancient cistern (collects rain water, not a well) and learned a little bit about cisterns and what people did in ancient times. For example, they would put a rock to cover the cistern that was so heavy that 10 men would have to lift it together. This would prevent anyone stealing water. Cisterns also plays a role in the bible. ______ men rivkah at a cistern and it says in the bible that when he saw her he found her to be so beautiful that he lifted the rock covering the cistern all on his own. It also said he had a vision and started to cry because he saw that he would not be buried with rivkah and he was upset that he wouldnt be with her for eternity. With the perspective of looking at the bible figuratively, i wonder what this means...hopefully we will discuss this in my class! If not, ill bring it up.

We then played another game where we are split up into 2 teams and we have to get this hook onto a water jug and get the water jug in the cistern, take it out, and place the water jug back. There were 4 pullies and the difficult part was the people controlling the pullies (which were connected to the hook) were blindfolded and they had guides next to them. There was also someone in the middle controlling everything, but he couldnt talk. I dont really understand the point of why we did this activity...

After the activity we went by goats and sheeps. We then got split up into 2 teams (brits/canada vs. americans) and we had to pretend we were shepherds and had to make all of the goats go into 4 different circles (being in each 1 for 10 seconds). It was a funny activity. Everyone just wanted the goats to stop eating under the tree and go, so we started to talk to them! Katie was so funny, she introduced herself and was tapping them and kindly asking them to listen to her. We realized though that we had to control them by where we all stood. The americans ended up getting the goats into the 4 places, so we won. woo hoo! Our guide then told us how people (young people) could be shepherds. The trick is to give one of the goats authority so then all of others will follow that one. The leader is always a woman and you teach her her name and to follow you by tying a rope to her neck and pulling the rope whenever you call her name. She will soon learn to come to you when you call her name.

After this we drove for a little to a place that has different sukkahs. It was a cool place! I took pictures of some of the sukkahs, but basically it has a ruling if such a sukkah is considered kosher or not kosher. For example, if it too tall or too short it is not considered kosher, but you actually see the huge sukkah and the tiny one. There were so many! After this we had a long bus ride and i fell asleep. We stopped for lunch and then drove for another half hour to where we would be snorkeling.

I got a call from miki before i got there letting me know that she would also be there (with nathan and yoni)!!!! I saw them and i was so happy! We got split up and my group watched this boring movie about tzitizit and the t'cheilet. They showed us them cutting the snail, how rare the snail is, etc. We then made the blue dye and put wool in it and learned about how God only knows the difference between the indigo (the dye) in the plant and in the blood of the special, rare snail. We then went to the beach to go look for these snails (only a couple of people actually looked). But Rach and i really had to go pee, and didnt think it would be nice to pee with a lot of people around us. We had trouble finding the bathroom, so I (did caps on purpose) asked a couple of different people ALL in hebrew!! and i understood them (for the most part)!! woo hoo! haha. I didnt just ask "where is the bathroom," but "where is the restaurant with the bathroom." I know it is an easy sentence, but im so happy i spoke in hebrew!

We finally found the bathroom and the sign was so funny. I didnt get a pic of it because my camera had no battery, but it was a guy and a girl crossing their legs and making unhappy faces. (haha rachel and "daddy alert"!!!!!) We went back to the each and we had to wear a t-shirt in the water to cover ouselves. Ugh, it was so annoying and i hate the feeling. It didnt even make sense because I was wearing a white t-shirt which was completely see through. Because we dont want to snorkel, rach and i decide to have a chicken fight...we tie and we thought we would get everyone interested, but that didnt really work out. hahaha. I hung out with miki for a little in the water. i forgot to mention that the water wasnt too cold..just really dirty. After we changed, we got on the bus for a 3 hour bus ride. I slept for most of it. When we got off the bus it was so cold out and i was just exhausted! People were planning on going to a club, but dont worry mom, i took care of myself and told myself i would not be doing that. I decided that im not gonna go out on monday nights because i need to sleep or else i wont appreciate the siyurs. For dinner, our group made chicken soup and we got all bundled up so we could eat it in the sukkah! It was really nice. After that, rachel said we must go out and do something fun because it is sukkot, so we got dressed in modest clothing to go to the old city (hahahah waiting for bus..katie (sorry)). We went to this yishiva and outside of it they were having a concert. It was a cool experience. It just was so annoying how PUSHY people are. UGH!!!! If they just move their shoulders a little bit, they wouldnt bump into me! Rach was standing by a stroller that was in the middle of a path for people to go in and out and someone asked her if it was her baby! Rachel was like "we have to move away from the baby right now." haha. weird though! We left 15 minutes before the concert ended (i would have enjoyed it more if i knew any of the songs...) and met up with rachel's brother. On our way to the bus stop, we bumped into katie's mom and older sister! After saying bye to rachel's brother, we took the bus back to emek refiem and when we got back i made myself a grilled cheese! i did it all on my own in a pan! I was starving so i also ended up eating a lot of other things...healthy? probs not! Joel then came in and asked if rach and i were planning on sleeping in the sukkah. We were thinking about sleeping in it another night, but then we realized that tonight would be the best night to sleep in it...so we slept in it! I'm bummed that we didnt get a picture of us! I was so excited and dressed in so many layers and was so comfy, but it was not THAT cold. I was a little hot. I slept pretty well though!