Finals Week Explosion

READ:
I did not write this blog. A hilarious girl in the group wrote it. Lisa Foote. I am very privileged to be balcony neighbors with her. and yes, we have had slumbered on the balcony and it was the greatest night's sleep. almost as incredible as the night on the train. Anyway, this blog is hilarious and completely true. I love the JC. and finals season at the JC is unreal.

"This post is pictureless, because these words will paint the picture at the Center that a camera could never capture. Imagine this: (but don't close your eyes, because you need to keep reading...)

79 highly intelligent people (or at least 60) all in the same building, all competing for grades in the same classes, all taking 5 finals in one week- finals which are not like normal hard tests where success is possible if you study long and hard, but the kind where you have no idea what is going to be on the test and it will be impossible no matter how long you study, but you study anyway, for hours, because you have to keep your grades up for Med school or Law school or because your parents still care or because you need to get into the nursing program or because you're a perfectionist or whatever.

In this situation there are several ways to react, and we've seen everything:
- There are people bartering study guides based on how long it took them to make it, with vows to not share it with anyone.
- There are people singing hymns at the top of their lungs in the study rooms, and people outside of the study rooms getting angry.
- There are people crying like I've never seen before.
- There has been a lot of hypervenilating.
- Everyone is gaining weight because the intake of pita and peanut butter has at least doubled.
- Some girls made a music video in the midst of all the studiers.
- A list of countries bordering the Red Sea, Dead Sea, and Persain Gulf was erased from the board when we walked in with the explanation "I'm not allowed to share that with anyone; I got it from someone else and she'll kill me if I share it."
- At the Old Testament review the tear filled question was asked "IS IT ACTUALLY POSSIBLE TO SUCCEED?"
- Russell turned 25 today and is begging everyone to go get gelatto with him, but no one will.
Ilike2learn.com is the most visited website of the week as everyone tries to learn the countries and capitals of the Middle East by playing matching games.
- The dinner conversation is: "Tell me the 2 mountain ranges in Iran." "No. I'm not talking about that right now." "Okay, then let me tell you a joke... What's the capital of Lebanon?" "That's not a joke Brent!"

The tension in the building is escalating by the minute. Anyone who is not stressed out is shunned and yelled at for being happy. Jokes have to be used very sparingly and only with other non-stressed individuals when not in the presence of the temporary psycho-paths. My stress level is approximately 0% so it has been a hilarious experience for me to see everyone explode."

hence why I have not posted a blog about Jeru since Egypt. Sorry fam. I'll catch up soon. Love you all.

EGYPT!

Egypt is the greatest! I love it there. All around, the greatest trip. So for Egypt there are a million stories and facts and things I want to show you all. Since pictures are worth a thousand words I figure it might be best just to show you a smattering of pictures with minimal commentary. Good Idea?

oh keep in mind that all the Egypt posts go in backwards chronological order because I don't know how to work technology and didn't think ahead of time. sorry.

This is the Red Sea.

Completely different than what I imagined. I’m not sure what I had in mind, but it wasn’t an Oasis in a desert with perfectly clear blue water and colorful choral reefs. The Red Sea is gorgeous with perfect temperature all the time. Who knew?

p.s. this is Trisha Zemp. She is such a great girl that I accidently stay up till early hours of the morning chatting and laughing with. whoops.

Okay, this is the best bathroom I saw. Truly. On the side of Mount Sinai and kept up by the Bedouins themselves. This is for you Mom, Tara, Amada, Steph and our days in NYC.

Mount Sinai

Hands down, the most amazing, glorious, perfect, transcendent experience of my Egypt. It was incredible. Our wake up call was at 1:54 am after arriving at Sinai at 11pm that night. So on 3 hours of sleep I hiked the greatest hike of my life. It was incredible. I felt so lifted as I climbed with the Bedouin. At the top we climbed 750 stairs to reach 7,000ft. It was beautiful. Then, at the top we had a testimony meeting. I cannot even explain the divine spirit there. an unforgettable moment.

It was freezing at the top of Sinai so we got a few laughs out of everyone huddling to stay warm.

The sun rising on the top of Mount Sinai.