First Time for Everything

Hey all, this is my blog! I'm a first timer so my friends are helping me out. I'm spending the summer at BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. It has been really stellar so far. Everything from the building architecture to the fieldtrips we go on is great. I am here with 79 other students. 28 men and 52 women to be specific. I have always wanted to come to the center. I have had a lot of friends that have come here and talk so highly of their experience so I'm excited to finally be here! We have been here for about 3 weeks already, only 3 more months left. Everyone one here is a great person so funny and talented in their own ways. It's my first time out of the country so a lot of the things I have seen so far have been out of element. But I love learning. I have loved all of my experiences of seeing the sites, meeting the people, learning the language and culture and being able to study the scriptures in a place so sacred and holy to not only Christianity but Judaism and Islam as well. A lot of people are incredibly devout to their religion in the way they lives. This made sense to me when you think that those types of people would be the ones drawn to live in this area of the world. There can be tension at times but overall everyone is trying to live their lives and worship God.