Day 34

Okay, this is my last blog entry. Day 34 has been pretty slow. All I've done today is wash my clothes from yesterday, pack my suitcases, and play chess.

Day 35 will be spent in the air and at the airport in New York, so no blogging on the last day (no internet access there unless I pay $$ . . . I'm too cheap!).

So, I said that I would post my best/worst moments; what I will miss the most/least; things that there are too much of/too little of here in Israel or Neve Shalom or tel Gezer. So here goes . . .

Too much of . . .
flies
heat
sweat
hummus
rice
pickles
olives
pita bread
scorpions
centipedes

Too little of . . .
meat in food (except chicken)
dairy with meat (non-existent)
Dr. Pepper (non-existent)
ice (non-existent)
air conditioning
privacy
clean bathroom
rain (non-existent until Oct.-Mar.)
people wearing deodorant


What I'll miss the most . . .
ice cream (way better, something about USA pasteurizing 3x and Europe/Middle East only 2x . . . I don't know)
excitement of seeing biblical cities for the first time
excitement of uncovering a new item or a wall in our square
some of my new friends
fruit break
the call to fruit break
store day
cake at dinner (sort of)


What I'll miss the least . . .
wheelbarrow runs
walking up tel Gezer
4:00 am
some of my new friends (just kidding . . . mostly)
pottery washing
the rush of being on tour
other tour groups
doing my laundry in the shower
having to find my electrical adapter before I plug anything in
lectures
being told I'm doing my archaeology techniques wrong
thin bed mattress that wants to slide off the bed every night
thin cushions on every seat at Neve Shalom
smelly bus
ride on smelly bus
long winded under-grad who has apparently already lived the life of 5 adults in his brief life time

Worst moments . . .
spraining ankle!
too long of a plane ride (not really in Israel, but it's part of the trip)
fruit break over
long walk
bus driver not driving to the tel to pick us up and making us walk to him (after a really long hot hard day's work)
same bus driver did not stop at store for Store Day!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(


Best moments . . .
discovering Knock-Out ice cream bars
discovering a plethora of loom weights
discovering whole storage jar
worship at Arabic believer's church
end of season talent show . . . way funny!
fruit break!
Heading home to my family



Thanks for all of you who have been reading and responding to my blogs! It's been an a lot of fun blogging. I look forward to seeing all of you soon and sharing with you my stories and pictures. Thanks, Tara, for setting up a time at the BBQ restaurant for us all to get together and share my stories and videos and photos! Please be praying for a safe flight home!

For the last time in the Holy Land . . . Shalom!

Trey