(Alex) We went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. It reminded me of the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg — the time frames building by room — from how Hitler gained power to people learning that the war was finally over. I had learned about the Holocaust in 7th grade English from Daniel’s Story, […]
Read moreUnderstanding Islam
(Dana) Four weeks in the Middle East does NOT make me an expert in Islam. But based on my education in Egypt, Jordan and Israel, I encourage all Americans to try to understand the basics of Islam. To quote our Jordanian guide Hassan, “yes, there are some traditions that Americans may not agree with, but […]
Read moreOkey, Dokey, Dr. Jones!
(Andrew) Today we went picking, shoveling, searching, sifting and exploring through a 2,000 year old basement that was literally a dump. The basement became a dump when the Jewish Edomites came into the Pagan Greeks lives and gave them three options; convert to Judaism, refuse and be killed, or be forced into exile. The people […]
Read moreHeroes on Masada
(Reis) Masada is a mountainous, isolated, natural fortress. It was home to a group of Jewish rebels, a mad, architectural king, a Roman siege, and a huge suicidal massacre. The Israelites were revolting against the Romans in 73 A.D., so the Romans put them under siege. For 8 months the Romans camped outside and around […]
Read moreKing’s Academy
(Alex) I had been looking forward to this day for awhile, it was the day we finally got to go to King’s Academy. I wanted to go because I wanted to see what an American-style school in Jordan would look like. And it was way better than I imagined. Big, pristine, new facilities, and it […]
Read morePetra by Candlelight
(Andrew) It was a beautiful journey throughout a candlelit site. Petra, an ancient city protected by natural canyon fortification, was glowing with eerie candles. We first stepped into an open area with sandstone mountains on either side. We followed the candles as ducklings would follow their mother. The snaking line of candles just kept on […]
Read moreThe Super Salty Sea
(Reis) When you step into the water, nothing feels different from regular sea water. Except the warmth. It is such a comfortable temperature. You lift your feet and they shoot to the surface. And you can sit there, relaxing, floating with ease. Moving positions, altering movements, changing the way you float. To you, the most […]
Read moreThe Real Experience
(Reis) We finally we arrived in “the real Egypt” when we landed in Luxor from Sharm El-Sheikh in the Sinai. I was so excited! The wait was over, after four years of longing and wanting to go to Egypt, it was finally over. The whole idea started when I was in first grade doing an […]
Read moreEgypt Observations
(Emma, Alex, Dana) Egypt is an ancient and wonderful civilization. Its 5,000 year old history dwarfs that of the US. The people are very kind and welcoming. Some observations and concerns about what we saw: 1. 4% of land in Egypt is arable; in the middle of all of this sand, it is the land […]
Read moreImmodium Horribilis
(Greg) Woke up at 4:30AM for a quick excursion from Aswan to Abu Simbel and back. The one boy who most loves all things Egypt has been throwing up all over himself and his mother most of the night. At 5AM we help him decide to suck it up. We’ll be back by noon. The […]
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