"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
-Mark Twain

I Was Going to Egypt but Now I'm Not

Well, my friends, it's time for a game of Good News, Bad News. We'll start out with the bad news, because I like it better that way.


Bad News: Word came via e-mail today that the Spring/Summer BYU Jerusalem students will NOT be traveling to Egypt this summer. Here's how the e-mail put it: "Because of recent events in the country, we will not be taking students to Egypt during the 2011 Spring/Summer Program.  Instead, we have plans for a full academic and field-trip experience in Turkey.  Details about this trip will be provided at the Final Orientation Meeting."


That brings me to the Good News: I get to go to Turkey! Turkey is on the list of top-five countries I want to visit.  Unfortunately, Egypt was another one of those countries (the others being Israel, Russia, and India). But it's Turkey! I don't even know if I get to go to Istanbul but I would love to see Istanbul. I've heard it's absolutely gorgeous. So that would be good news.


Bad News: I've been really looking forward to using my Arabic in Egypt. I've been studying the Egyptian dialect of Arabic, and even though I'll get to use it in Jerusalem, Jordan, and maybe even bits and pieces in Turkey, it is not the same dialect that I have been learning, so I will have a harder time communicating. The main language in Turkey is Turkish, but I might be able to find some Arabic speakers.


Good News: There have been rumors that during our time spent in Turkey, we will get to learn more about the mission of Paul. That would be really cool.


Bad News: I no longer get to see the pyramids. That is really sad. Or tombs, or the sphinx, or any of the other things. I don't get to watch the sunrise from Mount Sinai, either. That is one of the things I was most excited for. I love sunrises. I love mountains. I am actually really sad about that.


Good News: Turkey is a LOT cleaner than Egypt. Istanbul is supposed to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Cairo is way over-polluted.


Bad News: This is the first time the Jerusalem Center has taken a group of students to Turkey, meaning we will be their guinea pigs and they will still be learning what to teach us, where to take us, and what to do. We might end up with a lot of free time on our hands, instead of constantly be touring places, and I'm not entirely sure that that is a good thing.


Good News: Because I am an Arabic minor, I might be able to do a Language Study Abroad in the Middle East in a few years. Usually this Language Study Abroad group takes students to Egypt, although this year they had to change their plans as well and they are now taking students to Jordan. However, in a few years, when I might go on this Study Abroad, things might have calmed down in Egypt and I might be able to go. So I might still make it to Egypt sometime in the future. In fact, I'm sure I will. Whether it is as a student or whether it is when I become an adult, Egypt will be number one on my list of places I want to see before I die. I will make sure I get there one day. :)


More Good News: I would like to end with more good news than bad news, so I'm doing another good news post. :) When all is said and done, I'm glad I still get to go to Jerusalem. I mean, they could have closed down the Center entirely. (It was closed from 2000-2006, and there are rumors that they might do it again). It is better to just not be able to go to Egypt and be able to go to Turkey than to not be able to go to Israel, Egypt, Jordan, OR Turkey. I'm just grateful I still get to spend time in the Middle East, and I know the experience will be amazing no matter where I am. :) 

Accolades to the Winner!

Tonight I held a competition amongst my friends. I texted 10 of them and told them to come up with a good title for this blog, and the winner would receive accolades to be texted to everyone else who had received the text. The following were some of the responses I received, from those who responded:

• "There and Back Again," by Emily Rose Mensing.
• "White Boy in the Middle East," by Emily Rose Mensing.
• "Jeffer's Jerusalem," by Kayleedel.
• "Pearls of My Life; No Looking, Swine!" by Melissa Brown.
• "I'm Doing Fun Stuff and Stuff Like That," by Melissa Brown.
• "Jefferpoints for Jefferfollowers," by Melissa Brown.
• Chris Lee refused to participate because of my recent dislike of a Lady Gaga music video.
• "I Was Going to Egypt but Now I'm Not," by RachelBrown. (even though I might be.)
• "Open Mind in a Closed World," by Emily Rose Mensing.
• "I Get to Go Cool Places This Summer and You Don't, Sucka," by Emily Rose Mensing.
• "It's Not Hogwarts, But It's Still Good," by Emily Rose Mensing.
• "Accio Jerusalem!" by Emily Rose Mensing.
• "I Don't Know the Hebrew Word for Blog," by RachelBrown.
• "Mr. Jefferson Goes to Jerusalem," by Rachel Adams.
• "Life Pulls in All Directions," by Lindsey Goodwin.
• "Free Libya!" by Josh Crookston.

Some of my own ideas had been:

• "Me, I'm Gonna Live Forever."
• "Take My Time Coming Home."

 My own ideas had been horribly inferior to those I texted. Good thing I texted them.

Post Script. Italicized suggestions were my favorites. I originally chose "I Don't Know the Hebrew Word for Blog" but didn't like the way the apostrophe looked with the font choice. Also I liked the use of the semicolon in the "Pearls Before Swine" option, so I changed my mind to that one. But good job to all those who participated!

What I Am Most Excited for in the Holy Land:

• Seeing the Garden Tomb (May 7th)
• Seeing the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Going to Egypt (May 15th) and seeing the pyramids (May 17th)
• A chance to use the Arabic I have been studying
• Sound and Light Show in Giza?! Neat. (May 16th)
• Seeing Tut’s Tomb (May 18th)
• Watching the sun rise on Mount Sinai (May 22nd)
• Church in the Jerusalem Center (apparently the chapel itself has glass windows on three sides which let me see the entire Old City of Jerusalem)
• The fact that the dorm rooms have balconies overlooking the Old City. I actually plan on spending a lot of time on those balconies.
• Forum Addresses from distinguished guests
• Learning basic Hebrew
• Snorkeling at Eilat (June 12th)
• Hezekiah’s Tunnel (June 13th)
• Jordan! (June 20th)
• PETRA (June 21st)
• Bethlehem (July 4th)
• GALILEE! (July 11th). I am most excited for Galilee, for whatever reason.
• Bonfire at the Sea of Galilee (July 12th)
• Swimming in the Dead Sea (July 31st)
• “Last Week of Jesus’s Life Field Trip” (August 9th)
• Studying Old Testament and New Testament in its setting.

What I am not excited for:

• Coming home.

An Introduction

I guess I should introduce myself. :)

A little bit of background: My name is Jefferson. This Summer I get the UNBELIEVABLE exerpeience of traveling through the Middle East, to Israel, Palestine, Egypt, and Jordan. It still feels too good to be true. I'm 20 years old from Bountiful, Utah and have had a pretty amazing life so far. It just keeps continuing to get better.

Background Academically: In school, I am majoring in International Relations, with a minor in Arabic. I absolutely love the Middle East. It fascinates me. I am excited (and a little nervous) to have a chance to use the Arabic that I have been learning. It will be such a humbling experience, but it will be invaluable.

Why I started this blog: I want to keep a sort of record of my travels while I am in the Middle East. It's going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Additionally, I want my friends, family, and anyone else who is interested in my life to be able to keep up on my adventures. Since I don't plan on getting on facebook or my tumblr blog, this will be the most efficient way to keep people updated while I am gone. I depart on April 26th, so check back often to see how things are going!

!السلام عليكم

A Collection of Pictures From My Sister's Blog

The entry inside the Jerusalem Center:

The back lawn:

View from the back lawn:

View from Chelsey's balcony:

The Sea of Galilee:

I'm most excited for Galilee. Don't ask me why.

Chelsey's Adventures in the Middle East

Tonight I had dinner with my sister, Chelsey. A few years ago, she got to go on the same Study Abroad to the Middle East that I am lucky enough to go on this summer. At dinner tonight, she helped me to understand what I need to know, what I shouldn't worry about, and what I should pay attention to when I go there. I am so excited. :) Here is a picture from her own blog.

Chelsey loved the Sea of Galilee.