Classes have finally started. It feels like I've been on vacation for the past month--it's weird to have responsibilities.

All of my classes seem like they'll be really interesting. I'm taking Hebrew, Intro to the Religion of Islam, The Roots of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Israel and the Environment, and Modern Jewish History. Most of the teachers are Americans that have moved to Israel, so it seems like it will be a pretty American experience overall. I feel mixed about this... on the one hand the classes are easy and fun which is nice, but I'm definitely not experiencing Israeli education. But now that classes have started, both for the international students and the regular university, the campus has really come to life. I love walking through a busy campus--it makes it feel more real.

This past weekend I went to Eilat with a bunch of friends and about 50 other people from my program. Unfortunately it was a little too cold to spend the whole weekend on the beach (and by "cold" I mean 65 degrees) but we went snorkeling in the Red Sea which was AMAZING. We saw the coolest coral and fish and we swam out to a huuuuge coral reef, it was so much fun.

I put some pictures on my flickr account from Jerusalem and Eilat: click here! I have some really exciting trips coming up. This weekend I'm going to the south with my program; we're going to the Dead Sea, Ein Gedi for hiking, and a bedouin tent. And the weekend after that I'm going to Istanbul!! It should be an adventure, I can't wait.