Earlier this week I saw three fights on the same day. It was Sunday and we had decided to get up early so we could go to the Dome of the Rock. Well, we did not know that they only opened breakfast at 7:30 (when we wanted to leave) so we ended up getting a group together and leaving at 8:15am. So we arrived at the line for the done at 8:45. It opens at 8 (when we wanted to arrive), so the line was very long. A group of students had arrived earlier than us so I went up to talk to them. Some of their group had to leave so we tried switching with them. The people behind them did not approve of this idea and accused us of cutting in line and were very direct in their opinions. I apologized that their opinions were different than ours, because I felt that we had done nothing wrong. Well, the argument just seemed to continue. Honestly, I think no one had anything better to do. Seems like a silly reason to argue. But I continued to jab with them. Eventually it was boring and I knew I would go back to the group I arrived with. At that point I just wanted to get to know a stranger. They would have nothing to do with it. No information about their native language, homeland, or anything about them or their trip. Quite a shame really. I hoped I could appease at least something and not ruin their experience in a holy place. Actually, that was what made me feel the worst about the whole engagement, Matthew 5:23-25. I didn't see them again and feel no way to reconcile myself.
After everyone was cleared from the temple mount at 11am we went to the Austrian Hospice for lunch. It is a beautiful building designed to assist pilgrims from Austria and Germany. It was a lovely church inside. Several pillars and levels adorn the outside for people to study and eat. Quite nice. As we were leaving I saw a group of young boys. The six or seven of them looked to be between the ages of 6 and 10. Two of the older ones were pushing each other around. A few shekel coins fell to the ground. Food in a bag was involved. I couldn't tell what was going on but it did not seem friendly and eventually the boy with the bag of food left and everyone else stayed there.
We went to the Israeli Art Museum (and only got through a third of the exhibits) and then walked for a couple hours back home. We got gelato on the way and talked with a couple from New York. Then as we were passing Old Jerusalem, Damascus Gate to be exact, I saw two men in their twenties or early thirties fighting. Their faces mixed between rage and smile so quickly I could hardly tell whether something bad was going to happen. Well, jokingly one of them picked up a metal dolly over his head as if he was going to throw it at the other man. They both started laughing and he put it down. As he was putting it down the old man next to him (to whom the dolly belonged. It looked as if the old man had transported the goods he was selling down the steps with the dolly) punched him in the face. Seriously. Right in his face. The young man reacted with a look of "well that seemed kind of extreme but I guess I deserved it..."
In other news, I was a stowaway yesterday. We had a field trip. Our schedule said it would start at 8am. It started at 7:30am. No big deal. Plenty of time to get ready. Well, right before we were supposed to leave I realized I forgot something in my room so I ran down to my room. Then I realized I forgot my key. So I ran up six flights of stairs to my roommate and borrowed his key. I ran back down. I ran back up, this time laden with two lunches and my backpack. I arrived at my bus as it was leaving. The other class (we are divided into two classes for ease of taking care of everyone. 40 people to a class) was still waiting on their bus and I just walked on. Well...that wasn't supposed to happen. And two people got left behind. And I was just sitting in the back. About twenty minutes into the ride, just listening to administrators talking and realizing I had to make my prescence known if I didn't want the center's security looking for me, I knew I was in trouble. It all worked out. I saw Bedouin women making carpets and several tels before going on a hike through and then up a valley. It was a wonderful day. Even unintentionally I can sneak past people very well apparently.
After everyone was cleared from the temple mount at 11am we went to the Austrian Hospice for lunch. It is a beautiful building designed to assist pilgrims from Austria and Germany. It was a lovely church inside. Several pillars and levels adorn the outside for people to study and eat. Quite nice. As we were leaving I saw a group of young boys. The six or seven of them looked to be between the ages of 6 and 10. Two of the older ones were pushing each other around. A few shekel coins fell to the ground. Food in a bag was involved. I couldn't tell what was going on but it did not seem friendly and eventually the boy with the bag of food left and everyone else stayed there.
We went to the Israeli Art Museum (and only got through a third of the exhibits) and then walked for a couple hours back home. We got gelato on the way and talked with a couple from New York. Then as we were passing Old Jerusalem, Damascus Gate to be exact, I saw two men in their twenties or early thirties fighting. Their faces mixed between rage and smile so quickly I could hardly tell whether something bad was going to happen. Well, jokingly one of them picked up a metal dolly over his head as if he was going to throw it at the other man. They both started laughing and he put it down. As he was putting it down the old man next to him (to whom the dolly belonged. It looked as if the old man had transported the goods he was selling down the steps with the dolly) punched him in the face. Seriously. Right in his face. The young man reacted with a look of "well that seemed kind of extreme but I guess I deserved it..."
In other news, I was a stowaway yesterday. We had a field trip. Our schedule said it would start at 8am. It started at 7:30am. No big deal. Plenty of time to get ready. Well, right before we were supposed to leave I realized I forgot something in my room so I ran down to my room. Then I realized I forgot my key. So I ran up six flights of stairs to my roommate and borrowed his key. I ran back down. I ran back up, this time laden with two lunches and my backpack. I arrived at my bus as it was leaving. The other class (we are divided into two classes for ease of taking care of everyone. 40 people to a class) was still waiting on their bus and I just walked on. Well...that wasn't supposed to happen. And two people got left behind. And I was just sitting in the back. About twenty minutes into the ride, just listening to administrators talking and realizing I had to make my prescence known if I didn't want the center's security looking for me, I knew I was in trouble. It all worked out. I saw Bedouin women making carpets and several tels before going on a hike through and then up a valley. It was a wonderful day. Even unintentionally I can sneak past people very well apparently.
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