First 24 Hours

I am here!
After a very long day with a flight to Newark and a 10 hour flight to Tel Aviv I am in Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. I have moved into my apartment, I will have 4 more roommates joining soon but they are with a different program so won't be here soon. My apartment is approximately 30 foot steps away from Mahane Yehuda, making it way too quick and easy to get amazing food.

I tried to upload pictures of my room (very small) and the view from a different room of our street, but that will have to come later when the internet is more cooperative. This neighborhood is just full of tiny alleys and then you wander and find a theater or a dance school or the market. My favorite part so far is that everyone has said "Welcome Home" instead of "Welcome", a very different perspective than I am sure folks back in North Carolina have of this trip for me, but I do feel very comfortable here (even if I can't understand any of the shop signs).

 So far we have just been settling in, but as soon as I publish this we are off for a hike in the Judean desert, an ATV ride and a group BBQ. Edit- The hike was cancelled but pictures from the first 2 days are on facebook now.