If you want to view my travels with pictures, my professor has a blog and since he's a professor he has special rights to posting pictures and videos. I'm not in like any of the pictures, but you can still check it out :) http://huntsmansintheholyland.blogspot.com/
1. I've learned in Turkey that the top 5 words/phrases to learn are: Thank You (Sahol in Turkish; used this phrase probably every hour at least); Hello (Maharbra or something like that); Sorry (already forgotten how to say it and the next 2 words); Please; and No (to combine with Sahol to say to the vendors "No thank you" whenever they push something at your face). I'm really considering to remember this on my next adventures to foreign lands, so I can get smiles where ever I go because I try to say a word in their language and I pronounce it completely wrong :)
2. Turkey (look at previous blog)
3. As we spent our last hour in Turkey before heading to dinner, we stopped by a smaller bazaar and did some last minute shopping. As we headed back, I saw one of the saddest things I've seen in my life: two sick little girls wrapped in blankets with the lonliest eyes I've ever seen on a person's face. These girls were homeless and were asking for money. I know that their 'guardian' might have put them up to it and staged them in the streets, but I couldn't help it but give the little bit of Turkish money I had. If you don't know me, I am an Elementary Education major and kids are my weakness. When I saw these girls, my heart just tore a part for them. How would it be like to live on the streets? Not knowing if you would eat the next day or when you would sleep under a roof again? Especially as a kid. I can't even imagine my happy childhood living in the streets looking up at strangers begging for money. That's not the education I want for these girls, but all I can do is count my many blessings and keep working hard so my kids don't have to experience hunger. I will never see the look in those girls' eyes in my little girl's eyes. I'm so blessed.
4. So there were a few sick kids on the bus at the end of the trip, and guess what happened the day when we get home? About half of the students in the center got sick. It was pretty ridiculous seeing everyone the next day either coughing or have tissue in their hand. You may not think this is funny, but I thought it was hilarious. Yes, I was one of those sick kids hence why I didn't write on Sunday or Monday because I was either doing homework or sleeping, but it was pretty funny realizing we had our first epidemic at BYU JC (Jerusalem Center).
5. Miletus really hit me. Not because of the beauty or any significant ancient building, but a touching event. This is where Paul said good-bye to the people he had been serving for 3 years. We had a devotional here with my professor giving his thoughts and he talked about leaving people. He mentioned how we all had left people behind to go to Jerusalem or a mission, but he had a different experience of leaving people. His dad passed a way a few months ago, and he shared with us his thoughts on how his dad must have felt passing away leaving everyone behind on Earth. While he was sharing his story, I thought about all of you and how it would feel leaving you all behind in this life. I thought leaving to Jerusalem for 3 months was a hard good-bye and how leaving to Croatia for 18 months will be hard...I have no idea. I then thought of all those close to me who have passed on. I'm blessed to not have too many of these experiences, but enough to feel the pain of the memories. Enough to remind me not to leave a moment for granted and to keep words unsaid. I know Heavenly Father has a purpose and plan for each of us. We have been given gifts, talents, and abilities to fulfill this purpose. He won't leave us to fail. He'll be there every step of the way to encourage, help, and walk us the rest of the way. I love you. Don't forget it. At the end of the devotional, we sang "God Be with You 'Til We Meet Again". The words completely changed for me keeping this perspective in mind, so my friends, family, and people who I don't even know that are reading this, I love you. God be with you until we meet again.
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