The adventure begins...

It is 4am in Israel and I am beginning to understand why we were warned against sleeping on the plane. However, this restless night provides a good opportunity for reflection and there is much to reflect on.

The last few months have been filled with small adventures, all leading up to this one. Making financial arrangements, reading and writing book critiques, packing (50lbs for five weeks of unpredictable weather is no small feat!), a road trip to Atlanta (where I saw snow for the first time!) and a very long flight across the Atlantic have all brought us here.

To our first glimpse of Israel.

So far we've met Kenny, our tour guide. A Hebrew originally from Louisiana, he greeted us with his signature "shalom, ya'll". We've also met Reuben, Southeastern's property manager who has been a tremendous help in getting us settled. Then there's Louis, who runs the facility we're staying at and has already taught us much about the true meaning of servanthood and hospitality. That's not to mention a group of thirty students from every corner of SEU life.

We landed in the airport near Tel Aviv, loaded into our bus and headed for Jerusalem. As we drove through the hills that build up to the old city, Kenny read us a Psalm in which David prays for the protection of Jerusalem and the hills that surround her. We were in what he prayed for.

This great intersection with the historical foundations of our faith is not an experience that I'm guessing will be far from us while we're here. But there are other experiences already worth noting.

After settling in and a wonderful dinner, a group of us ventured out in search of coffee and a feel for the city. We certainly weren't disappointed.

Walking by Hasidic Jews and other American students, hearing Hebrew at one turn and English at the next, signs in symbols we couldn't read but successful coffee-ordering nonetheless. Here you'll see young adults, dressed in stylish modern attire, all topped off with a yamaka. The buildings all seem ancient and the architecture is breathtaking, but the city feels so fresh and alive.

The culture, which we have just barely touched, is beautiful. So far, our group has discovered delicious apple danish, the perfect caramel latte and gelato that one of our ladies swears makes you feel warmer. Maybe our excursion tomorrow night will bring us to the falafel stand that we passed by tonight or the intriguing bookstore with all of the books printed backwards. There is so much to see. The adventure has truly just begun.

All in all, this experience has already been incredible and I cannot wait for tomorrow. Or, more accurately, later today.