Visiting friends making new ones

My first morning in Jerusalem I went to have breakfast and met Tom, a German volunteer here at the guest house. We started talking and he told me he's a cook. He works at the hostel's kitchen and is going to be in Jerusalem for a total of two weeks. He's 21 and speaks with a cute German accent.

When I was having breakfast I met Richard, a New Yorker traveling the Middle East. He had already visited Turkey and Syria and was planning on going to Egypt after being in Jerusalem, but changed his travel plans due to the instability. We talked a little bit, and shared basic information about one another- super nice guy.

The next morning I saw Tom again, and I had added Richard on Facebook, so we agreed to all get together later on in the day. After breakfast I decided to go thank my new friend Ramadan for helping me out with my mission. While I was at the store, I took the opportunity to ask him about learning Arabic. He made his son Khaled, who was helping him out at the store, walk me to AlQuds University. 

I walked in and asked about information to take Arabic classes. The man immediately directed me to a classroom in session. I thought he misunderstood me, so I tried to make it clear that I hadn't signed up for classes just yet, but wanted some information. He still interrupted the class and the professor and students looked at me and asked what I wanted. When I said I wanted more info, the professor asked me to sit in on the class and observe. She then made me a part of the class and asked for my input and all!

After class, the lady took me to the offices and spoke to me in Arabic along the way. It's funny because when I told her I didn't understand what she said, she yelled at me and said: "what do you mean you don't understand? You're Palestinian!" and then she repeated it slower.

When I went to the office, everyone spoke to me in Arabic and I was given the info in Arabic...when the professor left the office, I asked in English, just to make sure I had understood everything correctly. I did- yay! small victory! While I was there, I asked around to see if anyone knew of an apartment I could rent and May (a girl that works at the office) said she did. 

After I got the info about the Arabic classes, I checked out the apartment. The location was amazing, right in the middle of the Old City in the Christian quarter. The only problem was that the lady who lives there has like three cats. I have nothing against animals, but three cats is a bit much (especially when they make the house smell a bit funny- ok, that's putting it very lightly- the place smelled like cat pee). The room for rent, was pretty amazing, though. Very spacious and with a queen bed. From the window you can see the whaling wall...picture that! The price wasn't bad, but the whole living room and cat situation...not sure I could handle it! I told her I'd think about it.

I went back to thank Ramadan after all of this, and he told me again that whatever I needed I could always come and ask him. He also said he wants to take me to his house so I can meet his family- so sweet. 

I was walking back to the hostel and Hashem, a shopkeeper, invited me to his store. We started to talk in Arabic and English and he told me he made the earrings and necklaces in the store. After talking for a while, he invited me to have some tea and we talked a bit more. Right as I was about to leave, he gave me a welcome gift- a pair of earrings. He told me to go visit him again soon and gave me his business card. * Side Note: Everyone here has business cards, it's so weird! Cab drivers, shopkeepers...everyone!

After my little adventure in the suq, I went to the guest house and hung out in the lobby, where I saw Richard from NY and I met his friend Alona. It was Richard's last night, so he had all these places to visit and things to do before he left. Alona and Richard met years back in college and it was their first reunion after ten plus years. They were super nice and invited me to join them sightseeing and for dinner. We went to the church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall (aka whaling wall). What two amazing places! I'll post pictures soon, promise. I cannot even describe the experience of being there and the feelings involved, but it's pretty special.

It was a day packed with activities and new friends. Jerusalem rocks :)