floating away

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Hey yall!

I just got back from the dead sea and the ein gedi desert. You should try to find it on a map. Its important to know your geography. If someone asked you where iraq was and you pointed to germany you would look like a fool.. think about it!!

Any way, the dead sea was really nice! you can float without using your hands and the sea floor, instead of sand, is crystalized salt. Then we took a hike in the ein gedi desert. I know I always seem to tell you scary stories about terror attacks and deaths, but its really not that bad... it just happens. It happens in the USA too. Even more so with kidnappings, robberies, and murders in the USA than in Israel. On the contrary, I feel very safe walking around Beer Sheva, even alone at night. Except for the Arseme on the street corners (arseme is a name for teenage guys who wear tight shirts and spiked hair)

In the Ein Gedi you have to be carefull. If you look up the ein gedi online you may find news articles about an american who died after being washed away by a flash flood a couple weeks ago. It happens sometimes but it isn't anything to be afraid of. Thats why you always, when going on a hike, need to check the weather!

We had services outside friday night when a pack of Ibex's crowded around. "They are just like cats" my friend Liat said. The cats here are like squirls in New Orleans... they are every where. On campus you see fifty cats at a time, but they aren't the cats you want to pick up and take home... they take care of mice problems.

Please send me comments and tell me how class is. Here is some hebrew you can use in the mean while:

sababa- awsome
yoffi toffi- really good
ain bayia- no problem

best,
Lauren

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Photos

the dead sea
This is me and my overseas program group floating in the dead sea

ibex
this ibex was climbing on a stone wall in the Kibbutz we stayed at near the dead sea and the ein gedi desert

consiquences
this car was distroyed in the desert when a group of israeli's tried to drive through the hiking trails. This is why you must be careful.