I am sitting at a computer terminal in the old city of Jerusalem. I can see people walking past and colourful wares in the narrow streets that crisscross this place. It is amazing the amount of people selling, places to buy, and the feeling of age that is here. There is a lot to explore, and since it's all bounded by a big wall, you can never get terribly lost. Leastways, if you're lost you're probably not far away from where you would like to be. We arrived today around noon, and entered the city through St. Steven's gate, one of the many named gates. We are staying at a convent that is itself a maze of rooftop terraces and arched stone staircases. 
The last three days have been among the most engaging and stretching of our trip. Staying near Bethlehem in Beit Sahour let us see those most famous christian sites, the Church of the Nativity (the place of Jesus' birth) and the Shepherds' fields, where the shepherds heard the angels singing. But we also got a tour of the wall that divides Bethlehem from Jerusalem, and spoke with many people who told us stories of their lives here. I won't go into detail about it here, but it gave us a lot to think about.
We also visited the city of Hebron, where the tomb of the Patriarchs is located. That's where Abraham, Sarah, and other important forefathers of both the Jewish and Arabic peoples are buried. It is probably the tensest place in the area, but we passed through without incident.
I think each of us has been impressed by the warmth and hospitality of our hosts here. It really has been special to stay with families here and learn from them. I learned some useful arabic words and the alphabet! It will take a lot more to actually read it, though.
In any case, you should all know that we are all having a great time! There's still one week of excitement and learning ahead of us. We'll keep you posted about what we're up doing from day to day. Tomorrow I believe we're continuing to explore Jerusalem.
--Mike Turman
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