So after moving 7,100 miles across the world, we have obviously found some pretty significant cultural differences between living in Jerusalem and living in the States. Some we love, and some we are adjusting to; but nonetheless, here is a glimpse into some of the new facets of our life here.
1. Diversity: We LOVE this aspect of Jerusalem life. On paper, Jerusalem is about 60% Jewish, 30% Muslim, and 2% Christian, and there is such an international population here. In his classes, Zach is generally in the minority as an American, and even within the larger groups (Jews, for example), there is such diversity in their particular practices and beliefs. It's a joy to live in such a multifarious community.
2. Walking: Because we were blessed with an apartment near the center of town, most things are within walking distance from our home. It's a 3 minute walk to the huge outdoor market, about a 10 minute walk to the touristy shopping area, and about a 30 minute walk down to the Old City. This is a fun change from having only lived in places where most things are only drivable. Plus, seeing how people drive around here, I am quite thankful I don't have to be behind the wheel of a car in this city. :)
3. Stray Cats: Okay, I am not a huge lover of cats. At all. And for some reason, this city is teeming with stray cats. Thankfully, they generally keep to themselves and don't bother people, but we do have the occasional one meowing outside our door in the middle of the night. Not my favorite.
4. Accessibility of Incredible Historical Sites: One thing I absolutely love about Jerusalem is that for the most part, the significant historic sites are free (or very cheap) and extremely accessible. You can just wander into the Garden of Gethsemane or visit the birthplace of Christ with no admission fee and no authorities watching your every move. I remember visiting the Biltmore Mansion several years ago, and not only was there a fee to get in, but so many rooms were roped off so that they could be historically preserved. Here, the sites are incredibly public and there is a great deal of freedom in exploring them, even though they, too, are incredibly historic.
5. Food: For the most part, we like the food here; what we cook at home is not very different than what we made in the States, and we love the local schwarma (hummus, lamb, and fries in pita bread). I do have to admit, though, that there are certainly places that we miss A LOT from the states -- Chipotle, Chili's, Macaroni Grill, etc. -- and we will be oh-so-excited to re-visit them once we come back.
6. Simplicity of Life: In order to move here, we put almost all of our belongings in storage and brought with us 3 large suitcases and a few carry-ons; in other words, we really simplified our lives. I have to admit, though, that I am loving the lack of choices. In the States, I feel like I was always making so many decisions simply because we had so many options for everything. Here, our choices are limited, but the simplicity of it is refreshing.
7. Public Transportation: The bus system here is incredibly thorough, but to non-Hebrew speaking Americans, it can also be extremely confusing. I can't tell you how many stops we missed early on and how many wrong lines we have occasionally taken. We're getting more proficient, though, and it's gradually getting easier.
7. People: We have been here about 3 weeks now, so we still have a lot of time to meet friends and get to know the people around us. We have met some, but we're still looking for a church and some more forms of community around here (which you can pray for!) We do miss our American community, though, which includes everywhere from Oregon to Tennessee to Ohio to Georgia to Illinois to Colorado to Indiana to North Carolina and beyond. Especially in these early days, every note or phone call from a familiar voice is a blessing to us.
So, life is good, though obviously different in some ways. Pray for us as we continue to adjust!
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