Almost to the Middle East!!!!!!!!

So…. I guess the only time I write in this blog is when I have a lot of free time, or when I am abroad. Right now I am at home in Salt Lake prepping to go to Israel to study abroad for the spring of 2013. I thought I would resurrect the blog so everybody can see what I am doing. Especially those people who don’t have Facebook (cough cough… Mom).

I just finished my fifth semester of nursing school and it sure does feel good. I have been utilizing this break very well, sleeping almost twice as many hours per night than I did in Philly. I also have free time to do actual fun things. I’ve been able to go snowshoeing, go to the temple, run, make delicious food, watch a ton of movies, go to an art show, go to the annual cousins white elephant gift party, and a lot of random things :).

Nature shot up Provo Canyon

Snowshoeing adventure!!

I thought I would utilize this break to make up for all the exercising I didn’t get to do at school. I got a 30-class exercise pass through Groupon. I get to choose between four different exercise studios and all have which have been really interesting. The first one I signed up for was a body pump class, which I had interpreted as an aerobics class. Turned out it was a boxing class. But, hey, I feel like I know a lot more self-defense moves than before. It took a bit to get into; I am not really comfortable punching and kicking things. I tried one of the moves out on one of my really good friends Joe and he said he is still sore a day or two later. I feel better about defending myself against potential harm. I feel like I will be just as safe in Israel as I have been in Philly. People act like the Middle East is crazy, but a lot of crazy things happen close to our homes too. Before I left for break there had been two armed robberies in one week, within a block of my apartment on campus. Moral of the story: be smart and safe no matter where you go.

I leave back to Philly for a few days, get to go see my sisters' new babies in NYC, and then I am off. I am extremely excited to go to Israel. This will be quite the adventure, my goal is at least weekly posts. Look for them on Saturdays/Sunday. 

28 countries visited- still have way more to go!