Palestine! (Birzeit)

Hello everyone,

I arrived safe and sound in Palestine a few days ago, and I am now posting this blog update from the town of Birzeit.  So far I am surprised as to how beautiful the whole area is.  The people are very friendly and quite curious as to why I am here.  When I mention the fact that I am a student at the university, the locals react quite favorably as apparently the number of international students has steadily declined over the years due to the conflict.  In fact, this semester around three other international students were barred entry into Israel and could not attend the current semester at the school due to being rejected by Israeli authorities.  While it is a shame, I am just happy to actually be here.  I have included several photos of the house in which I am residing this semester, and I must say the living situation is excellent as I have my own room and kitchen to experiment with.  The landlady is incredibly friendly and has made sure I am very comfortable in my abode.  I hope you enjoy the pictures of my residence, some views of the countryside, and my first attempts at making meals in my new home for the semester.  Thank you, and stay tuned!

My first attempt at breakfast! While not exactly Palestinian, it certainly reminds me of home, and that's always nice.

Exterior of the house I'm staying at.  There are quite a few trees including a fig tree and a lemon tree.

Countryside near the property.

View of the distant landscape at evening time.

Birzeit University.  I was surprised as to how modern and good looking the campus was, so much so that it could be a college from the U.S.

My first "dinner" which turned out O.K. despite the fact I had no cheese for the pasta.  The wine helped wash it all down, though.

Another view of the countryside.

Exterior of the house.

My room!  Cozy and comfy.

Living room/dining area.

Kitchen.

Entrance to the house.  I absolutely love the living situation, it's like my own little home!