On January 10th I will be traveling with about 30 other students to the Middle East with the Eastern Mennonite University cross cultural program. We will begin in Jordan and then spend time in Palestine, Israel, Turkey, Athens, and Rome before returning stateside in late April. It is sure to be a trip to remember!
Since I have many family members and friends that like to keep track of me, I have decided that it will be easiest to communicate via blog. (Although I will probably respond to emails.) I am not taking a computer so it will all be updated by phone.... wifi is said to be plentiful, but time my not allow me frequent correspondence. With this in mind, I will likely post about the trip after coming home. As summer picks up, expect more reflections on the adventures I will have in the coming months.
Expect some final update post before I leave and then maybe 2 or so blogs while traveling.
Here is the rough itinerary. It is subject to change, but this gives you a taste of where we will be going:
Time difference in the Middle East: 7 hours ahead of EST
MIDDLE EAST CROSS CULTURAL SEMINAR
Itinerary, Spring 2015
JANUARY 5-9 ORIENTATION AT EMU Begins at 9:00 am in UC 211/212
10 Depart EMU 12:30 pm – Bus leaves from Library circle
Depart Dulles 5:50 pm, Austrian Airlines, OS 94
11 Arrive Vienna 8:45 am, Depart Vienna 10:10 am
Arrive Amman 3:50 pm
JANUARY 11 – 20 JORDAN Jerash, Petra, the famous Nabatian city carved in stone. Two days in Wadi Rum with camel riding and hiking, overnight in desert in tents day, time in Amman planned by MCC, and several renowned biblical and archeological sites including Mt. Nebo.
JANUARY 21 – FEBRUARY 11 PALESTINE Program includes Arabic language study, home stays, contemporary issues, visits to biblical sites, Hebron, and lectures at Bethlehem University, and much more.
FEBRUARY 12 – 15 JERUSALEM/JEWISH SETTLEMENT We will spend one night in Jerusalem to brief on the transition to Efrat, a Jewish settlement in Palestine, then spend 3 nights in Orthodox Jewish homes before moving to Jerusalem at the end of Shabbath on Feb. 14
FEBRUARY 16 – 28 JERUSALEM – JERUSALEM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE PROGRAM Biblical archeology, geography and history with classroom lectures and field visits all over Israel, including the Negev, Masada, Dead Sea, Golan, Galilee and just about every other place in Israel of biblical significance.
MARCH 1– 8 INDEPENDENT TRAVEL
MARCH 9 – 14 JERUSALEM Ecce Homo in the Old City Focus on Judaism ancient and modern, biblical and modern cultural/religious issues.
MARCH 15 – 20 KIBBUTZ IN THE GALILEE Contemporary Israel, issues, politics, war and peace. Program planned by Oranim. Stay on kibbutz, field trips, lectures, visits to Jewish communities.
MARCH 21 – 30 NAZARETH Nazareth Village learning and volunteering, hike the entire Jesus Trail, wrap up classes and begin “The Christian Movement in the Mediterranean.”
MARCH 31 – APRIL 6 TURKEY Journey west along southern Turkish coast exploring the archeological sites of Paul’s journeys and traditional Turkish culture and history. Ephesus, Greek island of Samos, overnight ferry to Athens
APRIL 8 – 11 ATHENS Group and individual exploration of cultural, historical, and biblical sites in Athens and Corinth. Overnight ferry to Bari, Italy.
APRIL 12 – 16 ROME Individual and group exploration of Rome, ancient and biblical sites, Roman Catholic church, culture. Final debriefing, conclusion of study program, completing assignments, and all final exams. Prepare chapel presentation.
APRIL 17 – 20 INDEPENDENT TRAVEL IN ITALY
APRIL 21 TRAVEL to USA
Depart Rome 11:50 am, Lufthansa Airlines, LH 1843 – arrive Munich 1:25 pm
Depart Munich 3:55 pm, LH 414
Arrive Dulles 7:20 pm
APRIL 22 10:00 CHAPEL PRESENTATION
11:00 FINAL MEETING CC STRITE 105
April 26, graduation ceremony
April 27th ish bike back to IL from Va (stay tuned ;) )
