Day 8

Went apartment hunting today. As with most overseas housing, quite small. Hard to find something furnished that includes both a stove and refrigerator. And they count the living room as a room. So if you want a two bedroom apartment, you need to ask to see a three bedroom. But the views of the Mediterranean Ocean are magnificent! Had a fantastic meal yesterday. However, learned that "Mediterranean Spring Chicken" is actually chick liver. Still, it was scrumptious..and I don't care for liver! Emily and I made homemade Christmas decorations. We plan to look for Christmas wrapping paper today..I actually forgot to pack something! Might be hard to find, I've heard. Contemplating going to Bethlehem on Christmas day. Going to go to Jerusalem tomorrow. Today we plan to go treasure hunting near a park here in Ashkelon where they discovered a new roman statue...after the storm with 100 mile wind gusts managed to make a cliff fall and expose a new archeological site. It's been relatively easy getting along here. Almost everyone speaks some English. And they don't seem to be annoyed by our inability to speak Hebrew. We're going to work on that. The hotel manager here has many, many connections. His best friend's wife is the principal of an elementary school here. On Sunday Emily and I will go check it out. Yet I dedicated four of our suitcases to educational materials in case I need / decide to home school. Will keep you all posted (so to speak )!