September 8, 2002

Back in Bethlehem

[Bethlehem, West Bank] Well, I'm happily back in this little holy town. Curfew is lifted, so that's a good thing. We can actually wander around inside the community now. Bethlehem has that advantage over the rest of the West Bank.

I had a great time home. It was nice to be free for a while. I really felt a sense of urgency to do everything while I was in Virginia. I wanted to squeeze it all in, because I knew what was waiting for me back here. I think I did everything possible to do except to see an Orioles game. It was so good to be with distant friends and family. Living here makes me realize how lucky I am to be able to see them.

I took a slightly unusual route in my return. I met my good friend JZ in Beirut, and we traveled by land through Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. We had a few real interesting experiences, and I want to share them in the next few days. I won't bore you with the details of the Kahlil Gibran museum, but I'll tell you about some amazing Arab hospitality.

Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria