"That Dang Pope"

Well I officially made it back to Provo, Utah. After oh 30 plus hours in airports, taxi's, airplanes, I finally made it home!

First our last day in Jerusalem is simply titled from my favorite quote of the trip by Bro. Walz, "That Damn Pope!" Needless to say our last day was almost, just almost fruitless because of the Pope's visit to Jerusalem. He is the second pope ever to visit the city and of course picks the one sunday we would be there!

(Elusive as it is shiny)

In the morning Bro. Walz and I tried to go see the Dome of the Rock. Well we were told it was open and a taxi "took us" to the entrance for the mosque. Instead it was the Lion Gate and was far away from where we actually needed to go. After walking around the old city for about 35 minutes and about 15 different types of directions from 15 different people we got to the gate just as it was closing! We found out that because of the pope it would remain closed for the rest of the day! So the pope strikes one!

(The Lion's Gate, not where we wanted to go...)

Well we then decide to go check out the BYU Jerusalem center. We drove their in our taxi with our favorite driver Joseif (He drove us to Mt. Masada in a record time of one hour, when it usually takes two! I told him he should become a race car driver and he got excited and asked, "I should?!") When we got to the Jerusalem center their were hundreds and I mean HUNDREDS of cops everywhere. They wouldn't even let me get out of the car. We asked why the center was closed and being guarded and of course they said, "The Pope." Strike two...

We then decide we will go to the Mt. Olives very close to the center, and a no go their to because yes you guessed it...The Pope. Strike three we are out! At this point Bro. Walz exclaimed the quote of the trip and the title of this post, I died laughing!

So we sunk our heads and took to the dug out of our hotel. We soaked our miseries in Hummus and Pita bread and just sat in the garden and chatted the afternoon away.

Aya and her brother Zed picked us up for one last dinner. It was a beautiful garden restaurant and a full hearty Palestinian meal of Mazi (15 to 20 different salads, hummus, and the likes) with meats galore!

(Bro. Walz, Aya's Father and Mother, Me, Aya, and Zed)

After our goodbyes our trusted friend Joseif sped us to the airport and we began the journey home. It was stressful to say the least. I got pulled aside by Israeli police to be questioned about why I came to Jerusalem. My charm and knowledge about Thailand actually saved me a lot of unwanted questions...heehe.

Our connection from New York to Salt Lake was extremely tight and the New York customs is the biggest joke in the world. We checked through customs two different times and both times they did not even check our luggage's, it simply was just a line to stand in twice for about 40 minutes. So we sprinted through the airport to make our flight. Once I sat down on the plane to Salt Lake relief just flooded over me and I sank to a deep sleep, it was a very comforting moment.

Coming home was magnificent I truly always forget how beautiful and majestic Utah is with the mountains and how green it is. Every time I have gone abroad I just want to kiss the ground when I get back to Utah!

Lasting impressions about Jerusalem:

First what a unique place. It was truly like nothing I expected. I guess I went into it thinking that Jerusalem would just be this holy spiritual city lit up with the spirit and light. It was NOT the case for me. I found it amazing and joyous to walk around the old city for a bit, just as the name implies it got "old" fast for me. It was a very touristy place and sometimes nasty people.

Palestinians are very kind, and are not all terrorists haters of America. In fact I did not meet any Palestinian who was cruel or unfriendly in any way. Bro. Walz and I figured for Americans we spent more time in the West Bank than any American in a long while. At least half our time was there outside Jewish "safety" as they refer to it, and I felt at peace all the time. My only concern was that the Israelis would close the checkpoints and we would be stranded, but my life never felt in danger. I will say it is easy visually to notice the switch from Israeli land to Palestinian land. It would go from somewhat clean streets to scenes from Modern Warfare or Zero Dark Thirty just a mess of a city.

Traveling to a unknown place is great, but if you go their with someone who knows the area it becomes Incredible. I cannot thank Aya and her family enough for first all the time, meals, and love they shared. But also the experiences, people, places, and ideas they brought to me. I truly saw the place in an incredible view that I honestly don't think anyone in America sees. The media has positioned Palestine and Muslims to be just evil people or war savages. But they are not. The media has slanted the truth so much about what these people are about. I hope that my blog has brought some light to the truth that just because a very incredibly small percentage of a group of people have very radical, bad, and evil actions does not mean the whole group suddenly supports or is involved with those things. Just as their are those eccentric Mormons, Republicans, Democrats, whatever doesn't mean everyone else thinks and acts just like them, on the contrary most if not almost all act or think very different from the radical. The same holds true for Palestine.

One of my favorite moments was probably (besides the food) the night in Jericho just relaxing outside with Aya's family. On the car ride home Aya's mother told us she believe God put Bro. Walz and I into Aya's life to be her friends when she was so far from home. That statement meant a lot to me and I will treasure it for the rest of my life.

I think the biggest problem of both sides of the conflict is they both dwell on the past. American culture is about progression. We did not like how we were being treated so we immigrated to the USA and fought for our freedom. We left our problems behind and moved forward looking to the future. In Jerusalem both sides, Jews and Muslims I feel are holding on to the past. They both are so attached to what their past generations did that they almost forget to think about the future, their children's future, and so on. It is sad and I wish they would try to better their lives for the future rather than dwell on the past and let the future simply vanish in memory.

So Jerusalem would I ever go back. At this time I don't think I would go back at least not for a long time. There are so many wonderful places to explore, experience, and people to meet that I want to expand. It truly was a learning experience for me and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have gone their. I hope the documentary we are making about people's lives their will show just a little of what I tasted. It will come out next fall sometime for my capstone project. I will keep you posted.

My next adventure that awaits is a internship in the Big Apple. Yes that's right New York and Jonny Boy are colliding. Jerry Seinfeld, Pastrami, Yankees, News, and getting lost will sure to happen.

Enjoy the Journey

Jonny Boy

2 For 1! Friday an evening in Jifna, Saturday Masada and the Dead Sea

Forgive me for skipping a day on my excellent adventure. It actually was a very slow day yesterday so I thought I would just combine it with today's tomfoolries.

So yesterday we had a lazy day in the hotel til Aya's parents picked us up and took us out into the West Bank to a little village called, "Jifna" It is a secluded place with all the people their being Arabic Christian, and the village next to them all being Arabic muslim.

We ate at a fantastic restaurant that was in this garden. They had it covered with tarps and I guess it's famous in the West Bank for it's bbq chicken. Aya's dad just kept joking with me that, "No no Jon it's not steak tonight...we're having chicken..." Haha I can still hear his accent perfectly in my mind.

(Tabash the garden restaurant, at one point cats were crawling on the tarps above us!)

They drove us through a little of the smaller towns and we saw the oldest Palestine university as well.

Today we did some hiking. We had a awesome interview and day lined up with a cab driver who is married to a woman in the west bank. He drives his cab in Jerusalem and the unique about him is he drives people from all around the world, but he is not allowed to drive his own wife. So anytime they go anywhere she must take the bus or another vehicle. Well we had planned to follow him all day long but last night very last second he called and cancelled because he was nervous about what might happened to him if he interviewed with us. So our plans are shot and I was really bummed. He actually was the focal point for our documentary and now we have some serious gaps to fill. Aya is frantically trying to find other people's stories that she can document, so keep your prayers towards us finding a good story to polish off the documentary!

Ahh, I'm so sad because the cab driver was going to be an awesome interview and focal point, so I'm bummed to say the least.

So instead Bro. Walz and I took a little adventure out to the dead sea and to the Mt. Masada. Mt. Masada is where King Herod had slaves erect a huge palace on top of this mountain. The Jews used it when the Romans attacked them. They survived up their for years as the Romans tried to figure out how to siege it. They ended up building a ramp out of dirt to the top. The Jews rather than lose decided to all commit suicide.

(The Dead Sea...this is God's country right here....)

(Original mosaic floor)

(Crazy steps down to northern Palace the picture doesn't do it justice but it's a long way down)

(Some original columns and a original Bro. Walz)

Now it's a national park and the Israeli army makes all their troops hike it and take an oath at the top. So we took a trolley up and then hiked down. It was cool but as Bro. Walz says, "You can go to the buffet and eat til your sick or eat til your satisfied...either way your paying the same bill." So let's just say we ate til we were satisfied and not til we were sick haha.

We walked around the nicer part of Jerusalem in the Jewish area in the evening waiting for Shabbat (Jewish Holy Day) to end so places would open up. Then we ended up back at our hotel which has a great restaurant inside. We ate and just talked the rest of the night away.

It's my last night here in Jerusalem tomorrow evening we will be off to the airport. My reflections will be short and I'll do a more in depth later but at this time it would be: I wish we had able to get the cab driver in our documentary. But what can you do...Just enjoy the journey and love it.

Jonny Boy

(A Mt. Masada Selfie)

Abu Pockets

Today was fantastic! A ton of walking but it was fantastic!

Aya picked us up and we walked through the old city to find Abu Ayed's bakery. Aya did not know where it was so we were just wondering around asking people. During this time something very sad and interesting happened. Aya tried to ask a Jewish man where to go and I was standing right next to her. He simply turned his head up in the air and would not even recognize her existence. She asked one more time and he just laughed and continued to ignore her. Aya turned to me and just said, "See I told you they won't help us." I hope to never be that way to anyone in my lifetime...

Well we were quite lost in the Jewish Quarter of the old city, and I saw a random bakery and just said to Aya and Bro. Walz, "I'll go ask them where Abu's bakery is." To my surprise and delight the bakery I went into WAS Abu's. Haha. So random luck we were able to find him. The bakery was very successful, even though he is muslim he runs a kosher bakery. Tour groups would stop and get his bagels, breads, cookies, and other named goods I have no idea how to write out. The tour guides would say to the group, "This is one of the best bakeries in the city!"

(Inside the bakery...where the magic happens the bakery has been open for I believe 170 years!)

(The man himself...Abu talks baking)

I got to watch them make pita bread, cookies, and these amazing things that Bro. Walz and I could not pronounce so we named them, "Abu Pockets" (Abu in arabic means = father of). They were a pita bread with curled edges. He put lamb sausage and eggs into it and baked them in a huge oven. They were incredibly tasty and a very traditional dish from Palestine and Jerusalem. Bro. Walz and I loved them so much I convinced Bro. Walz we should open a restaurant called, "Abu's Pockets" in Provo. So get your little taste buds ready!

(Abu Pockets!)

We interviewed Abu in his place, then took off to meet the man in charge of the organization to help poor and less fortunate Palestinians. He and his colleagues wrote a letter that they are trying to give to the Pope this sunday. I guess this is the second visit by a pope ever to the city and he happens to be coming sunday, so the place is going to be crazy! Their goal for the letter is to bring awareness and hopefully humanitarian aid from the Catholic church.

Aya took off to a big dance party, so Bro. Walz and I went to check out the Western Wall. The had a ceremony going on for new soldiers entering the army so their were guys with guns everywhere! The wall was a very unique experience you have to wear a yamaca when your at the wall. I was trying to film it and the wind was blowing. My yamaca kept flying off and I ended up getting held down with my sunglasses. But no joke at least four times I had to stop filming and run after that little hat. I don't think I could handle wearing one of those all the time.

(Western Wall and dome of the rock...So close yet so very far apart)

Bro. Walz and I walked a bit more through the old city, and we got blessed by some Hassidic Jews asking for money. Bro. Walz leaned in and said, "That's one way to use the priesthood..." We got a huge dinner of pita bread all the different salads and hummus that you can imagine, with a side of delicious lamb ribs of course.

(Bro. Walz being blessed...it's for charity)

It was a solid day of filming, and exploring.

- Enjoy the Journey

Jonny Boy

Ramallah

(My morning breakfast and view)

Today was pretty much all spent in Ramallah in the West Bank. We met Abu Ayed and he took us out to his sisters house. It is past the checkpoint but is still considered in Jerusalem, so thus they live their so she can keep her card to visit the city. This sister I don't know her name because she only spoke Arabic, lost her chance to live in Jerusalem because she married a man from the West Bank. She has seven children and each one of them has a different situation. For instance when a mom has children they fall under the same rights and privileges as she does. With this woman it is not the case, several of her children have cards to get into Jerusalem, and several do not. One child doesn't even have a birth certificate number, so to the government he actually doesn't exist. The hard part of this situation is she has to pay insurance on him somehow.

(Married couple)

(Looking through old family photos)

(There girls were so excited to get a picture with us and then post it to Facebook. It was a striking contrast when Aya was helping them post it on their phones because she was in very Western clothing with no Hijab "Headpiece" while they are super traditional.)

It was a very unique visit. The parents were their with two daughters and we interviewed the parents and followed them through an afternoon coffee time for the family.

The next sister of Abu Ayed's we visited has the same situation of marrying a man from the West Bank and thus losing her rights to be in Jerusalem. The unique thing with her is she was promised a passport for Jerusalem when she turned 18. Well she got engaged at that time and since she was engaged they refused to give her a passport. She still has all her original paperwork to get the passport and her verification from the Israeli government and these papers are 30 years old. It is very sad because she still believes she can one day move back to Jerusalem.

We were able to drive through some of the refugee camps and along the wall that was built to separate the West Bank and Jerusalem. It is incredible the vast difference between Jerusalem Jewish areas and Palestinian areas. The Jewish sections are very well maintained and clean, where as the Palestinian and West Bank are like a war zone. It is trashy, almost dirt roads, and disrepair buildings. There is a huge contrast.

(The wall before a checkpoint)

(Even Arabs like Chicago Cheese Steaks)

(The wall were a lot of protesting happens)

In the evening we went to dinner with Aya and her family. I tried a carrot juice with ginger and was not a fan. Finally a food I actually did not like, but everything else was delicious.

Something I have learned from my experience here is I feel that many Palestinians hold to the past. So do many Jews as well. This city is a flash to the past and the people hold strong to it. I feel this hurts and inhibits them. They cannot progress and change because they are so focused on what happened to their people in the past and so they feel deserving of something now. It is a different sentiment compared to the US where a lot of people look to the future and plan for their future, think about what is next.

A fun and interesting day.

-Enjoy the Journey

Jonny Boy

Fresh Rejoicing, Schwarma in the Old City, and Jericho Nights

Salvation!!! My bag made it from Los Angeles! I am a happy man…

(Me Bag!!!)

Bro. Walz and I took a little trip to Al Shapayr (something like that) a museum dedicated to the Holocaust victims. It was an amazing museum architecturally (a long gray building in a triangle shape). Overall the thoughts that flowed through my mind was “What would I do if I was in asituation where I heard of people being killed. Would I risk my life to help, or just simply say oh it’s their problem…” I hope I would help, but it is a very scary situation to think that if  I did and got caught I would be killed along with my family.

The other thought I had in my mind was that the Jews were so discriminated and decimated. Are they reciprocating that on the Palestinian conflict? I don’t know, but it is a question that I ask myself as I spend more time in this unique place.

After the museum Bro. Walz and I talked journalism the future, the present, and what it stands for. I originally wanted to do journalism because it was freedom of speech, a protector of democracy, a voice to the voiceless. Today’s media world is not so, it is filled with slanted journalism. The slant is to those with the biggest check book, or whatever will get audiences excited. It is no longer covering the most important things, but rather what gets the audiences mouths watering. Bro. Walz and I want to change this style of entertainment and get it back to journalism. But that is for another post…

We went with Aya and her friend and walked the old city. It was magnificent. White stones everywhere, people running, shopping, laughing, and bustling about their days. The smells were just so rich from incense, to spices, to fresh meat, and fruits. I filmed a lot of our walking and the thing I enjoy most behind the camera is peoples faces. There is such history and story in someone’s face and expression.

 (Streets of the Old City)

Aya and her friend took us to the top of the Austrian Hospice and we got a special view of the whole city. It had one bench their and this is their secret spot for the city. I could have been up their all day just soaking in the city roof line.

(Dome of the Rock from Austrian Hospice)

 We went to the I believe the Orthodox christian church Basilica. It is a believed location of the cruxicfication of Jesus Christ. The actually had a service of some sort going on, so we got to see Monk's singing, candles burning, fireworks go off for freed prisoners. People were very excited and the building was incredible. Large dome ceilings, long caverns, stairs that were carved steeply into the stone. I felt as though I was a knight back in the Dark Ages.

(Dome inside the Basilica)

We then got schwarma a delightful pocket of meats, hummus, and fixins that just make your mouth go to a water park of flavor!

(Bro. Walz getting after that schwarma! Doesn't he look satisfied?)

Then we spent the evening in Jericho with Aya and her parents at their vaction home. The had a huge variety of fruits and nuts for us to try. Things like Tats, Watermelon seeds just to name a few of the exotics. Tats are like semi sweet rasberries yet the look like a white fat stubby caterpillar. The air was cool and breezy and Jericho was a quiet escape from the bustle of Jerusalem.

(Aya and I on her roof...A Jericho Selfie)

(The fruit smorgasboard Arab style)

As I type this and Bro. Walz giggles in the background while he watches the Office on his Ipad, I try to think of what I thought about the whole day. It’s hard to put into words but I think it is people. We are all people. When we were in Jericho Aya’s mother was like, “Jon you know this is the West Bank?” The media and world make the West Bank to be such a scary and un safe place. But I felt as if I was just driving through some south western American town. Everyone in the world has the same problems, whether it’s getting food, family problems, or just small insecurities about themselves. I hope I realize that and can always treat people for who they are…people and never just something in my way or something to move my life forward.

Excited for tomorrow

Enjoy the Journey – Never let a person to be loved, be more important than a problem to be solved.

Jonny Boy

Christ birth and resurrection and some extra fixin's

I am exhausted but it was a fantastic day. Bro. Walz and I met up with Aya and she took us to the Old City to see the Garden Tomb. I don't know what I was expecting but I guess I was expecting a little less touristy. The place has been turned into a little tourist highway. I thought it would be a little more quiet and away from the city but it is smack dab in the middle. We made our way through a huge Chinese tour group and then swam through another Brazilian tour group to see the tomb. My favorite part of the tomb was a simple sign that said, "He is not here, for he has risen" Besides that the place was hustling with people and at one point we had some very loud Christians moaning and "speaking in tongues" It reminded me of the good ole south!

After that we met up with a man who runs an organization to help Palestinians who can't afford lawyers to fight against unfair Israeli laws. It was incredible to hear some of the things that these poor people go through. Things that stood out to me in our interview with him where:

- 80% percent of Palestinians in Jerusalem live below poverty level
- 300, 000 Palestinians live in Jerusalem the city
- Palestinians are evicted from their houses with an hour notice before it's bull dozed down
- Even if you are a Jerusalem citizen and you are palestinian, you only are allowed a permit to live in the city. In any moment they can take it away and then you have no citizenship anywhere!

After that we drove around the old city to Abu Emyid (no idea how to spell his name). He has 7 children that are alive. 2 twins were murdered during a police attack by gas. He lives right off the wailing wall on the outside of the old city. He was a hoot to listen too. His family has suffered a ton from 2 or so of his sons not allowed to see their wives except three days a month because they are from the West Bank. He has had a house demolished and has been fined for trying to just fix his house up. He smoked, laughed, told stories, drank tea, and above all else loves his homeland. I am amazed by the devotion the people I've met have for their homeland. In fact Aya was telling Bro Walz and I about how she doesn't want to lose her citizenship because it would mean her never coming back, never showing her children her life. This means she can't marry someone from outside Jerusalem, she has to work there and constantly check in with authorities. She seems to be stuck in this Jerusalem bubble. These people love their land and there seems to be no win or even a losing situation. What I mean by not even a losing situation is that if they lose they don't even have citizenship anywhere they end up becoming refugees with no chance to better their lives again...it is a very scary situation. I get nervous about my future from my career, where I'm going to live, study, even what I'm going to eat. They have to worry about having any sort of place to be accepted and even allowed.

(Abu, Aya's father, and Aya)

(A Jewish Settler's car, they drill cages onto it to protect themselves from rocks)

The Khatibs then took us out of Jerusalem into Bethlehem. We ate the most amazing traditional Arabic spread. About 20 dishes to share from to build your own dipping plate for pita bread. After that feast they then brought out a plater of Arabic BBQ. Lamb (3 ways), chicken, steak. It was amazing.

We walked the streets of Bethlehem to see the church that was built where they believe Christ was born. The city is gorgeous, just white stone and beautiful architecture.

 (Inside the church)

 (Sunset in Bethlehem)

(The dividing wall between Palestine and Israel)

An annoying man pestered Aya's mother and Bro. Walz to death inside the church asking for donations and to come learn from him. It was pretty funny. Coming home we had to go through the check point and they searched our car twice at two different spots. It is a little claustrophobic living like this.

My luggage is still lost in Los Angeles somewhere. I have no clothes and it could get smelly later this week.

Overall I'm just grateful for my freedoms, my family, and my religion. In one day I saw where Christ was born and also resurrected. I know through him all conflicts big and small, personal or worldwide can be fixed.

- Enjoy the journey (even without clothes)

Jonny Boy

Some cheesy title that incites the idea of starting a journey

I plan on blogging ferociously from now on. I decided it would be a great way to put my thoughts, moments, events, and people that come across my path.

It is no There and Back Again a Hobbit's Tale but it is a story about my journey through life and where ever that may take me, so please enjoy.

Jerusalem - Friday Robert Walz and I (professor at BYU) sat at the airport for about 10 hours watching our plane get delayed til we missed our connection. So we re scheduled for the next day. On our way home we went to get our luggage back and somehow from the gate check in to the check out they had lost my luggage. This is ironic because I packed it in a bright blue duffel bag with a orange tassel just so it was easy to spot. Well about an hour extra wait they found it. This is a sign of the times for my travel to Jerusalem.

Saturday we got delayed going out of SLC again. The flight their Bro. Walz got stuck next to two men who both weighed well over 300 pounds, where as I sat next to two women who were probably 80 pounds. So I switched him and needless to say I had half a seat and the seat divider would not even come down.

(My attempt to document my squishiness)


We made it to LA and with no directions or someone to talk to too, Bro. Walz and I wandered like vagabonds in the desert. Luckily an indian women working the currency exchange desk told us we needed to go to a completely different building for our connection flight. We ran, and got to the desk. When we told the hostess what flight we were on her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She frantically got everything done as quick as possible and then scurried us through the security and check in lines. She had this great French accent and would yell at us, "Hurry Hurry we must Hurry!" She ran probably a mile in high heels making sure we got on our flight. Well our flight to Amsterdam was crowded we were the last row of the plane and it was snug.


In Amsterdam we got interrogated by the El Al flight team about why we were going to Jerusalem. They could not understand how a professor would just be traveling with a student, the guy said to me, "I am a university student, and I would NEVER travel with my professors." It just made me laugh but we got through.

(Elbow to Elbow, shoulder to shoulder to Amsterdam)

We landed in Jerusalem and the haunting of my bright blue bag came back to haunt us. It was lost. So another hour wait to get info they gave me a toiletry bag and I went on my way. Who knows if I'll ever get my clothes back, their probably partying in Amsterdam right now.

(My Israeli issued garb, one size fits all!)

Aya and her father picked us up and he is the nicest man in the world. So calm, gentle, and sweet. They just wanted to make us happy and the whole drive he told us about the weirdness of his life being a Palestinian who lives in Jerusalem. One quick example, in order for him to travel he has to have a Israeli passport (because he lives their), a Palestinian passport (he is palestinian), and a Jordanian passport (only way he can travel outside the country). They have to get special travel visas anytime they leave and usually those come a couple of days before the flight (after he has already booked hotels and flights, so their is a chance he could not get a visa and still have to pay).

The country side is very southern utah desert without the red rocks. Random pine trees and sage brush stuff.

Our hotel is nice and very quaint! The beds were made for hobbits, so I feel for Bro. Walz because he is super tall.

(Bro. Walz trying to watch Terminator on his hobbit bed)

We ate a an amazing Palestinian restaurant. Getting their was quite hilarious. If you know Aya then you know she hates to drive! So within thirty seconds of leaving the hotel, Aya had turned down the wrong way on a one way street. Haha her brother Zaid was laughing to death and just mocking her. Some things never change even across borders...

 The Khatibs treated us to their favorite place. It once was a very old house they have now converted into a restaurant. High ceilings, stone walls, and a glass roof. The food was incredible a seafood salad I can't remember the Arabic name for it, and then I got a spicy steak that was so tender, amazing! I was one happy camper!

It's morning now and a huge difference in cultural norms is becoming apparant. I have been raised in a Early to bed, Early to rise mormon lifestyle. Here it is not the case. Bro. Walz and I got up exercised, showered, ate breakfast and were ready to hit the streets. We called Aya to see where she was and not much to my surprise she is still sleeping. Haha a very different world from my get up and work mentality but what can you do?

- Enjoy the Journey

Jonny Boy