It's Getting Tangible

I have entered in all the information for my flight to Jerusalem. I am just waiting to see if I have secured a spot on the flight or not. It is a little nerve-racking, since it is taking some time to hear back from the travel agent. If I am unable to secure a spot on this flight, then I will have to purchase tickets for my whole flight to Jerusalem. It won't be such a big deal if this is the case, but it may mean that I have to fly in a couple days early, and stay at a hotel, just to be certain I will be in Jerusalem at the proper time for registration day.

I am really excited for the classes that I will be taking at Hebrew University. The Winter Ulpan (from what it sounds like, it is essentially a J-term kind of class) will begin on the January 24, 2013 and I will apparently be taking Modern Hebrew. I haven't seen anything on the website for a course during the Winter Ulpan, but from what I have heard, it will be Modern Hebrew. If not, that means that I will have a month to get acclimated to the city and the campus. I will probably be a dork though and find some books on Modern Hebrew, because that is how much I love learned new languages. 

When the actual semester begins (on February 26, 2013) I will be taking the following classes:

Contemporary Kabbalah

Original Sins: Genesis and its Ancient Interpreters

Colloquial Arabic I (Beginners)

Modern Hebrew (Level TBD)

All of the course are 3 credits, which is different from Concordia College, where all classes are 4 credits. So, it looks like I will be having a little bit of an easy semester with only 12 credits, which is the minimum for a full-time student. However, the Modern Hebrew course is an intensive course, as we meet for about 8-10 hours a week (depending on your level placement). So Modern Hebrew actually counts for 6-7 credits. This would then bring me up to 15-16 credits, a pretty average amount for me, when I am at Concordia College.

There are so many other courses that sound absolutely amazing, but I chose not to take them. I was talking with a couple of my faculty mentors and they gave me great advice. They told me to narrow it down to all the ones that sound genuinely interesting to me. I did so, and was left with out 15 classes. Next, they told me to figure out the classes that sound similar to some that I have taken at Concordia already. Well that narrowed it down some. Then, I was told to determine what course would I be able to take more easily when I come back home to the United States. This left me with Contemporary Kabbalah and Original Sins: Genesis and it Ancient Interpreters.

As soon as I picked those classes I then moved to emailing the professors. Both of these classes are 3000 level (300-for Concordia people), so they require a prerequisite. I emailed my future professors that courses that I have taken at Concordia, as well as the catalogue description, and the grade I received. I was happen to hear back from both of them within the day, telling me that I would be allowed into the course even without the specific prerequisite course. This was a very awesome email to get.

I have also starting sending out letters, seeking any donations, if people are willing. Living in Jerusalem is not cheap, and being involved with campus organizations doesn't allow me tons of time to get hours in at a job. If anyone out there would like to contribute anything, send me an email at emarsole@cord.edu, and we can go from there.