Good bye

I am sitting in the terminal. It is about 30 minutes until my flight starts boarding and just more than an hour until we take off. I am ready. One the drive here from Jerusalem I realized many of the things that have changed in the last 15 years or at least I didn't notice them then. THis has become a place of walls, fences, window bars, and machine guns. All of which made me feel safer while I was here, but that I feel no sadness at leaving behind. It makes me sad that those who live here, but live with these things day after day. I suppose you get used to them, like you get used to traffic and sirens and perhaps even the call to prayer. Perhaps this is another example of why I am a small town girl. When I was on the dig 15 years ago, we were in a samll town atmosphere and only went to the City on weekends, so maybe I just didn't notice before.

Natalie, my single female conscience, will be worried to know that St Paul, holds almost no fear for me anymore. (and you thought I was fearless before). :) I went where locals (Israelis) would not recommend and had no problems. Of course that was before I knew I was not recommended to go there.

I will miss sunset, toast, and Schwarma laffa. I am looking forward to cheeseburgers, my own bed, and St Paul. Only 20 more hours.