A MONSTER Update!

First of all, I didn't actually realize that anyone read this thing other than my mom (Hi Mom!), so I'm sorry for being negligent about updating the blog with the latest news.

Secondly, I've come up with a solution to the main reason why I haven't been "blogging" - it's takes too damn long to upload a photo on this thing. Seriously, like 5 min a photo. And considering I'm not one for words, photos are all I've got! So....when I have a lot of photos to share, I will post a link to my picasa web album and you can view and read comments there.

In the meantime....what's been going on.....

PETRA, JORDAN

During Rosh Hashana, which was 2 weeks ago (the Jewish New Year), 4 of us non-Jewish kids went to Petra, Jordan for our 3 day holiday. It was AMAZING and I highly highly highly recommend it to everyone. I felt completely safe (safer than I did in Russia...which I will get to), the people were hospitable, and most spoke English - not what one would assume considering the kind of image American media has portrayed of the Middle East. Not going to get started on that...

Here's a blurb from wikipedia about Petra if you didn't already know what/where it is:

Petra (from πέτρα "petra", rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Butrā) is an archaeological site in southwestern Jordan, lying on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is famous for having many stone structures carved into the rock. The long-hidden site was revealed to the Western world by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. It was famously described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. Burgon had not actually visited Petra, which remained accessible only to Europeans accompanied by local guides with armed escorts until after World War I. The site was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 when it was described as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage."

The place is mind-blowing. The pictures do not do it justice. It is amazing what people were capable of doing waaaaaay back in the day, and Svetlana and I kept mentioning that we would have been very happy to have lived in Petra during its prime. I'd imagine it would have been pretty exciting.

At night they had a "Petra by Night" tour where they line the path through the Siq (a HUGE gorge that leads to 'The Treasury' building) with candles and have a performance and tea waiting at the treasury. They ask that you remain silent for the walk so one can really take in the experience. I LOVED it. It might have been one of the most romantic things I've ever done...which is sad since I walked alone. Haha. The performance included 2 men sitting in the center of 100's of candles in front of one of the main buildings, 1 singing and the other drumming. The other performance was a man playing the flute. He started playing inside of the building so that all you could hear was the echo and then came out and played around the people. I could go on and on..so really, you have to go

To sum it up: You must go to Petra! I can't say enough good things about it. Oh! And, every meal I ate was a buffet. And a delicious one at that. So there it is, Petra is a dream.

http://picasaweb.google.com/candacecheng/PetraJordan2007


My first Med School Quiz
Was in neuroanatomy. Man, people were freaking out. I can understand that it's our first test of any kind and that one would want to do well on it, but DUDE. The day of the quiz there were about 15-20 students in class (of 68). Maybe people were sleeping or studying for another class, but I'm pretty sure most of those people were freaking out about this quiz that is worth 1.6% of our final grade. (that's the real percentage, I calculated it)

I felt very well prepared and ending up missing 1 question because apparently I'm supposed to assume that the Professor is not a master of the English language.

Well...either am I. And even I know that there is a difference between the words "IN" and "FROM." Anyways...

YOM KIPPUR
My fingers are getting tired from typing. Here's the wikipedia info on the holiday:

"Yom Kippur (Hebrew:יוֹם כִּפּוּר ) is a Jewish holiday, known in English as the Day of Atonement. With its central themes of atonement and repentance for sins against both God and one's fellow man, Yom Kippur is the most solemn of the Jewish holidays.
The Torah calls the day Yom HaKippurim (יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים) and in Leviticus 23:27 decrees a strict prohibition of work and affliction of the soul upon the tenth day of the seventh month, later known as Tishrei. It is commemorated in Rabbinic Judaism with a 25-hour fast and intensive prayer.

General observances
Five prohibitions are traditionally observed, as detailed in the Jewish oral tradition (Mishnah tractate Yoma 8:1):
Eating and drinking
Wearing leather shoes
Bathing/washing
Anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions
Marital relations

Total abstention from food and drink usually begins 30 minutes before sundown (called tosefet Yom Kippur lit. Addition to Yom Kippur ), and ends after nightfall the following day. Although the fast is required of all healthy adults it is waived in the case of certain medical conditions. Virtually all Jewish holidays involve a ritual feast, but since Yom Kippur involves fasting, Jewish law requires one to eat a large and festive meal on the afternoon before Yom Kippur, after the mincha prayer. Wearing white clothing is traditional to symbolize one's purity on this day. Many Orthodox men immerse themselves in a mikvah on the day before Yom Kippur.

Observances by Israeli government
By law or administrative decree, there is on this day no broadcast radio or television, no public transportation, and airports are closed.[2] As a result, in 1957 Israelis learned of the launch of the Soviet Sputnik nearly 24 hours after the rest of the world. In 1973, emergency broadcasts were resumed at noon on this day due to the surprise Egyptian and Syrian attack which started the Yom Kippur War.

Practices of secular Jews
Yom Kippur is considered one of the holiest of Jewish holidays, and its observance is held even among the majority of secular Jews who may not strictly observe other holidays. Many secular Jews will fast and attend synagogue on Yom Kippur, where the number of worshippers attending is often double or triple the normal attendance.

In Israel
In Israel, social behaviour on Yom Kippur developed in ways unprecedented in all previous Jewish tradition, due to the interaction between the various sectors of Israeli Jewish society: the Religious, the Secularists and the large number of "in-between" people known as "Traditionalists" (מסורתיים) who selectively keep some, but not all, religious observances.

"Festival of Bicycles"
Beyond the state-enforced restrictions, some kinds of public non-observance on Yom Kippur, such as eating in public or driving a motor vehicle, are frowned upon. Over the last few decades, bicycle-riding on the empty streets has become a new "tradition" among non-secular Israeli youngsters, especially on the eve of Yom Kippur.[3] In the non-religious sector, Yom Kippur has been called the "Festival of Bicycles" ("חג האופניים") in Israel.[4]), with the sale of bicycles rising in the weeks before Yom Kippur, and companies advertising children's bicycles as "Yom Kippur specials."

Almost everyone I talked to appreciates the day because it's SO quiet and spiritual that it allows one to sincerely reflect on their actions and on the way they live their lives.

I spent Yom Kippur Eve with my new Israeli friend, Eithan, who said he'd show me the Israeli way to spend the evening. He picked me up on my bike, we rode around town, watched a DVD (you can't watch TV because none of the stations are working), and then rode around town again after the synagogues got out.

The day itself was ...can't think of the right word...intense? I want to say that I enjoyed it, but as Eithan said, "you are not supposed to like it because it's the day of atonement." But EVERYTHING, I mean, EVERYTHING is closed - so it's a nice change from things and you find yourself being very introspective (which is the point of the day) which is nice.

Things are so quiet that you can ride your bike or run on the freeways. Which is exactly what Matt, David and I did.

Well, they ran. I followed on my bike with my camera.
http://picasaweb.google.com/candacecheng/YomKippur2007


Whew...almost done updating. Last part:

MOSCOW, RUSSIA
I suppose I should know why we are on holiday. But I don't.

This week we were on Succoth break = 10 day holiday.

So I took the time to go visit my friend Nick in Moscow!

The first things to come to mind when I think of Moscow are: pollution (I mean, burn your eyes, black boogers pollution), pelmeni, vodka, flavoured vodka, and police (they are everywhere). Oh, and an awesome underground metro which made me feel like I was in some 1940's film.

This is not to say that I did not enjoy myself. I did.

I went to a very very good Museum - Tretyakov Museum. Saw the Red Square and the Kremlin - both very cool. Met up with Vicky's friend Mark who showed Nick and me around. One night he took us to this bar playing "Ethnic Jewish Music." It was really good, but I thought it was funny that I went all the way to Russia to see "ethnic jewish music." Went to some interesting markets. And on my last night, Nick and I went to the opera and saw "The Queen of Spades."

It's a shame that my Russia re-cap is at the end of this blog because I have a lot more I'd like to say, but I'm pooped.

Observations:
- Mullets are to Russia as BMWs are to the Marina. They are everywhere.
- Wearing a lace shirt with a black bra and hooker boots are perfectly acceptable daily attire
- Smiling is prohibited
-Vodka is for shots
- Russian beers are pretty tasty
- Russian snacks seem to be predominately fried = delicious
- Nick is an excellent little cook
- I look Russian?
- No one speaks English.
-But some speak Chinese

It was a splendid time.
http://picasaweb.google.com/candacecheng/MoscowRussia2007

Here is also the link for pictures from the going away party -which I said I would post and never did.
http://picasaweb.google.com/candacecheng/GoingAwayPartyAtElRioSF

And now, I need to study...