Girly Girl

Since being in the Holy Land, I've learned that I kind of enjoy being a girly girl every once in a while.

Super cheap nail polish. Works great! 

I found some nail polish on sale for 2 shekels in the Old City (that's super duper cheap folks). I've never ever been the type of girl who hordes bottles and bottles of the shiny, shimmery liquid; but when you live in a country where you can't wear high-waisted skirts or high heels, smile at strangers, go running by yourself, take a drive through the mountains, or use your straightener because the foreign voltage literally melted it (true story), you find other ways to feel cute and make time for yourself.

At least my hair is naturally straight. So the fact that this baby literally melted the second week of the semester wasn't the worst thing that could happen.

Call me vain, but pampering yourself can be a lot fun! It's not even the pampering that makes the difference. It's the one-on-one time you make for YOU. The time when you do something you actually enjoy because it helps you feel connected to the little girl inside--the one who loved to play in the sandbox at 6 in the morning or deliver bags of groceries and flowers to old ladies in the neighborhood (again, true stories). Below are some thoughts from Elder Uchtdorf: 

"As we evaluate our own lives with a willing mind, we will see where we have drifted from the more excellent way. The eyes of our understanding will be opened, and we will recognize what needs to be done to purify our heart and refocus our life [...] The fourth key relationship is with ourselves. It may seem odd to think of having a relationship with ourselves, but we do. Some people can’t get along with themselves. They criticize and belittle themselves all day long until they begin to hate themselves. May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations, ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you personally. Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you—as His precious daughter or son with divine potential."

-Elder Uchtdorf, "Of Things that Matter Most", Oct 2010 General Conference

Exit the world. Shut off the noises. Drop the cell phone, the expectations, the shoulds and should-nots. And just breathe. Pull out the nail polish and just take a few minutes to be with yourself. It works wonders. 

For your viewing pleasure: toes. 

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Speaking of all things girly, I have to tell you about a woman we met in the Old City a few weeks ago. My roommates and I were shopping around when we got really hungry for some schwarma*. After picking up our food, we wandered through some alleys where we found a quiet place to sit and feast**.  To our left there was a woman standing outside her door enjoying the sunny afternoon. She asked if we'd like our pictures taken, and we agreed. We laughed as she helped us pose in different places. Afterward, she invited us into her home for some tea and coffee***. We hesitated because the Center asks us to be wary of the locals. And since we were all girls we wanted to be especially cautious (sorry, we're trained to be obtuse like that...) But the woman persisted and informed us her home was safe and free of men. "Come, come," she said. "You can meet my nieces who live in the floor above me." 

Eating shwarma on the steps outside Katy's home.

For about 20 minutes we enjoyed eating our lunches in her living room as she told us about her family in Australia and some of the accomplishments she's had in her career. We learned her name is Katy and that she builds her own furniture. I enjoyed being in her home. She was a kind woman with the best intentions. Before we left she told us to come back for a girls night, "We'll make popcorn and watch a movie!" I hope we can take her up on the offer. 

Inside Katy's home. Notice how she's utilized the stone walls with wood furniture and pictures. The stone walls have been around for hundreds of years.

There are a lot of good things in this world. And one of them is a girls' night with food + chickflicks. 

*Shwarma= mouth watering meat + onions + pickled veggies + tasty white sauce + pita

**Yes. Feast. That's basically all I do here. More about the food coming soon...

***For those who were concerned: no, we did not drink the tea or coffee. We enjoyed a lovely bottle of water.