By: Ksenia Novikova
Thank you for letting me stay. I enjoyed your character: chaotic, tense, and full of life. There’s something about you that attracts everyone from everywhere.
I will miss your chaos. I will miss your hidden surprises that you hide with intent. The intent to remain hidden.
I will miss your morning sun and your evening sunsets. I will miss your crazy heat and your peaceful rain.
Jerusalem sun.
Jerusalem rain.
There’s something about you that I can’t explain. A place that speaks to everyone and no one. A place that screams a thousand words yet remains still.
Thank you for hiding my tears under your rain. Thank you for your comfort and strength. Thank you for showing me joy in times of sorrow. Thank you for giving me a place to call home.
Ksenia is a junior at American University. She is studying Political Science and Communications. She works at the Center for Israel Studies at AU. She spent the last semester studying in Jerusalem and is now studying in Thessaloniki, Greece for the spring semester.