These past four months in Israel have been some of the best of my life. I have had an incredible time getting to know the country, the people, my roommates and myself. My classes have been everything that I have hoped they would be. I have significantly developed my Arabic language skills and have gained a better understanding of the political situation of Israel and the greater Arab-Israeli conflict. I have also found a great community of people here, both through my environmentally-focused internship and through the outdoors and climbing communities in which I have integrated. I was worried before coming that I would not find "my people" here in Israel. I have been so pleasantly surprised because I have found many amazing and encouraging people.
The first week here was certainly not the easiest; I felt very out of place and unsure of how I would orient myself. I did not know anyone in Israel; I had no friends and no Hebrew language skills. I feel like I have matured a significant amount since that first week. I can hardly imagine leaving Israel next year when I have to return to the States to finish my last year of university. I am so thankful that I will have another semester to continue adventuring around the country and getting to know it even better.
