The division is physically clear, and there are two very different worlds behind each side of the wall. This topic brings up very heated discussions among professors and peers, so I've come to learn a lot about the opinions from both sides. This in turn has helped me become more open-minded about politics in general.
Israel takes great pride in the coexistence of its three major religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity. One of the first things I noticed when I arrived was how peacefully everyone coexists. When walking through Haifa, you can see so many people with distinct religious beliefs. In the United States, I saw coexistence, too, but it caught my attention here especially because it was something I did not expect due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the two months I've been here, I've learned two very valuable lessons. One: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is much more complex than I originally thought, so it's important to be respectful and to be a good listener when someone is expressing their stance on the issue. And two: everyone looks at the world through his or her own lens. It's my job to respect this at all costs and to look at the world from that lens as well in order to learn more!
