The majority of my classes were heavy in terms of the readings, so when I wasn’t hiking or traveling, I would find a spot in the Arava Institute or in the kibbutz’s common areas and work on my homework and assignments.
In the common area of our dorms in the Arava Institute, there was a tightrope tied from one tree to another. I tried to walk it during my free time, but my balance was (is) terrible! I only managed to walk about two steps, with the help of a friend, before falling into the grass. Apart from that, my close friends there did play soccer together, so I spent a lot of time cheering for them in practice and during the local official games.
Whenever we walked around the area outside the kibbutz, we had to pay attention to how far we were and whether the sun was about to set. As soon as the sun went behind the mountains, the area would get dark fast, and we would quickly need our phone’s flashlight to get back. It was a totally different experience from Washington DC where I can depend on streetlights and porch lights to see my way home!
