5 and a half weeks have gone by, and it feels like we just got here yesterday. Each week has flown by faster than the speed of light, and while I’m excited to go home and see my family and friends, I can’t imagine leaving all of my new friends and campus in just 4 days. Our last Shabbat is tonight, and it is so weird to think that already 5 Shabbats have gone by in the blink of an eye. I’m so excited to sleep in my own bed, but the thought of leaving this incredible program with the amazing teachers and friends make me sad beyond comparison.

This week was again crazy like all of the others, but in a new way. On Sunday, we went to a plant where they converted waste water into usable water for agriculture in the Negev. This plant was huge, and it was so interesting to see how Israel is always coming up with new ways to save the environment and use all of Earth’s resources in the smartest way. We then went to the city of Sderot which is on the border with the Gaza strip. We learned that they only have 15 seconds to get to a bomb shelter, so the town is full of them, but there is also the horrible side effect that over 70% of the kids have PTSD. While we were there, we visited an indoor playground that housed 6 bomb shelters, and we donated money to the cause. We got to play with the kids there which was fun, but in the back on my mind the whole time I felt odd because the purpose of this indoor playground was so twisted; it was created so kids in Sderot would always have a safe place to be in case they were attacked. The rock climbing wall was horizontal instead of vertical because if it had been vertical, it would take too long to get the the bomb shelter. This really stuck with me because we hear about these things on the news, but experiencing the city and conditions where these people live really changed my perspective.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we visited the Golan Heights in the north and got to do so many fun activities! Wednesday, we went rafting in the Jordan River which was such a fun experience because we got to just have relax in the raft with all of our friends, and we made so many funny and great memories. Thursday, we hiked a very hard mountain, but the results were stunning. We hiked into a valley to go into a waterfall, and it was easily one of the most beautiful places I had ever been. We then went to a Druze village where we ate a traditional Druze meal and learned about the culture and religion. It was interesting to learn that they are loyal to whatever country they are in and how they serve in the Israeli army even though they are not Jewish. This entire week was so educational, and it was the best tiyyul we have had so far. It was also our last learning tiyyul, so it was quite nostalgic, and on Thursday we had a class discussion where everyone cried as we looked back on our favorite memories and inside jokes we had made over the past 6 weeks. We all thanked our outstanding teacher Yossi for not only teaching us Jewish history but for also teaching us about life and the mark we want to leave on the world. These tiyyulim were jam-packed this week, but I would not have had it any other way; I loved every second of each activity we did, even the hardcore hiking after we saw the waterfall.

With 4 days winding down, I am looking back on all of the amazing memories and friends I have made on this trip, and I could not be happier. While I leave excited for all of the home-cooked meals and classic American food, I have to say that I am going to miss the family atmosphere and trust in the streets. I am going to miss being surrounded by Jews, and I am going to miss feeling so at home in any place because I am surrounded by people just like me. My most underrated experience has to be Shabbat at the Kotel. To be completely honest, I was not looking forward to going. At all. I felt that for me it was a waste of time because I am not that religious, and I have never felt the said connection to the wall. However, after getting there I was immediately pulled into a circle where I danced and sang the prayers at the top of my lungs. I have never had so much fun, and I have never felt so connected to the Kotel along with the people. I danced with random people, and it was not weird at all. That is just one example of the immense amount of trust that I have experienced here, and I will definitely miss it the most when I go back home. Overall, this entire trip has been unreal and indescribable; it has changed my life for the better, and I am filled with so much nostalgia and sadness, but also gratitude because I had the amazing opportunity to experience a trip like no other.