I set a lot of goals for myself this trip and had a lot of expectations of what it would be like. I don’t get much of a Jewish education at home, so I came here with the hopes that I would learn more in that sense. I also wanted to learn Hebrew, but unfortunately did not end up happening. I can order food pretty well and I know a few more slang terms, but I can’t speak the language yet. When I first arrived at campus, it seemed so foreign and obviously it was brand new to me. It’s hard to think I ever saw it this way because now I see it as my home. Every time we come back from a trip, I feel that homey sense of comfort. Israel has become so special to me and I can’t wait to return. I’ve learned so much about not only Jewish history, but state of Israel. I learned about the government, the Middle East, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and I feel like I now have the knowledge to be able to argue about said topics. I didn’t know exactly what to expect from the more social aspect of my semester here. I’ve come to have a new appreciation for Israeli culture and food. I made tons of new friends from around the United States. Living in Israel also taught me how to manage my time and be more independent. I am so happy with my time here. I was expecting a fun, educational, meaningful, spiritual, life-changing experience, and it was exactly that.