For me, America this past year has been very disappointing, to say the least, Israel, on the other hand, is not. Here in Israel, everyone stops for pedestrians on sidewalks, that doesn’t happen where I live. The drivers may be crazy, but they are defiantly conscientious of pedestrians. Maybe it’s because of parking, but I’ve only seen small cars, so Israel’s carbon footprint is being reduced by these cars, compared to the trucks and SUVs I see everywhere in America, that’s so awesome for global warming. Along with helping the environment, Israel is also helping its people by the food choices here, I’ve noticed a variety of vegetables at every meal served in the cafeteria, this is very different than the food served in my cafeteria at my home high school. Having a healthy alternative is so beneficial, I think that’s a necessity that we should have in America. I’m a huge fan all the healthy food here, (and the unhealthy food as well). I haven’t seen any huge grocery stores here, like Costco or Walmart sized, it’s kind of annoying because I can’t find everything in one place, but it allows for more small businesses, like fruit stands, bakeries, and lots of small stores. Another thing I’ve seen is a very small homeless population, in fact, I have only seen two homeless people this entire time. I think that is one of my favorite aspects of Israel or my favorite. Prior to coming here, I thought everyone only spoke Hebrew, now I know that isn’t true, and it’s so nice to feel at ease shopping and dining in a different country because you know what you’re buying. On a different note, the jet lag has worn off, and I know everyone’s names. I’m really starting to enjoy my time and make more friends. This past Shabbat we stayed in Haifa, that was by far my favorite Shabbat here, I felt so relaxed for the first time since being here. My time here started off a little shaky, but now that I know the flow of things I am falling in love with this program and country. A big part of muss is hiking, we have only gone on a few hikes, but all of them are so beautiful, and mostly enjoyable, I am anticipating the next hikes we go on. The hikes aren’t random either, each place we go we learn about the history while getting to physically the place it actually happened. I have never learned history this way, and not surprisingly, the information actually stays in my head. Anyways, I can’t wait for what the next 3 and a half months of memories, learning, and exploring has in store.