I have noticed many different and very interesting things here in Israel. The first thing I noticed when I walked out of the Ben Gurion Airport was that almost everyone here smokes. Whether it’s the morning or the evening you can always find someone smoking. There are a lot of smokers in America but not anywhere close to as many. The second difference that I found was that the sun here is very different. In America it gets just as hot in our summer but the sun is nowhere close to as hot and strong. My skin burns a lot easier hear and I sweat a lot more. Another big difference that I have noticed is the general vibe and the people here. Everyone is a lot more outgoing and friendly. It feels like everyone knows everyone. For example when we went to the beach in Tel Aviv we were playing a fun soccer game. Before we knew it an old man had walked up and joined in on the game and was playing with us like we all knew him. Another example is when we were walking to the beach in Haifa we were dribbling a soccer ball and a guy called for the ball and started playing pass with us. Also all of the shop and food place owners are very friendly and like to make conversation while you are waiting for food. In America these incidents either never happen at all or are very un-occasional and rare. Speaking of the beach, the water is totally different. In Cape Cod when you go “swimming” your body goes numb and you try and stay in. Here the water is not too warm but nowhere close to being too cold to stay in and have fun. The waves are awesome and the water is warm. Another difference that I started to realize after a while was that the food here is a lot more flavorful. There are a lot more sauces and spices to add to your food. The fruit is a lot more fresh and flavorful. Although Israel is very different from America, most of these differences are good. They add to the awesome culture here that I am falling in love with.