It has now been over a week since I arrived at Alexander Muss High School in Israel, but it feels a lot longer. In such a short time, I feel at home here, and have made so many friends. The first couple days, I got to know my roommates, teachers, and Hod Hasharon. While I was missing my friends back at home, it was nice having new friends around all the time to talk to. I loved going out into town and exploring the area, and getting to know my really interesting teachers. Before I came, I thought that I would have a really hard time going to restaurants or stores because I did not know Hebrew. Now I know that many people in Israel speak English, so I not only will learn a bit of Hebrew, but I will be able to easily get around speaking English.

In my core class, which is Israeli history, I have learned so much. At first I was worried I would not enjoy it, but I find all the topics we cover to be really interesting. Right after we discuss something in class, we visit the sight where that event happened on a Tiyul. The first overnight Tiyul was a really great experience for me. I got to see Jerusalem for the very first time, and I loved it. We did everything from swimming near Mount Gilboa at Sachan, walking down the streets of Ben Yehuda, and walking through ancient water tunnels. We also visited the western wall, and that was very empowering. The whole time was very unforgettable. Another great Tiyul that we went on was Tel Gezer, which gave us a taste of the land of Israel. We learned about Archaeology and how important the past is to the people of Israel. Archeological findings can prove whether or not the Jewish people have a right to be in Israel, and knowing this made the whole trip so important to me. I am extremely excited for all future Tiyuls that I will have.

I have tried so many new things during my first week and a half here. I have gotten to try foods I’ve never tasted, and already I feel I have seen a lot of Israel, although there is much more I cannot wait to see. It’s also very new to me to be living in a dorm with 4 other roommates, but I really like it. You can always find people to study or go out into town with. One thing that I really enjoy about the 8-week semester program is that there are only 20 kids in my group. Since it is so small, I have gotten to know everyone on the program really well. I am so glad that I decided to go on Alexander Muss and study abroad in Israel. I can’t wait to go on more field trips, see more of Israel, and create more memories with the people I met here. Coming on this program is one of the greatest decision that I have made.