I am leaving for Israel in less than a week, and I am freaking out. All I can think about is being in my favorite place in the entire world with my future best friends. Everyone I talk to who has previously participated in AMHSI says  it was the most life- changing experience they have ever done, and they met their best friends who they still, to this day, keep in touch with. I know I am going to love it, and I have no worries about the incredible people I am going to meet. I was supposed to go on the AMHSI trip in January, but on the way to the airport, a medical emergency occured, and I got diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes which forced me to stay in the hospital for multiple days. This kept me from going to Israel at this time, while all my friends were at the airport. I cried for days and days not about my recent life-altering diagnosis, but because I would not be getting on a plane to meet up with the rest of my group for that session. I am so lucky that everything worked out in my favor that I will be attending the April session of Alexander Muss High School in Israel. I have been waiting so long for this adventure to begin, I can’t wait for April 9th!  I have lots of cousins who live in Israel, and friends I have met on my most recent trip, this summer, to Israel. I have been talking with all of them and they are just as excited for me to be coming to visit them, as I am to be living in Israel for 8 full weeks! I am looking forward to landing at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, and I’m sure I won’t be able to stop smiling and screaming! I have been waiting for this experience for over a year, and I can’t believe it is coming up so quickly. Obviously, I am excited to do the touring around Israel, and learn more about this incredible homeland, but I’m just as excited to spend those days just chilling in the dorms with my friends, learning as much as I possibly could about each and every one of them. I am a little scared about managing my diabetes on my own for these next two months because it will be my first time dealing with this away from home. I know I will always be in contact with people who can help me, so it won’t be a problem. I hope to meet so many new people and get close to all the amazing staff who I will be working with. I have been away from home many times, so that is not a worry for me, although I know I will definitely miss my home, friends and family a lot. I hope I learn a lot about leadership, responsibility, and Independence on this 8 week trip. I know this is what needs to be the next step in my personal journey, and I will cherish every moment of everyday.