The decision to study abroad is one that is not that easily made. Before I applied, when I first thought of leaving my family and friends for two months, I was very hesitant. When I looked more into Alexander Muss however, I knew it was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. First off, getting the chance to live in Israel for two months and tour all around the country seemed amazing to me. That was probably what I was most excited about. Now that the program is almost over, I can say for sure that I got to see lots of Israel and it was amazing. The tiyuls were so fun, and I learned so much. Another thing that persuaded me to choose to study abroad is the chance to meet new people, and gain experiences such as living in a dorm. Now that I have had that experience, I feel so much more prepared for college. I have learned how to manage my time and find a balance between school work and hanging out with friends, manage money, and take care of all of my belongings. Something that surprised me is that I think I’ve become a lot more independent throughout this program. I also have made such great friends, and I’ve had such a wonderful time here.

Before this program, I didn’t really feel a connection to Israel. I didn’t even expect to develop a connection, I just wanted to learn more through the program. This is probably what has surprised me the most about this program. Almost everyone I have talked to on my program after coming on Alexander Muss feels a strong connection to the state of Israel, and I have seen the same in myself. When my core teacher Yossi held a talk about defending Israel by joining the IDF, or even just making Aaliyah, I know that before this program I never would have considered either of those things and I never thought I would. When Yossi actually led that talk, I started to seriously consider what making Aliyah to Israel or joining the IDF would look like for me, how it would affect my life, and if I really would like to or not.

I set many goals for myself before I came to Muss. I had talked to some people who came on the program before, and sort of set certain expectations. I wanted to make a lot of new friends, tour Israel, and be able to relax and enjoy the program as much as possible. I think that I have definitely accomplished these goals, but also goals that I hadn’t even thought of at the time such as develop a connection to Israel, and become a more independent person. I am so glad that I made the decision to study abroad, because it’s such a valuable experience and specifically the experience at Alexander Muss is so unique and there is nothing else in my life that will be quite like Muss was.