My expectations of Israel and AMHSI are moderately high because I know that they are guiding me further along my road of success. I hope that I will do exceptionally well in adjusting to the big change that is occurring while flying across the globe. I know that AMHSI will teach me about important educational topics that affect the community and add to my understanding of the basic High School curriculum. I think that this school will help me appreciate and fit into this new culture along with making me feel at home and comfortable. While I’m here I will be given the chance to expand on my leadership qualities and social abilities.

I fear that I won't fit in and will have a hard time making friends and balancing school. Hopefully, friends is something I also take away from this trip, having someone to share this with is something I hope to find. Luckily many people are coming to AMHSI to find this as well and maybe we will bond and continue talking even after we return home. Being able to time manage or multitask are huge factors in my success but I can't slack behind on school or on my impact fellowship responsibilities and meetings. I also fear that I could fall behind on my grades because there might be something I don't understand but I will just have to learn to ask for help. My grades slipping would take away from this amazing opportunity I worked so hard to get too. This opportunity doesn't always come to people so I will try my hardest to push myself. I also have slight fears about leaving my friends behind because we most likely will stop talking while I'm in Israel while we both make new memories and end up not talking when I return.

I hope to get more of an appreciation of my Jewish Identity and share it more with the world. I have the blessing of social media to be able to share my experiences with ease, and that allows others to learn about this amazing chance to travel the world and learn about it in a drastically different environment. Being able to see the little tiny comparisons and differences between Israel and where I live will open my eyes to see the beauty in everything, to enjoy what I have, and to learn how to do something bigger than myself. When I return home I will share what I learned from my participation from this program to local temples and also share it with my school to encourage other people to apply and do this on their own.

Choosing to apply to this fellowship was a huge door opener in my life. I have always had someone to depend on, or a person to help me cross the finish line but in Israel, I will mainly have to depend on myself and learn how to be independent and take on more adult responsibilities. I just want to create my own story that is unique and something to be proud of. I applied because I wanted to form new memories that will continue to impact my life in the future in a completely different place around the world.