I have spent much of my time here in Israel sitting in or studying for my many classes. However, school is not the only place that I learn; I have found that everyday life here teaches me just as much, if not more, than my academic courses. For example, I have a Hebrew class several times a week that has taught me formal grammatical rules. Although this subject has been helpful, the majority of my knowledge of the language comes from exposure. After about a month here, I find it far easier to understand, pronounce and repeat words and even sentences in Hebrew. Hearing students my age speaking with each other has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to pick up on key phrases and colloquial expressions.

In addition to language, life here has exposed me to local customs that I would never have encountered in the United States. I never knew that Israelis traditionally receive flower crowns on their birthdays; I thought it only my family did this. Actually being in Israel has enriched my experience in my core class as well. The material presented in Israeli studies would be fascinating and impactful even if we were in the United States. Nonetheless, the course is endlessly more engaging because we visit archaeological sites related to the curriculum. Having the opportunity to use the land of Israel as our classroom and explore sites that we read about on paper in real life truly enhances the learning experience. The trip itself has also allowed me to work on my social skills.

Although I have always been something of an extrovert, living in close contact with my peers has given me ample chances to meet new friends and forge social bonds. Any trace of shyness that I once had has vanished completely; I am now able to start conversations with groups of students that I have never met before without any hesitation. I have learned to have civil discussions with and even befriend others with sharply contrasting opinions, backgrounds, personalities and worldviews. Israel has served as a better classroom than any I could hope to find back home.