Questions Answered

Before I arrived in Israel, many thoughts, questions, and dreams floated through my mind such as “What will living so far away from family and friends feel like?” and “What cultural changes will I need to adapt to?” These kept me up at night during the few days before our plane left the ground, destined for warm desert sand and blue skies—or so I thought.

When we landed, we were greeted by rain, and lots of it. But that didn’t stop the thirty of us from getting to know each other, the land, and the culture we had come to learn about for the next six months. The weekend we arrived, we found ourselves in Jerusalem, exploring every nook and cranny of the Old City. We haven’t rested since, or at least not for long.

In between stretches of learning Hebrew during the language Ulpan, we ate falafel and shawarma. For breakfast, we tried Sachlav (a sweet, warm milk drink) and bourekas (filled savory pastries). On the weekends we found ourselves hiking in the desert on the outskirts of Beer-Sheva, visiting beautiful flower gardens with bright red, yellow, and purple splotches breaking up the desert landscape. Visiting Masada for sunrise, as well as the Dead Sea, was also a major highlight. These official trips sponsored by the Overseas Student Program served to acquaint us with the land of Israel.

During our free weekends, some of us stayed in Beer-Sheva and visited the outdoor market filled with fresh vegetables, nuts, halva, and other goods. Others took the opportunity to travel around Israel, mainly to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. During the two-week break between the Ulpan and the semester, each of us embarked on separate journeys. In the north, I visited Kiryat Shmona and skied on Mt. Hermon. I visited friends in Tel Aviv and took a tour of the tunnels behind the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Next, I went to Eilat and spent two days basking in the sun and swimming in the sea.

Traveling Israel in a small group or alone, I faced Israeli culture head on. I did my best to speak in Hebrew, utilizing the skills I’d learned from fantastic Ulpan teachers in order to make new Israeli friends. These friends taught me new words to describe the culture. We discussed cultural differences, politics, and religion. Using my free time to travel was a wonderful way to participate in Israeli life.

Pondering my original questions now, it is obvious to me that studying abroad, especially at such a warm and unique place as Ben-Gurion University, was the correct decision. Living away from friends and family has been difficult, but ultimately it will help me become more self-sufficient. Beer-Sheva has proved itself “a true Israeli experience,” with the international city of Tel Aviv only a forty-minute train ride away. Now, we are looking forward to the beginning of the semester, but first we must celebrate Purim!