My calendar has finally hit January 30th, which means I officially leave for Tel Aviv today. For 11 hours I’ll be crammed into the middle seat of an airplane setting off to the Middle East where I’ll be studying abroad until June.
I’ve been to Israel once before on Birthright (a free trip to Israel for Jews 18-26). In a whirlwind of 10 days I floated in the Dead Sea, rafted the Jordan River, binged on Aroma coffee (God’s gift to mankind outside of Diet Coke), and managed to live in a hotel room where the showerhead was above the toilet. And now, I’m going back for more—this time with a more sanitary living space and significantly more pairs of shoes.
I’ve always had an interest in the Middle East and North Africa—and if it weren’t for the multiple econ requirements, I’d be double majoring in Middle Eastern studies. I love a fast-paced world of breaking news, and what better place to focus on and obsess over current events than the Middle East? From a handful of classes I’ve gotten a taste of the culture, but as a hands on person, it’s time for me to experience the region firsthand. Thus, why I decided to study abroad in Tel Aviv (that and my parents wouldn’t let me go to Cairo).
To prepare, I took two semesters of Hebrew. From an entire year of flashcards, memorization, and speaking exercises I can confidently say, I remember nothing. I think I could probably recognize the words ‘love’ and ‘George Washington University’ …neither of which will come to much use when I’m aimlessly wandering around (read: lost) in the desert. Luckily enough, however, my not-so-imaginary best friend Alex will literally be glued to my side for the entirety of our “Middle Eastern vacation”. Since Alex can speak Arabic and I can say, “I love you” in Hebrew, I think we’re all set—I mean, don’t they always say the language of love is universal? (Sidenote: Wherever Alex and I go, we tend to befriend celebrities, so Bar Refaeli be prepared for this incoming tornado…and any other celebrities out there that are just dying to meet us).
While studying abroad in Tel Aviv is my dream “vacation,” there are definitely some obstacles I’ll have to face. I can hands down say, I am one of the pickiest eaters. I live on a diet based off of jellybeans, diet coke, and spaghetti (but seriously, those are my main food groups). That being said, I don’t eat Mediterranean food: no cucumbers, no onions, and nothing outside the palate of a 10-year old. On top of that, I like to live in an environment similar to the Arctic. Since I’ve been home in New Jersey, I’ve asked my parents three times to turn on the air conditioning…once while it was snowing outside. While it’s only in the low 60s in Tel Aviv right now, by the time March rolls around I have a feeling I will have bought every fan in the city.
However, I’m ready to take on whatever is in store during the next five months. Going into the experience, I have a lot of faith that I’ll be able to immerse myself in the culture and hopefully get absolutely everything I can out of the trip. With a month of Uplan (Hebrew classes), I’ll—fingers crossed—come out of February being able to understand a street sign and read a menu in Hebrew (if not, I may be expanding my eating habits faster than expected). But for now, I’m just praying that my duffels are under 50 pounds each.
See you in the Holyland!
(Ma’a Salam means goodbye in Arabic, Shalom is hello and goodbye in Hebrew)