Today marked the beginning of my journey to Israel, and it was quite eventful. After a lengthy 15-hour flight from LAX to TLV, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions. Leaving my loved ones behind and venturing into the unknown made me nervous, but at the same time, I couldn’t contain my excitement for the life-changing adventure ahead. Fortunately, I met a few fellow travelers on the plane, which helped ease my nerves. A group of eight kids, including myself, bonded over the task of navigating LAX solo, and luckily, none of us got lost. Although it hadn’t fully sunk in yet that I was actually leaving, as soon as we took off, reality hit me. I was embarking on a four-month journey, leaving everything I knew behind. To make matters more surreal, the flight attendants started speaking Hebrew, a language completely foreign to me. However, this was my journey and destiny, and I knew I had to find my way in this new place.

As we landed, my excitement grew. I continued conversing with the kids from my flight until we all gathered with other travelers near baggage claim. It was overwhelming to see so many kids in one place, but after connecting with them, I realized they were all nice individuals. We boarded a bus that would take us directly to the school where we would be staying. Looking out the window, I observed mesmerizing graffiti signs advocating for the Bring Them Home movement. Coming from Park City, where discussions about war are scarce, witnessing this was deeply moving. Upon arriving at the campus, we dropped off our bags in the dorms. Meeting my roommates and starting to unpack brought back memories of my experiences at sleep-away camp. However, I couldn’t quite believe that this was now going to be my home for the next four months. We participated in some ice-breaker games with the entire group before enjoying dinner. The night concluded with finishing up unpacking and preparing for the next adventure awaiting us tomorrow. Join me as I continue my journey abroad in Israel.

Xoxo,