Ever since the Israelis left, I’ve been counting down the days until we see them again. I think we all have. And surprisingly, they’ve actually passed pretty quickly. Although many of us including myself are excited for Israel because we get to be reunited with “our Israelis,” as we call them, our entire trip isn’t just about them.
It’s also about the food.
And gaining a deeper understanding of Israel.
In the words of Amnon Ophir, “It’s my trip, not yours,” which does a lot to explain why items such as “State and Religion in Israel” and “security tour in Gaza border” are on the itinerary rather than “snorkeling in Eilat” and “riding camels at Bedouin villages built mainly for tourists.”
Because we’re not doing the cliché Israel thing, I’m not entirely sure what to expect beyond a few things. I am, however, expecting the speakers and tours to be very in-depth and fascinating, as there are few other places, if any, where we could have similar experiences. I also expect to gain a more in-depth understanding of Palestinians, because I’ve never learned much about them besides at our last icnext session.
Our cohort is made up of the type of people who can make anything fun, so above all, I expect to have a blast. We get to go to one of the coolest countries in the world with an incredible group of people, spend time with our friends who live there, and learn about it in a way that few people do. I expect it to be amazing.