As I write my final journey to all of you, I am preparing to pack my belongings and return home. The concept of a home is difficult to truly understand. When someone says “home”, it usually means where their family is or where they feel safest. But right now, I realize that I have forged a new home here in Israel with a new family. The best part about a home or a family is that it never goes away. Even though the other students and I will return back to different countries and continue living our lives on different paths, we will always have the memories of the time we spent together to help us stay stay connected. This is why I do not like to see my time here in Israel as the end of anything. Instead, it signifies the beginning of a new period in our lives.
When I think back to the beginning of this journey, I remember how afraid I was of the changes that were happening in my life. During my first week on Israel, I thought that I had made a mistake leaving my family and living in a completely new country. However, I now know that coming to Israel was anything but a mistake. Not only have I been given the opportunity to study under amazing Israeli teachers, but I have also learned about Israeli and Jewish culture.
Before signing off, here is some advice I would like to leave behind.
