Okay, so I'm not actually making Aliyah, I just wanted a title that would catch your attention, so now that it's caught here is my sob story as I say goodbye to abroad.
As sad as it is, I'm gonna go ahead and say this is my last blog post while studying abroad. I can't believe how quickly 5 months have gone by. January and February seemed like forever months, two of the longest months that I took for granted by not traveling the surrounding cities in Israel and exploring my "home" city of Tel Aviv. When March rolled around, things started to pick up and I began to adjust and then April flew by in the blink of an eye and as I sit here in my oddly shaped dorm room, in my semi-comfortable twin bed, with two more nights left, I have bittersweet feelings about leaving.
Today marked the "schools out for the summer" slogan with an incredible last week behind me. It started Monday night when myself and a handful of others were present at an "Entrepreneurship Conference" with the one, the only, Binyamin Netanyahu.
Yes, you read that right, Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu! It was the most outrageous, most moving, most amazing experience ever - to actually see someone as famous and powerful as him and to hear him speak - well that was a different story. I know it's silly, but I never thought I'd hear Bibi speak and now I have and I can brag about it :) ! And my finals? Well they weren't too bad - I mean, let's be honest, I didn't come abroad for school...so whatever happens, happens. Today after I finished my last final exam, my campus at Tel Aviv University went crazy! It was the annual Yom HaStudent (Student Day) in honor of all the students at campus, with multiple concerts, DJ's, countless delicious food stands like hot dogs, coal-fired pita, labane and zatar (Israeli spreadable cheese and a spice), froyo, ice cream, moon bounces, headphone concerts, and so much more! Such an incredible last day on campus that I was lucky enough to experience with the best friends I've made abroad.
As I look back on these past months abroad it's hard for me to believe that I will be boarding a plane in about 48 hours back to the US of A. Will I even recognize Americans? Going abroad is something that I feel so privileged to have taken part in, I'll remember the memories and miss the people I've become so close to, the Hebrew language, the fresh fruit and vegetables, the side salad's with every meal, the annoying taxi drivers who won't bargain with you, the names of the bus stops that no one else understands, the sketchy super market next to the dorms, and the list could go on. I've begun to find myself while abroad, developed independence and self-reliance and grown more in 5 months than I could ever imagine would be possible. תודה רבה ישראל, אין לי ארץ אחרת. (Thank you Israel, there is no other land like you).
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