Two days in...

We all arrived safely in Israel and were graciously greeted by the Israeli's that would be traveling with us with songs and music -- it was very welcoming and definitely got all of us excited to embark on this 10-day excursion that is expected to be an unforgettable and incomparable experience.

We made our way north from the airport with our new Israeli friends and stopped along the way for a brief welcoming ceremony. We sang The Shehechyanu, which is the recognition of a special occasion. It was nice getting to know the Israeli's better on the bus ride and getting to know our fellow American travelers.

Shortly after arriving at Kibbutz Shomrat, we had dinner together as a group. We had delicious Israeli cooked food, like Chicken and Hummus. After dinner, we had an ice breaker session, where we had the opportunity to learn more about our fellow participants.Some of us visited the local pub at the Kibbutz and got the opportunity to learn more about one another.

Today we started with an early breakfast, about 6:45 am, to prepare for our morning hike. We traveled north to the Golan Heights for the Zavitan Hike. This was a beautiful hike, with many flowers and even a small lake. It was very hot but we made sure to hydrate properly and apply sunscreen often.

For lunch, we were given the opportunity to chose our own food. Many of us chose falafel or shwarma. Both were said to be delicious by the Americans and Israelis.

We then made our way to Mount Bental for the opportunity to look over the Syrian border. This was a neat experience, as we were informed about the Israeli-Syrian conflict by an Israeli soldier. Also on site were two bunkers that we were able to walk down into to explore. These bunkers were from 1967 and are intact for use at any moment today. They were enormous and felt like they went on forever.

After leaving Mount Bental, we were off to "kayak". Apparently in Israel, Kayak means rafting! This was a very nice way to end an action filled - and hot! - day, with the opportunity to jump in the water to cool off.

We are now on the bus, headed back to the Kibbutz for a shower, dinner, and more bonding activities in the night. Everyone is having a great time already and we are very much appreciating our Israelis that are traveling with us. They have really helped us gain a better understanding of Israeli life and culture and we are very well integrated with them.

We miss and love all! Cannot wait to share our photos and personal stories with you.

Talk soon,

Sarah, on behalf of the entire Bus - 149 group