We made it to Israel!

After a long flight we made it to the Israeli airport. I was immediately struck by the advertisements and signage. The airport was remarkably clean, empty and friendly. We were greeted by our Israeli counterparts who were dancing and singing in full army uniform. Despite being tired, everyone seemed excited to get started. On the bus ride to our first stop, we interviewed the Israelis. I was surprised to learn about our similarities and differencies. While they have clearly had a very different experience of going into the army before university, we all seem to enjoy bad television, good food and dubstep music. The landscape outside also has interesting similarities to and differences from the land in the United States. A lot of the country is green. (I can't beleive I am already generalizing but today we covered half of the country by bus!) We stopped by the coast for lunch along the water. Seeing the surfers in the water reminded me of the coast in California. It surpirsed me to see agriculture and livestock so close to the road. There were olive trees, and dozens of cows grazing along the main road. While it seems as though we are simply driving through the countryside, a low fence reminds us of Israel's borders.

We took a small hike to the Banias falls. A beautiful elevated path led us to a gorgeous waterfall. It was nice to take a walk through nature after spending a lot of time sightseeing from the bus. Later, we drove to the place we will be staying for the first night: a beautiful Kibbutz with a homey feel and delicious food. We met as a group one last time and exchanged stories about our initial feelings when entering the country. After an exciting first day I think everyone is just about ready for a good night's sleep! Laila tov (good night)!

--Sarah Bindman, MIT