Israel!

I'm writing this from the airplane to Israel.  We're taking a 777 to Tel Aviv, and for reasons unknown to me, the airplane skips the E and I in the row letters.  So there's ABC DFG HJK.  I'm in H. 

We were told to arrive at the Newark Liberty International Airport between 10 and 10:30 this morning.  Since my parents and I drove all night, we arrived a bit early.  I got questioned right away, which was kind of weird.  Israeli airlines profile individuals more than worrying about what each person is carrying with them.  They asked me over and over why I was going to Israel.  I felt like I was talking to a police officer.  He wouldn't look at me and asked questions rapid-fire.  He was especially interested that I didn't know Hebrew.  Anyway, they let me in.  I had to be questioned again later because I left for a little while, and they lost track of me.

I've already noticed cultural differences in interacting with the personnel of the Israeli airline.  The stewardesses (and women in general) are very helpful and nice, but the men seem to be much less personal than in the USA.  It's just something I'll have to get used to :)  The stewardesses keep speaking to me in Hebrew.  It's really confusing, especially because I'm drifting in and out of sleep on this flight.

I woke up from a nap to look up and see probably eight men clumped together by the front lavatory with black wide-brimmed hats, bobbing their heads.  They were Hasidic Jews, facing Jerusalem for prayer.  It was interesting to see.  There were young boys joining them, too.

I've gotten to meet and interact with some of my classmates a little bit.  I'm no longer the most diversely traveled person in my group of acquaintances.  They were actually talking about their travels, and I felt *gasp* just a teensy-weensy left out.  They're really neat, and I'm so excited to get to know all of them.

Sitting next to me on the airplane is a woman named Lea.  She's Israeli and married an American.  She's really cool, and she told me that my name means either "clay" or "bug."  Maybe someday I'll know for sure what my name means.  She lives in arguably the best neighborhood in Jerusalem and offered me her couch anytime.  Fantastic!  I'm so excited to visit sometime.

Since beginning this post, I have landed in Tel Aviv and traveled the 80-minute bus ride to Be'er Sheva.  The campus here is absolutely beautiful.  I'll need to get my hands on a camera soon.  The trip went from semi-green hill country to the desert.  There were fields full of corn, watermelons, mysteryfruit and vineyards pretty much the whole trip.

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If you have any questions, leave a message in the comments!