Preparing for the Journey

Two weeks from today I will be on my way to Israel. I'm very excited, but I'm also growing more nervous and anxious as the day approaches. I think I have pretty much everything I need and it is in a growing pile in the corner of my room. I probably will procrastinate on packing as long as possible. I have never traveled overseas by myself, so I'm actually a little bit nervous about just getting there with all my luggage. It looks like it will be two large suitcases, a 75L hiking backpack (for my backpacking trip through Europe after the Israel program), and my laptop case. I'm sure it will be quite a sight to see me lugging all that through foreign airports! My itinerary to Israel looks like this:

Feb 15 Leave El Paso 10:48 AM on Continental Airlines 1hr, 52 min
Arrive Houston 1:40 PM
Leave Houston 4:25 PM on British Airways 8hr, 50 min
Arrive London 7:15 AM Feb 16
Leave London 8:30 AM on British Airways 4hr, 40 min
Arrive Tel Aviv 3:10 PM

My second cousins sister-in-law (!) lives in Israel with her family. Although I don't know her I have been in contact with her and she has been kind enough to offer to pick me up at the Tel Aviv airport and let me stay at her house that night. My program starts the next night in Jerusalem. Here is the tentative itinerary the Career Israel program sent:

Track 1: Orientation and Ulpan

Tuesday, February 17

17:00: Arrival

18:30: Dinner

Evening: Group ice breakers

Overnight in the Yehuda Youth Hostel

Wednesday, February 18

Morning: Two options:

- David’s City and Hezekiah’s Tunnel

-or-

- The Davidson Center and South Kotel Excavations

Afternoon: Lunch downtown

Free time to rest at the hostel

Evening: Meet Career Israel staff, review program procedures and expectations

Dinner at hostel

Visit the Kotel Tunnels

Overnight in the Yehuda Youth Hostel

Thursday, February 19

Morning: Lecture “The Arab Israeli Confict”

Tour of border areas in Jerusalem and the security fence

Packed Lunch

Afternoon: Lecture “Israeli Arabs”

Evening: Dinner in Hostel

Hebrew tests and Rooming lists

Overnight in the Yehuda Youth Hostel

Friday, February 20^th

Morning: Check out of the Yehuda Hostel

Tour of Nachla’ot and Machane Yehuda “Jerusalem preparing for Shabbat” including lunch

Afternoon: Check in to Tziporri Hostel

Evening: Group Shabbat dinner and acivity

Overnight at Tziporri or Bayit Vegan Youth Hostel

Saturday, February 21^st

Morning: Text Study session

Afternoon: Optional walk through Mt. Herzel

Overnight at Tziporri or Bayit Vegan Youth Hostel

Sunday, February 22

Morning: Tour of Supreme Court and government areas

Afternoon: Transfer to Tel Aviv

Move into the Career Israel apartments

Overnight in Tel Aviv

Monday, February 23- Friday, February 27

9:30-14:40: Ulpan

Afternoons: Orientation tour in Tel Aviv, Lecture “Israeli Politics”, Volunteer Opportunities

Sunday, March 1- Thursday, March 5

9:30-14:40: Ulpan

Afternoons: Tour options in Tel Aviv, Lecture “Hi-Tech in Israel”, Volunteer Opportunities, Idan Reichel concert

Sunday, March 8- Tuesday, March 10

9:30-14:40: Ulpan

Afternoons: Purim Lecture and party, Volunteer Opportunities

March 11^th

Purim

March 13-15: Negev Tour

Tour includes: Hikes in the area, visit to un-recognized Bedouin Village, Visit to the Ayalim Student Village, Sde Boker and more

Friday and Saturday overnight in the Sde Boker Field School

Sunday, March 15-Tuesday, March 17

9:30-14:40: Ulpan

Afternoons: Workshop on “Bridging cultural gaps” and preparation for internships

* On the afternoon of the 17^th, Jerusalemites will move to Jerusalem

Good Luck in your internships!!!

Track 2: Internships

March

18: Begin Internships

31: Optional Evening program “Excellence in Israeli Society” sponsored by Masa

April

2: Tour of Haifa

8-15: Passover Holiday

19: Optional Yad Vashem tour

26: Seminar Remembrance and Celebration in Israeli Society

May

8-9: Dialogue Seminar with Israeli Students in Ein Gedi

21: Seminar Day “Disengagement from Gaza and Sderot”

June

10-13: Trip to the North

21: Seminar Day

July

1-2: Ending Seminar

10: Program conclusion

It sounds pretty amazing. I'll try to blog as much as possible about my adventures!