It has been an amazing experience. I've learned many things about myself, and pushed myself to new limits which I would not have experienced had I remained in my comfort zone.
No, this isn't my first study abroad, but going to Bible school-IMH in Guatemala, I was coddled a lot. Fresh out of high school and homeschooled, this was a very good thing. I still managed to learn about the local and foreign cultures existing within our international campus.
In Israel, however, I had to stand on my own two feet. Physically, emotionally and spiritually. There is nothing like your own home church which you grow up in, and it made me appreciate my tiny, albeit, still existing local church along with the brothers and sisters who have watched me grow into my own.
This experience was filled with unexpected surprises.
It was a challenge my first semester as I had data issues on my cell service. I was afraid to hop on a bus without someone else who knew how to get from point A to B. Then Winter Vacation came when most went home and I found myself alone in a huge two-floor apartment in the Talia Dorms. After a week of sluggish depression, Netflix, and a whole container of Nutella I was sick of myself and pepped talked myself back into my running routine on Mount Carmel. I forced myself on a bus and went to the mall alone. I know this might not seem much to someone, but for me it was a HUGE ACHIEVEMENT!
My family has always said I was independent and I suppose coming to Israel shows that, but some habits are hard to overcome. I learned to do things on my own and that I can't always wait for others to do things. Coming from a traditional Mexican Christian family, I was used to always being accompanied by one of my brothers, and as an adult, commuting straight back from work and school. I began to reach out to an acquaintance who was still on campus and became really good friends. Since then, I always had a seat at his Shabbat table where he brought many other people together and made new and real good friends.
Living in California, I have hardly ever felt the freedom to express my views. Coming from a conservative Christian background, I have seen how my religious and political views are mocked by media, peers and sometimes colleagues. I never felt safe to speak up, to counter, because in their eyes, I felt I would be a topic for jokes. I've stayed quiet for so long.
Among my own community, I find it hard sometimes because I feel not many understand the importance of supporting Israel, foremost because of our faith, as it is Biblical. I grew up on the pews hearing our leader talk about Israel, his experience there, and I do not understand why it is difficult to find other fellow Christians who feel as strongly about this as I do.
Going to the university, has been a real eye opener and I see more than ever the importance of standing with Israel because of our faith and because of the very real physical benefits(blessings) that it brings to us and our country.
At the University of Haifa, I met an amazing hub of American students. Some whose opinions I did not always agree with, but nevertheless, whom I could actually have a DECENT conversation with. THAT was refreshing. Where are the rest of these amazing people in the US? They are so hard to find. I salute these people because you can actually learn more when both sides listen and share opinions.
In Israel, I feel I finally found my voice, because I could actually participate in a group conversation with people of similar and different views without fear of being verbally abused or harassed. This is not to say that it would happen in California, yet the aggressiveness of most peers and professors left me with no courage to voice an opinion that differed from theirs.
I do not know what will happen when I return for my last semester. I only hope that I will not always revert to a place of timidity when feeling my views are oppressed.
***
I didn't expect to pick up Hebrew, a language I have always wanted to learn for personal study, but never saw the practicality to actually take a course. For my program I am required to take a foreign language each semester that I am abroad. This last semester my school no longer offered the next level of Arabic, so I guess you can say I was gladly forced to take Hebrew!
Out of the 38 scholarship essays I labored over the previous summer in preparation for this trip, I won 7. This was baffling as I had submitted some semesters prior without any success. I wasn't that confident in my ability to begin winning some now, but I was determined that if God would provide for this trip, it would be through scholarship funds and my own personal savings as an English tutor. He came through, and the majority came from scholarships at exactly $15, 355. $5,000 came from my part-time and about $1900 from family and friends' donations. This came to a total of around $22,255 USD.
I continue to see how God loves and provides for me. I am glad that I waited to see how this would all play out. I asked Him to show me this was his will by providing for this trip and He did! Plus he was generous and even gave me enough to visit Italy, Egypt, and Jordan.
I hope to upload more YouTube clips soon to share with you all the beautiful places I visited! Thank you for reading and letting me share this experience with you all!
