It’s hard to believe that in just two weeks time, I will be arriving in Tel Aviv.

It doesn’t seem like too long ago that I was first hearing about the Business in Israel course, which of course immediately caught my attention. After all, I spent the summer between my sophomore and junior years of high school in Israel on a month-long trip with 40 students from around the United States. Without question, that summer was one that I will never forget, and I left eagerly awaiting an opportunity to return. (Fun fact: I met my current roommate on that trip.)

Unlike my first trip to Israel, this time I know what I’m headed for. I’m already familiar with Israeli culture, which, as we have discussed in class (and other blog posts have discussed), differs greatly from American culture. I’ve already seen the major sights, so this time I will be able to take in my surroundings and act less like a tourist. I know which foods to eat, which places to look forward to, and how to negotiate with street vendors.

When I left Israel, I left with an immense sense of pride in my Jewish culture. My previous trip was focused on exploring the history and culture of Israel. My group traveled throughout Israel, following the path and timeline all the way from the ancient Jewish people to the modern state of Israel. It allowed me to gain a deeper insight into the struggles and triumphs of my ancestors and a greater respect for the remarkable fact that Israel even exists today.

This time, however, I am most looking forward to the different perspective from which the trip will allow me to view Israel. Rather than learning about how Israel came to be, I will learn about how Israel came to be a leader in innovation. Instead of looking back to the nation’s past, I will focus on Israel’s present and future in a variety of industries.

I come in to the trip with an understanding of Israel’s history and a respect for the challenges the nation has overcome. I hope to leave the trip with an understanding of Israel’s current strengths and weaknesses and a sense of what the future has in store for the young nation.

Needless to say, I can hardly wait to be in what will seem like an entirely different country than the one I visited almost three years ago because of the drastically different perspective of this trip. But, nevertheless, I’m sure once I’m back, it will feel like I never left at all.

Jordan
Class of 2016