Shalom from Israel!
I decided to do something a little bit unorthodox. I decided to intern for two nonprofit institutions this summer, live in Tel Aviv, Israel until August, and completely blast out of my comfort zone to experience something new. I thought that at age twenty, I would be working a summer job at a restaurant, not boarding a plane to a location that I knew little about, other than a slice of its political history and lifestyle.
So, why do it? Why venture somewhere completely new? Well, I was offered the fantastic opportunity to intern for an organization called Olim Beyahad - a nonprofit institution that aids Ethiopian-Israelis integrate into society through gaining jobs and accessing professional markets. I also had the chance to intern at Tel Aviv University's Institute for Philanthropy, which not only complemented the kind of background I unexpectedly found myself in but also gave me the chance to explore a different, emerging field in a different world from what I was used to. Given these chances, I wasn't going to decline this milestone.
However, more so, I think I wanted to see for myself if I could not only grow on my own, but grow in the sense that I take a step forward without looking back, changing my mind and worrying. I wanted to grow in the sense that I could fully make decisions for myself, professionally and personally, and live to see them through. I wanted to see if I could live on my own for the first time in my life. These lessons don't occur through a classroom setting, but through lived experiences and narratives, which is what I personally hope to attain by the end of this trip.
Other than those goals, here I am! I am ready to take on Tel Aviv one day at a time!
Shalom,
Joel
