The summer of 2013 I traveled across the world to Israel. Going into this trip I didn’t know what to expect because when I ever thought of countries across the globe I always thought they were poorer. I was very wrong. Israel, unlike other countries in the Middle East, thrives with life and new technologies. With all the modernizations around the main city, Tel Aviv, Israel still keeps their culture as a major part of life. Going through all the different cities of Israel there are more obvious signs of how strongly the culture is perceived. In the main city, Tel Aviv can be best described as if California and New York having a city baby. With the California weather and the New York vibe of creativeness and individuality, Tel Aviv has a very modern feel. The city was always so lively and flourishing with youthful taste. However, just outside of Tel Aviv there was Haifa. Haifa is more of the typical idea of what you would expect when thinking of Middle East countries. All the women had skirts and long sleeves on and all the men were in regular clothes with their tallets under their shirts and yamaka’s on their heads even when it was ninety eight degrees outside. I can describe Haifa as “old Israel” because even the buildings weren’t like sky scrapers, but more like lots of strip malls made of bricks. The part I really enjoyed about Haifa was the historical aspect. Haifa did not modernize like Tel Aviv, but still impressed me and allowed my eyes to be treated by beauty everywhere I turned. The city that completely gave me a new connection and understanding to my culture was Jerusalem. Jerusalem I can say took their religious beliefs to a new height. As for my family and I, we have never reached that height. The people living in Jerusalem were mostly orthodox Jews and had many children with them at all times. These Jews truly took the Jewish culture to a new level. A perfect example to show a belief is at the Western Wall. All Jews in Israel especially in Jerusalem believe this wall is the holiest place in Israel. Jews will travel from all around the world to come and pray at this wall. At the wall men and boys will pray on one side and women will pray on the other. It was weird at first being segregated from the other sex. We were all accomplishing the same goal of praying to g-d and just having someone there to listen. The entire idea of segregation and the wall just shows the Jewish culture to its fullest potential and how seriously everyone follows it. The Western Wall itself truly ties together the different beliefs Jewish culture has to offer. Having the privilege to go on this trip is just makes me realize how special I am and how wonderful my culture is. Growing up I never really thought of how large of an impact my culture would have on my lifestyle, but after going to Israel it definitely opened my mind and knowledge to the world around us. I must say leaving the country and for the matter of a fact going across the world was one of the best life experiences I’ve had so far and I’m only fifteen! Even with the temperature over ninety five every day and the extreme amount of sunscreen I applied to myself throughout one day was all worth it after I got to physically see and have a better understanding of my culture.