Shalom to all of my loved ones!!!!!It is me... finally!! I am at a hotel, and this keyboard is in hebrew, and I 'm tyring to type as fast as I can before the hotel attendant makes me pay 30 shekels -- so I apologize if this is unreadable.

My trip is nearing an end, and it was the absolute most amazing experience of my life thus far. Everyone on my trip was amazingly friendly, fun, and adventurous. I cannot believe how a group of strangers from across the US can meet in the JFK airport feeling leery and unsure of one another, to becoming lifelong friends. The people and places I have met and experienced on this trip will forever replay in my mind. Hiking Mt. Masada at 3:30 am, jumping off a waterfall, touching and wishing at the Kotel, and eating hummus for braekfast lunch and dinner are just a scratch on the surface of my infinite memories in Israel. I know that I will be back here soon, for I already have made friends in Israel offering their sofas. I wish I could sit in this shabby hotel lobby waiting for our group to go the bar (beause that's what you do in Israel when you have a flight at the ass-crack of dawn) and write every moment in picture perfect detail, but unfortunately hotel lady is giving me the evil eye. Hopefullly it's because im eating ice cream near the computer, and not because she realizes i'm a cheap american.

I miss you all veryyyy much, but am having the time of my life and the fun has just begun. Next up- Greece in the morning!!I LOVED reading all of your messages. I couldn't stop smiling.. thank you everyone!! I love you so much mom and dad and miss you a lot! I hope that you are doing really awesomely fun stuff.. hehe!! Keep an eye on that illboard. I love you!!1

p.s. at the beginining of the trip, our tour guide Yoni (amazing person) called me a ostrich with my head buried in the sand because i couldn't feel overwhelming pride with being a jew. and i have to say, i'm no longer buried in the sand, but very much still an ostrich-- they're cute!!! and i am no longer an "ish jew".. get it ?! hehe