It took me a while to write a blog. I find it hard to put all these incredible experiences ini words

First, I feel truly blessed given this amazing opportunity to go on a trip to my home country and to explore it from a completely different perspective. I think as a local it is the greatest honor to see how foreigners fall in love with your country. For me the most memorable intake was to sense the passion, interest and real desire of my classmates, to learn and know more about Israel in all aspects.

Meeting so many inspirational business people and successful entrepreneurs, pushed me forward and encouraged me to think differently about failure and risk. The individual who influenced me the most was Savta Gamila- a droze woman who fought so many cultural ad gender based obstacles, to be able to do what she really loves. Although her business is very successful and worth quite a bit of money she is very modest and true to herself.

Another insightful experience was the 36 hours we spent in Amman, Jordan. I was overwhelmed by the status of women in Jordan, since I have always thought women in Arab counties are oppressed and treated as second class citizens. It was amazing to see empowered women sitting in coffee shops, smoking hooka and chatting about life ( as it seemed)

While my classmates were away from their families for 10 days, I finally got to see my Mama, Papa and little brother. My family followed us around all over Israel pretty much! They were excited to meet everyone and to hear about our jam-packed days of touring, presentations and absolutely delicious food!

At the end of the trip I had to say goodbye. Saying goodbye to your family is not an easy task, especially when you know you will not get to see them for another year at least. I always feel like there is a hole in my heart when I leave. I was so scared of this goodbye, but the thing that cheered me up the most were 15 new friendships I have gained

Huge thank you to all the people that made this trip possible. It was an unforgettable experience that has impacted my life in countless ways an had led me to re-think the meaning of words like courage, passion and creativity.

Anna

It’s hard to put into words the experience we all had in Israel. It’s been five days since we have returned, and i still truly wish we were there. The trip encompassed religious, cultural and business aspects so well in such a short time. Before the trip my notion of Israel was a country plagued with conflict and violence, and i couldn’t have been more wrong. Israel has so much to offer the World outside of conflict and war. On the streets of Israel you will find culture, music, art, religion and much more. The country ranges from beautiful bodies of water to mountainous areas worth seeing. You will find something different on each street and neighborhood. Most importantly, you will feel safe.

On a personal level the biggest lesson I’ve learned from this experience is to educate myself about something rather than drawing generalizations. Whether in a business or everyday setting, it’s important to do research before drawing conclusions. This in itself will change the way i approach my university studies and professional career.

Also, this trip allowed me to visit a mosque and community which has close ties to my family. This experience at the Mahmood Mosque in Haifa was unbelievable and humbling. I was so fortunate to visit this community and share this experience with my classmates and professors. I could have never dreamed of having such an opportunity.

Too all the donors for this trip; thank you for enriching our lives with more knowledge and priceless memories. You didn’t just sponsor a trip, you helped us open our minds. You helped us see that our way of life is not the only way. You helped us learn that business is indeed border less. Lastly, you helped us create memories that will last a lifetime and ones we will reminisce for years to come.

I hope one day i go back to Israel. Although it likely wont be with the same group of people, i will still remember the times we all had as part of Comm 398.

I can’t believe only a few short days ago we were in Israel/Jordan. The trip was such a remarkable experience. Over course of 10 days I developed such a deep amount of respect and love for the little country of Israel. Never in all my travels have I felt so at home in a country. The people are friendly, the food is fantastic and the countryside is breathtaking. I know in my heart I will visit Israel many more times.

I want to take this time to thank all those individuals who made this incredible trip possible. To Daphne and Keith thank you for believing that this trip was possible and making it happen. To Wayne Brownlee thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to accompany us on the trip your knowledge, expertise and humor was a fantastic asset to the trip. To Lionel Labelle thank you for relating every teachable moment in the middle east to Saskatchewan, you made such a complex country very easy to understand and relate to. To Steve Halabura thank you for your amazing expertise you shared during the course of the trip. To Dylan Hanley, thank you for all of your help in organizing such an incredible experience. To Creative Fire thank you for allowing our group members to share the experience with friends and family back home. To all our financial sponsors including Potash Corp,Saskatchewan Advanced Education, Canadian Academics for Peace in the Middle East,University of Sask Presidents Fund and the Hanlon Centre thank you for allowing us the opportunity to experience the Middle East. Lastly, thank you to each of my classmates you made this experience a once in a lifetime trip, I am proud to say I have 15 new fantastic friends. Now I know I am still probably missing others who made this trip possible so to anyone involved with this trip thank you, this experience has truly become a once in a lifetime experience.