Hi! My name is Sam, and this is a picture of me and my sister Laina riding a camel in the Negev Desert. Over this recent winter break, Laina and I went to Israel with our youth group. We began this trip by taking a fifteen-hour flight into Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. From the peak of our dissent, we were intrigued by the Mediterranean coast edging the second largest city in the country. In just ten days, we traveled throughout the entire country from the foothills of the Golan Heights in the north to the Negev Desert in the south. After driving pretty far into the isolated, barren desert, we were taken to a small oasis filled with palm trees and large tents. We were told this was a settlement of the Bedouin people which allow guests to come experience their lifestyle. We got to ride their camels, eat their food, chant their traditional prayers, and sleep in their tents. In the dining tent, we were sat with a Bedouin couple that taught us their eating style. We encouraged to eat with no utensils! We ate pita, chicken, couscous, and many other food solely with our hands. My other favorite part of the trip was our three day stop in Jerusalem. While there, we were shown all of the holy sites such as the Western Wall, Mount Zion, and Temple Mount. We learned the complete history and conflicts of the Old City. This was the most walking intensive portion of the trip, yet it was by far the most interesting and informative. Because of all of the threats and conflict in the small country, it was a bit uneasy sleeping in the heart of Jerusalem. However, we were attended by four armed Israeli soldiers at all times. With all that we got to do, I know there is still more to see, and I cannot wait to return!