Oy Vey, I'm Schvitzing Over Here..

Group challenge. Yeah, we have mad skills.

I understand that I have to update more often because this post is going to be mostly about the overnight trip that happened last week... the Interdisciplinary Center, or the IDC (known in Hebrew as the בינתחומי (pronounced bent-khoo-MEE) planned an overnight trip to the Judean desert for the students in the Raphael Recanati International School and the MA students. It was only two days, but the experience was amazing. First, we stopped at a forest and each bus of students did what I can only describe as camp-like bonding activities (see picture, left). The point was for everyone to get to know one another and to work together as a group. Not a lot of MA students went, but it was still fun to get to know people from all over the world. Even though some of them were very young..

After the camp-like activities we headed to some caves (not entirely sure where we were at this point) to go spelunking! (Spelunk: v. to explore caves). Went through some tight spots and had a blast doing it! I had to wait for the second round of people to go into the smaller caves because there weren't enough flashlights for everyone to go at once. We were all a little dusty after that..

Havat HaNokdim, our Bedouin camp

Finally, we headed to our lodging for the night - a Bedouin camp called Havat HaNokdim. The Bedouins are a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group who are known for their hospitality. As soon as we got there we were offered either tea or coffee, and there were booths of food set up all around the campsite for us to enjoy. There was fresh popcorn, sweets, nuts, just about anything you could have wanted as a snack. And when we got around to dinner in the evening, the food was delicious. Really, you couldn't ask for more. Not to mention that the location was just gorgeous (see picture, right).

They had a DJ play after dinner, and there was a bonfire outside, so really you could choose your scene. The atmosphere was very conducive to talking and meeting new people. That night everyone stayed in the tents where we each had a small mattress and a sleeping bag to sleep in. I would say there were at least 30 people per tent. I think some of you who read this might know what I'm talking about as Birthright trips do the Bedouin camp thing, too.

The Dead Sea in the distance

The next day was pretty eventful (as if the first day wasn't enough). We went on a three-hour hike in Ein Gedi. it gets so hot in the desert that we were required to put some sort of head covering on and bring a LOT of water along with us. The hike was beautiful, and it is really about the experience which is why I had to put so many pictures up on this post, I just can't do the place justice with just words.

And last, but not least, was the Dead Sea. I got muddy, my face stung a little, but my skin felt great after I rinsed the minerals off. I have to go again so that I can actually go in the water (I had too many scrapes to risk being in dire pain by going into the water).  The overnight made me very excited for all the places that I can see here on my year abroad. Israel, I think we're going to be great friends.