Update from Alex Green

When we first arrived in Givat Haviva for the North American Kenness, everyone was excited to make friends with 150 new people. While unfortunately this goal was unrealistic, everyone did make friends with people from all across the U.S. as well as teens from Montreal. It was strange to make friends with people from North America in a country half way around the world. We got to make deep connections with our fellow Dillers through discussions in the color groups that we were assigned to (go light green!). Although it was amazing getting to spend time with just North Americans it was great when the Israeli Dillers got to join us. This addition of 150 people was a little crazy at first, but everyone was so excited to meet new people that it was and easy adjustment. While some of the conversations that we had in our color groups were intellectually stimulating, if polled, the majority of Diller teens, if not all, would say that the best part about Congress was the opportunity we had to make connections with people our age from across North America and Israel. Because of this, we were upset to leave Givat Haviva: a place we called home for 6 days, however, no one was sad to leave the food. After we boarded the bus, two hours was what separated the Baltimore teens from entering our sister city, Ashkelon, for the first time as a group. Coming to a place we had been learning about and connecting with for a year was surreal. We went directly to a national park where we got to eat lunch at get to spend some one-on-one time with our Ashkelon friends. A few teens from Ashkelon led us in conversations on various topics. Although we loved spending time with the group, everyone was happy to have an early night and get to their match’s homes. It was so exciting getting to meet their families and finally being able to give them their presents (it lightened my bag by 7 pounds!). Everyone was happy to be with a family but in the end, I think people were just as excited to have a bed and a working air conditioner.