My last blog post! I am happy to be back in the U.S., but definitely sad that this trip is over. It was such an amazing, unique experience and I am so lucky to have been able to spend almost a month in Israel. A summary of my trip: I stayed in a dorm at…
Tag: Ruvi Ranatunga
Week 4- A letter to myself
Dear Self, Your time in Israel has come to an end and what an adventure it was! All of the planning and organizing really paid off, as your first trip ever to the Middle East went great. I learned so much about the country, living on my own in a foreign place, and the joys…
Future Resident of Israel?
I have always wondered if I would ever live in a country besides the U.S. My parents lived in a different country than the U.S. until their 20’s and have talked about the challenges that brings but also the good things about change. If I had the opportunity to become a full-time resident of Israel,…
Week 3- Adjusting to a new place and how it doesn’t always go smoothly!
The biggest challenge I have faced so far is not allowing people to take advantage of me because I am a female traveling alone and I don’t speak one of the official languages of the country. I live in Tel Aviv, which is a very populous and active city where a lot of young people…
Week 2- Fitting into Israel!
Hey everyone! I am almost into my third week of studying abroad in Israel which is crazy for me to think about. I feel like I am getting more comfortable with how Tel Aviv/Israel runs and feel less like a visitor and more like a community member on campus. My three biggest takeaways from the…
Week 2- What has changed and What has stayed the same
Before I left the U.S., I didn’t have many specific expectations for my study abroad program. This is because I am doing an independent research project, so the cause and effect of everything that happens is solely my responsibility. This is what I love the most about my program. I don’t have to depend on…
Week 1- Home for the Month
Hi everyone! I am currently nearing the end of my first week of my study abroad experience in Israel. I live in a dorm room at Tel Aviv University on the North side of Tel Aviv-Yaffo in Israel. My dorm section is in the building for visiting students. The dorm building is one building among…
Week 1- Goals in Israel
One of the biggest reasons that I wanted to study abroad was being able to apply what I learned in my Religious Studies classes to a real-world experience and opportunity. My focus in my major is Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and specifically the ancient origins and history of these three Abrahamic religions. So much of…
Intro to my Trip to Israel!
Hi everyone! My name is Ruvi Ranatunga and I am a rising senior at Pitt in the honors college. I will be in Israel from May 3nd until May 28th and could not be more excited. I have never been to the middle east before and it has been a while since I have traveled…