Of what value is the Sea without the Sun?

 As a child, I never thought about my identity. The first time I had to reflect on how I identified was in a Poli Sci course on the topic of minorities in Israel. Soon after this, I started to question my identity. The question always came down to,  am I more Mexican or more American? And I can tell you guys with all surety that until today I can't give a straight answer. I'm an American by birth and I uphold certain values that some would deem as "American values" but for me these values are universal.  I'm Mexican by descent. I speak Spanish-the Mexican kind, cook Mexican food, listen to Mexican music, follow traditions like using Vicks Vapor Rub when I'm sick, because it doesn't matter what I'm sick with, Vicks Vapor Rub or 7 UP can fix it. But most importantly I never go a day without eating chile. It's funny because my mom warns me not to eat so much chile but hours later I find her eating chile.  It's very likely that I will never hav

How safe is it to study abroad in Israel? In light of recent events, I have seen many people asking if going to specific areas in Israel is safe. When I was getting ready to study abroad in Israel back in 2014, I asked myself the same question. The Israel-Gaza Conflict had erupted. My friends had friends that were directly impacted in areas like Ashkelon. I was scared so I pushed back my program and decided to go in January the next year. Even when the conflict had quelled I was hesitant and remember being scared. But after deep deliberation, I decided to go. I didn't know what to expect. I'm not Jewish, I'm not Palestinian. I'm a Mexican-American that grew up in So Cal so what did I know. Even though I had taken courses on Israel, the conflicts, and religion I wasn't prepared. Books and reality are two different things. Books offer the convenience of comfort.  At the Jerusalem Municipality When I finally got to Jerusalem I realized there was nothing to b

I'm young and for the 23 years of my life, I've been living life in the fast lane. It wasn't until this year that I started thinking about the concept of aging. Yes-so much that I've started wearing anti-aging creams and sunscreen whenever I remember. I have even taken interest in taking supplements, something I thought I would never do. It's not just the physical aspect of aging that has been on my mind; I've also been reflecting on the mental aspect and how it affects us. It all started in the beginning of the year when I went on a trip to visit the village my grandparents and my mother and her siblings grew up in. It's somewhere in Jalisco, Mexico in the middle of nowhere, 5km away from the closest paved road. You can see more mountain tops than houses. The youth have all moved to the closest town and whats left of the population is about 40 elderly family members. My brother and I couldn't even last 2 weeks there. It's hard to understand how th