Well….it only took three times to apply. But finally,…I was granted a seat on one of the infamous Taglit tour buses for February 2010.

Notorious for (a) no sleep and (b) a guaranteed good time, Taglit is a 12 day program that gives young adults the opportunity to visit Israel in a peer-group educational setting to learn about the land and the culture.

As expected, my visit to Israel was nothing less than exceptional. When my taxi pulled up to the departures terminal at JFK, I did not know anyone who I would be traveling with, or what to expect from our planned out itinerary.

Now that I have been back in NYC for three weeks, I look back at the friendships that I have made, and the experience that had, and it is impossible to answer the number one question that I get asked: What was the best part about the trip?

The Dead Sea was surreal. The hikes through the desserts were tiring. The nightlife was exciting. Swimming in the Red Sea was refreshing. Visiting Masada was enlightening. Sleeping in a Bedouin Tent was, well let’s say, an experience. Walking the streets of the old city of Jerusalem was something out of a storybook. Touching the Wailing Wall was powerful. Learning how to belly dance at a pool party was hilarious. The food was amazing. The weather was sunny. Meeting the people of Israel was extraordinary. The friends that I made will last a lifetime.

But for me…. sometimes the best parts of a trip are the parts that go completely wrong and are unexpected. And that is a whole other story…..