Hi! My name is Mia Goldwasser and according to my cell phone countdown, I will be departing for Israel as a member of Young Judaea's 2005-2006 Year Course in 19 days, 4 hours, and 44 minutes. I can't believe it!

Before I get into that, however, let me take a minute to introduce myself. I am 18- years-old and have lived in Metairie, LA (which is a suburb of New Orleans) for most of my life. I graduated from my public high school 92 days, 1 hour, and 24 minutes ago and came back from spending my summer as a counselor at Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, MS an eternity--no, wait, let me check my calendar-- a week ago.

Today, my friends from home began departing one by one to their respective colleges across the country. I spent the year applying, writing essays, and waiting for acceptance letters with them, and have my spot in Brandeis' class of 2010 officially saved for me. I'm aware that the beginning of my and my friends' first year away from home will share similar qualities, as we will both say goodbye to our nice, comfortable lives as we know them for a new place with new people. It's both exciting and incredibly scary to realize you're about to end the era of your life which involves living with your family at home! However, I am the only one I know who isn't going to college this fall. Instead, as you know, I'm going to Israel. One of my friends once asked me if I was frustrated that I'd have to wait an entire year to go to college, and my total lack of understanding of how in the world I could feel that way is the best way for me to explain that right now, I am at a much different 'place' than the pre-freshmen I see at Linens-n-Things buying matching sheets, lamps, and trashcans for their dorms.

This fall, I don't want to go to school and spend my time doing stereotypically college related things because I can do that next year. This year, I want to step out of my American life and study, volunteer, and live in Israel with 400 people I have never met before. I've just spent the last hour, reading all of the JVibe Year Course correspondent entries I could find, and basically hanging on Jeremy, Stephen, Emily, and Jonathan's every word about their incredibly meaningful, interesting, unique, and thought-provoking experiences while in Israel. Their words are alive to me; I know that there is something big coming to me next year, and now, when I can almost reach out and grab the moment when I'll finally begin my year in Israel, I am more prepared, ready, anxious, and nervous than ever.

I cannot believe that my Year Course group and I have the opportunity to live in Israel at such a historical time in our nation's history. I'm ashamed to remember that not so long ago, I didn't realize the significance of the disengagement and to what extent it was affecting Israelis. It was only at Year Course Orientation when a staff member got up to give an Israel update and began declaring with so much passion, "This is huge! You have no idea how huge this is!" and went on to teach me about the symbolic orange and blue colors and the stances of each side. Now, on August 17, a night before the army begins to forcibly remove settlers from their Gaza Strip homes, I am glued to the television and to online news sites. This is the atmosphere we will jump into in 19 days. What will happen? What will have been done? I cannot believe that I will be there, living this history alongside the Israelis who are living it right now, when I am a world away only able to watch it on television.

So, that's it! Wish me luck as in only three short weeks, I say goodbye to my family and life in Louisiana and lug my two suitcases up to New York to meet the 300 Year Course Americans (intimidating, anyone?) and finally fly to Israel.

Next month in Jerusalem!