Our habits and routines get so ingrained at some point that we forget that they are there. When I was growing up I was so aware of the exact route my mom took in driving us to elementary school in the morning that when she deviated due to a bridge being opened from years of construction, I noticed and questioned it. Then, over the next few months I got used to that as well and now, while I can remember the new route, the old route is locked away somewhere in my brain. 

We all succumb to habits - adults and children alike - and it can sometimes be hard and maybe embarrassing to realize when a routine or habit has taken control of your life and caused you to veer away from the path you want to be on. 

I recently finished reading a book entitled The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg all about the power of habits and how we can take control of these habits if we would only analyze them in a particular way to realize our own potential. By recognizing when you are triggered to enter into a habit (the "cue"), what patterns you follow after (the "routine") and what outcome there is (the "reward") you can change your actions to build positive routines for your life.

While reading this book I couldn't help but think about my work in teaching and the students who are with me every day. I see some of the worst habits formed early (throwing homework papers into a backpack instead of into a labeled folder, for example). I also am guilty of similarly bad routines (placing all work for one assignment into a folder on a pile of other folders, for example). The one difference, I think, is that I have more experience recognizing these patterns and so am able to change these habits more readily than my students. So, it is partly my job to help them develop positive routines that can help them organize their work and life. 

It is easy to simply write that here yet I know that when I get back into the classroom I will be so bogged down by everything else that I will not prioritize this point. One thing I hope to get out of reading this book is to change my own habits and routines and set reminders for myself to conduct binder checks; emphasize organization; and give feedback to my students on how they can make themselves more ready for interactions in the job world. I only hope I remember what I write down now so that I can bring it up with them in the future.

After the 10-day trip I staffed, my fiancé met me at the airport outside of Tel Aviv and we had six days to explore Israel ourselves after which we would spend eight days in Turkey - or so the plan said. What actually ended up happening was a set of last-minute decisions sparked by the current Gaza-Israel conflict. Due to the increase in anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment in Turkey (especially by the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Ankara) we decided it was in our best interest not to travel there. When the Prime Minister of the country accuses the local Jewish population of supporting genocide, you don't go visit the country.

Instead we traveled and visited friends and family for the two weeks that we had. We went to Jerusalem twice, spent a lot of time with my cousins in Kfar Saba, and went North and to the beach - everywhere away from Gaza. 

One particularly interesting visit had us in Azor, a town southeast of Tel Aviv, where our family had a magnet on their refrigerator explaining how many seconds there were between hearing a siren and when the rocket would hit from the previous Gaza conflict. This was a bit jarring for me as the harshest magnets I had on the fridge growing up rebuked you for not clearing your dishes. It is unfortunate the this exists in the daily lives of so many. 

During our two weeks we heard four sirens - one of which when we were driving and had to pull over to seek shelter with other locals. When we looked up we could see the rocket trails and the poof of smoke where Israeli's Iron Dome system had destroyed the rockets before hitting ground.

Much like with my Birthright trip, it was unique to experience this firsthand and think about all the ramifications of the current crisis. Hundreds of people are dying for a battle that many would agree they don't want but "need" to have, whatever that means. I have friends and family who are currently fighting in and around the Gaza Strip and I worry about them. The people living inside of Gaza are in a very bad situation and may not see hope in sight. I wish this conflict to end peacefully soon so that people from both sides can stop dying and begin talking to each other about what needs to happen to make peace. 

I just returned from a three week trip to Israel in which I was staff for a 10-trip called Birthright that brings 18-26 year old Jews to Israel for a free, first-time trip. During the trip we trekked around a majority of the country but had to change some plans as the 2014 Gaza-Israel conflict began. The educational experience these participants had was much like any other Birthright trip - seeing historic and religious sites while interacting with Israelis who visited our group; and processing all the new and exciting things they were seeing. What was so different for them was the constant questions, "is there a siren where we are going?" or "Will we be allowed to visit Tel Aviv?" Many interesting conversations were started that way and continue now on their Facebook group.

Educational experiences of this sort are rare (and for valid reason - no one wants to travel around a seemingly war-like zone). These participants learned a lot about Israeli culture and life by living in the exact conditions Israelis do. We made sure to tell them where local bomb shelters were in case of rocket attacks from Gaza and made sure they knew to ask about them during their free time at lunch. 

What was so interesting for me is the blasé attitude that some members of the trip (including myself) felt about the conflict. Even though we were experiencing it firsthand, all the Israelis we saw and talked to said that life had to go on. While we did not experience a siren ourselves, we were told that you wait 10 minutes, then go back to your regular day's activities. It is a very strange thing to learn as an American that you can be under attack one minute and sipping a latte the next. 

Overall, I would say their trip was successful even though it was mired by the conflict in Gaza: over half of them extended their trip to stay longer, despite the current situation. It was an interesting journey for me to see and discuss all of these experiences with them over the 10 days. I look forward to continuing conversations with them and seeing how we all can learn together in the future.