My name is Arron Mendell and I come from Manchester, England. I am currently a participant in the Oranim Community Involvement program and stationed in Kibbutz Yechiam.

After graduating from university in the summer of 2008, I took up a teaching post in France as an English teacher. I had wanted to come to Israel to live and volunteer for some time but it was during the last year that I began to seriously consider the opportunities available to me. I met a young Israeli who was working as a 'shaliach' for a youth movement and also teaching Hebrew ulpan. As I began to learn Ivrit (Hebrew) and following discussions with him, I found the prospect of spending time in Israel increasingly appealing. I had previously visited Israel twice, once with family and once with a peer group, but these visits had only been very short. I realized that I wanted to spend at least a few months in Israel, rather than just visiting for a week or two. Only by spending a lengthy period of time living within a local community could I hope to broaden my understanding of Israel's diverse cultural and ethnic landscape as well as enhancing my knowledge of Israel's history and political climate.

After viewing some programs online, I selected the Oranim's Community Involvement program as I felt it most closely corresponded to what I was looking for in a long-term program. I was attracted to the ability to combine both volunteering and additional activities, including lectures, trips, Hebrew Ulpan and helping out within the local community.

Overall I am very pleased with the program and particularly the kibbutz on which I and the other participants are living. Kibbutz Yechiam is a really beautiful kibbutz located in the Western Galilee. I am fortunate to have met and got to know many of the kibbutz members and I am grateful to them for their warmth and hospitality, in particular to my host family. I have interacted with Kibbutzniks of all ages, especially younger kids with whom I have played at the after-school centre. I have really enjoyed life on the kibbutz, particularly the friendly atmosphere and the calm setting. Although Yechiam has recently undergone many changes to its original form, it still manages to retain a sense of community among its members and there is a closeness here that does not really exist in towns and cities. After spending a few days in the larger cities, I always look forward to returning to Yechiam.

Perhaps the best part of the program for me has been the volunteering itself. Most of the participants volunteer at a local school near Nahariya - Ofek High School. I must say that I have immensely enjoyed my time at Ofek and have found it to be an extremely rewarding experience. The English teaching staff welcome us with open arms and really appreciate the help we give to the students there. I personally feel that I have been able to build a close rapport with many of the students. They are generally inquisitive and curious to know more about us and they seem to enjoy working with us. My tasks have involved working with small groups, translating, giving explanations and generally helping out in any way possible. The school is also a very inclusive one. In one respect, it welcomes students of all abilities and is not selective in that sense. In addition, the school's location in northern Israel means that there are students of many faiths, including Druze, Muslims and Christians. The school system in Israel appears to differ quite markedly from that to which I am accustomed in England. There is an air of informality at the school which at first seems very strange, for instance the way in which students as young as 12 address their teachers by their first name. It also appears that discipline is not as important. Yet, despite all of this, I have learned to appreciate some of these aspects. There is a palpable closeness and affection between teachers and students which is really nice to see. I could not have wished to find a nicer school or a more rewarding volunteer experience and I am very grateful to our coordinator Oshra for arranging this. I will certainly miss the kids I have worked with very much when I leave.

Another important aspect of the program has been Hebrew Ulpan. I am glad that Ulpan is part of the program and that was indeed a primary reason for choosing to do this particular one. There was an intensive Ulpan session at the start of the program, but I think more hours are required in order to progress more quickly. Hebrew is in some ways a very difficult language, but in other ways it is quite straight forward. I feel that I have made some progress and now feel equipped to hold a conversation in Hebrew.

The program has also provided the participants with trips. Some of these excursions have been day trips and hikes, whilst others have been weekend trips. These hikes have enabled us to see some of the stunning scenery that Israel has to offer. One notable trip saw us crossing practically the entire country from north to the south (from Kibbutz Yechiam to Eilat). It was definitely worth the long journey south when we saw the Ramon Crater and other breathtaking sights in the Negev desert and surrounding region. Our excellent guide Yariv has been with us every step of the way, providing us with a wealth of information relating to each site we have visited. If there is a tree, plant or wild animal in Israel that Yariv cannot name, I would like to know it.

I would finish by saying that my experience in Israel has been very positive, this due in large part to the kibbutz and the high school volunteering placement. I have made friends with the other participants and also many of the kibbutz members. I also feel that I have a more rounded understanding of the current political situation in Israel and also a broader knowledge of Israeli culture. I will leave Israel with a much stronger connection to the place and its people and I hope it won't be long before I return.

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