October 2024

The flight from Dubai to Nairobi was 5 hours. Emirates was a nice airline but it did not blow me away. The food was pretty good, I had some beef and rice. I watched half of Killer of the Flower Moon until a man started talking with me. His name was Komora, a 44 year old Kenyan man visiting his family. Somehow we ended up talking for two hours. He told me his whole life story and gave me some advice. Komora was a flight attendant and has travelled to 66 countries. He has a son that lives in Helsinki Finland and a daughter who lives in Auckland New Zealand. He said he found out that he is not the biological father of the daughter and needs to tell her. He was in Dubai visiting his brother who is struggling with his marriage. He really poured his heart out to me in an authentic way. The whole reason he started talking to me was because I was reading The Economist magazine and the text was super small. He starts telling me how we need to take care of our eyes better and it is one of the most important muscles. It is overlooked a lot and it is importantly not to strain your eyes. He recommended I used a light and anti glare glasses. He said Americans are obnoxious and ignorant and I said yes I kind of agree. He also was shocked when I told him I was 24. His main life advice was, surround yourself with people with your best interest and make sure they bring positive change and positive contribution to your life. He also emphasized how crucial it is to marry the right person and if you find that person you hit the jackpot. We talked about marriage a while and the importance of it and he said he wishes he was married. After our lengthy chat he gave me a bracelet and we exchanged numbers. I arrived at the hostel at 9pm. The Ubers here are extremely cheap and the safest ways round the city. Komora recommended not to use the public transport. Zach and I met up with Josh Katz's fraternity brother Hugh at Nairobi Street Kitchen. Hugh lives here and works for his parents consulting business bringing large fortune 100 companies to Africa and Asia. I tried my first Kenyan beer and we danced to some afro-beats.

Well, today I woke up at 7 AM to catch a 9AM flight to Nairobi. I still had not received my visa by the time I woke up. Zach and I went to the airport in Sharjah and we were running late. We only could bring 10kg carry on so they tried to make us pay for our extra weight of baggage. This cut down on more of our time. Air Arabia informed me I could not get on the flight without a visa. I knew this was coming but was hoping that the visa would come in before the flight. Zach ended up taking the flight and I had to wait and figure out when and if my visa would arrive. I was a little stressed and decided to weigh my options. My visa was supposed to come in 24 hours but there was no more flights out of Sharjah for the day. I was prepared to stay the night and go tomorrow. At about 10:30 in the morning I finally received my visa after waiting patiently at the airport to determine my next step. I found out there was an Emirates flight out of Dubai at 3:30 pm. I booked it thirty minutes via taxi to helpfully catch the flight. Also air Arabia told me they could not refund me the flight since it was a connection so I had to pay for a new flight either way. I was able to buy the Emirates flight for 400 dollars. It sucks but I am excited to fly the best airline in the world supposedly. In the Dubai airport there's so many British people I do not know why. It's a little too posh for my liking. Dubai does a good job of merging futurism and conservative Islam values. It's an interesting dynamic. I stopped by the Emirates NBD bank to inquire how trading on the stock exchange works here. Now I'm waiting for my flight to Nairobi at the lounges in Dubai. Not ideal situation but it is a good lesson to learn to check all the visa laws ahead of time. Being from the US we are fortunate to travel visa free to many countries but this was the first time I needed a visa before even boarding a flight.

I am writing this from Sharjah, UAE. I have an overnight layover here before going to Kenya tomorrow, hopefully. Today we went to the house of justice to transfer the property rights of the new apartment to Zach and myself. We literally brought our bags because we had to go to the airport directly after. It was a quick and efficient process. We closed the deal with an hour left in Georgia! We headed to the airport and five minutes before our flight I was called to the front desk. The Air Arabia attendee said I could not get on the flight since I did not have a visa to get into Kenya. I did not know I even needed a visa, I thought you could get it there. I started to scramble what to do. I quickly went online and filled out the visa application. It cost 200 dollars for an expedited visa. Supposedly to get into Kenya as a US citizen you need to apply for a visa a week in advance. If you do it that way it's only 38 dollars… I applied for the visa and they let me on the flight to the UAE. I still have not received the visa yet so I am not sure if I will be able to get on the flight to Kenya tomorrow morning. When I landed in the UAE for the first time I immediately noticed some things. Theres sand instead of grass on the sidewalks. It's pretty hot and the people were pushy at the restaurant and gas station we went to. Maybe I'm tired and cranky but it was not a good first impression. After Africa I will come back and spend a couple days in Dubai to see how I like it. George, who sold us the apartment said Dubai is the place to make money. It's very foreigner friendly for investment and I'm curious about the opportunity there. Headed to bed now because I have to wake up pretty early.

Tonight is my last night in Georgia. It has been an amazing 2.5 weeks in this special and unique country. Zach and I were able to close a deal on an apartment in the up and coming ski region literally on the last day we were here. I did not realize how much effort goes into making a deal and wiring large sums of money internationally. I learned so much about business and negotiating! This is why I quit my job, to curate awesome experiences and take calculated risks. I want to build something my family and future family will be proud of. Georgia has so much beautiful nature and there is so much to do. Also the country is incredibly cheap and I believe it should be on everyone's lists in the next five years. Today I realized this is my last time in the "western world" for a while. Heading to Africa and Asia will be a big change in the journey. I am excited for the novelty of new places and experiences again. Another idea that occurred to me throughout my time here is how two different people can value the same thing differently. This can be property, stocks, friendships, really anything. You can create your own value hierarchy. Not all value hierarchies are created equally though so you have to design yours properly and with sufficient data that it is optimized for health and longevity, if you choose to optimize for these. **Key takeaways from my time here:** 1. Put yourself in positions to meet people who do cool things 2. The Soviet Union and communism caused a lot of harm to a lot of people 3. Geopolitics is not black and white, there is a lot of gray 4. Traveling slow and home basing a single place is better than changing hostels every other day 5. I do not mind the cold, but I am a Florida boy at heart and prefer the temperate climates 6. Continue to strive to be completely present in every interaction

Zach and I went to the city of Sighnagi today. The city is known for traditional wine making methods which date back 8,000 years! The Georgian traditional method to ferment the wine uses large clay pots called qvevri. The qvevri vessels are semi-porous, allowing micro-oxygenation, which enhances the complexity of the wine. Their egg-like shape encourages circulation, improving fermentation and flavor development. Unlike modern stainless steel vats, qvevri vessels require no additional preservatives or chemicals. This method relies on natural fermentation, making it a staple of organic winemaking. Wines made in qvevri tend to be robust, earthy, and tannic, with complex flavors and a fuller body, particularly due to the extended skin contact of the grapes. The amber wines, made by fermenting white grapes with their skins, are a signature of Georgian qvevri winemaking. Overall it was really cool learning about such an ancient technology and the wines were very unique. Also at lunch today overlooking the city, I decided I am going to reinvigorate learning complex mathematics and quantum electrodynamics again.

I woke up this morning to the sound of church bells. I woke up slow and groggy. I took a shower and brushed my teeth. As I was putting on my shirt for the day I noticed a tag on the inside of my shirt for the first time. It says "CLARITY IS THE ULTIMATE CURRENCY". I wear this shirt a lot and I never noticed this profound statement. I began to dissect what this means and why I have never noticed it. This statement is serendipitous because it encapsulates adventure capitalism. How do you gain clarity? Why is clarity the ultimate form of currency? What is currency? It all comes down to one thing, consumption. There are various forms of consumption, what you take in through sight, through taste, through hearing, through smelling, through touch. Humans are effectively data sensor collectors. The only difference between us and a computer is that the data we collect through our senses vastly impacts our thoughts and emotions, which can either lighten or obscure your clarity. **Clarity and intuition go hand in hand** so if your clarity is dampened then you cannot properly intuit either. When you wake up in the morning, what are you consuming? If you go directly to your phone and social media or even texts messages you consume information that pulls your awareness to possibly undesirable places. **How do you sharpen clarity?** It really depends on the person but I personally like being outside and connecting with the natural sounds and sights of nature. This process demands that you are extracted from your individualistic ego and see the creation as a bigger picture immediately. This produces feelings of humility, which is a big key towards clarity. **Why is clarity not just a form of currency but the ULTIMATE?** Usually when people think of currency it is to buy something for themselves, a nice car or new shoes etc. However, when you attain true clarity you understand that the whole point of creation is for the other, to be selfless, to have humility, to give. Therefore, when you enhance and sharpen your clarity and use it as a form of currency you are able to give yourself fully! This means you are able to serve humanity, the planet and the universe to the ULTIMATE extent.

Today was an action packed day. I woke up and the owner of the guest house, Mother Goari, made Zach and I breakfast. It was a traditional Georgian breakfast with pancake things and vegetables with nuts. After breakfast we went to drop our laundry off for a much needed wash. While waiting for my laundry I read a few pages of my book, The Old Man and the Sea, while Zach went to the Bank of Georgia to finalize opening a bank account. After, I met up with the seller of the Gudauri apartment, Joseph Cohen. He is a French Moroccan Israeli Jew who is 65 years old. He was very nice and charismatic and we had a great talk. We discussed geopolitics and his investments in Georgia over the past years. He told me that the Georgian economy is like a yoyo. This means small geopolitical disturbances can create large fluctuations in prices. He told me that the Emirates is the next place to make money. We met at his nail salon he owns in Tbilisi which was cool. I really enjoyed talking and learning from him. He is about to move back to Israel and work on more projects there. I walked 40 minutes to a barbershop appointment I had down Rustaveli street. I went to Partizan Barber shop and my barber was Arsen. He was a magician with the scissors. **It was probably the best haircut I ever had.** He didn't speak any English. I just showed him a picture and he went to town. He was meticulous and focused. He used this blow dryer with an attachment which was super cool. He also trimmed my facial hair which was a first for me. It was 25 dollars total! In the US that service easily could be 75-100 dollars. After getting cut up I walked back and got ready for Shabbat. At the Shabbat meal I met two cool guys, Yosef and Yaakov. They told me their life stories and we laughed and enjoyed. It was a really nice time. I just have 5 more days left in Georgia. Hopefully we can close the deal on the apartment in the ski region as well as head to the wine region to relax and explore.

Back in Tbilisi, drove all day today. Just wanted to drop these pictures from today. Jared, Zach and I went to Prometheus Cave which is near Kutaisi. Today is Jared's last night. I am very grateful for him coming all the way to Georgia for a week. The three of us are lucky enough to have been on a handful of great adventures together.

It stopped raining and the sun peaked through the clouds this morning! I walked the property of the hotel and enjoyed the smells of the nature after the rain. I was able to regain some clarity with the pause in rain. Your environment really plays a huge role in your psyche. It's crucial to surround yourself with the proper nature that best suits you. That's why traveling is so important. You are able to deduce which nature you want to diffuse with. I've been in Georgia for a week and want to give my proper analysis of the country. **Tbilisi** - The capital city is where all the action is at. It's becoming developed and there are lots of things to do and see. **Countryside** - When I drove out into the countryside you could still see the remnants of the Soviet strangle hold on the country. Poverty and Soviet architecture and abandon buildings reap the streets. The young people are all moving to Tbilisi for better opportunity. **Geography** - The country is mountainous and has a variety of landscapes. **Food & Wine** - The food is yummy and unique but heavy, you cannot eat it everyday. The wine is spectacular. People do not know that Georgia is one of the oldest producers of wine and have their own unique fermentation process. **People** - The people are friendly and welcoming to foreigners but are still serious and eastern European. There isn't much crime or homelessness in the main cities which is nice. Some stray dogs roam the street but they are well behaved. **Politics** - The country really wants to be a part of the EU but it seems like there is much corruption in the government. Overall I really like Georgia and recommend it to any one looking for a unique new country to visit. There's skiing, history, hiking, beaches, caves, and more.

I have not seen the sun in four days. Not being in sunlight definitely affects your energy levels. I have always lived in warm climate places and never experienced the seasonal darkness people talk about. It is obvious that sunlight is crucial for life, but I never realized how much of an affect it can play on the human system. I am currently in a small down called Tskaltubo, outside of the third biggest city in Georgia, Kutaisi. This place is known for its hot springs and healing mineral waters. There is a lot of abandoned soviet architecture here. Joseph Stalin would come to this place for the healing properties of the waters. Today Zach, Jared and I went to one of the spas. **It was a super weird and unique experience.** We got the hydrotherapy massage. The building looked like a hospital from the 1950s. We each got our own rooms and in the rooms there was a bathtub looking thing. A nurse who barely spoke any english came and instructed me what to do. I sat in the mineral bath for ten minutes and then the nurse used a pressurized water gun to massage my body. It was weird but funny. The mineral waters here are enriched with radon which gives them their special properties. We are going back tomorrow for another session. We have another night here, but I am looking forward to being back in the sunlight in Tbilisi. Today marks one month of the start of my trip. The days all merge together and each day is filled to the brim with new experiences.

I have been off center the past two days. I am getting over the phase of the trip where it feels like a vacation and transitioning into this lifestyle for the next six months. On vacation you are always on the go to sight see and explore. However, now the traveling is my lifestyle, I am a traveler. The past two days have been slow due to the rain here in Batumi on the Black Sea, and I believe it knocked me off my focus. This morning I woke up and went on a walk to realign and remember why I decided to do this. I wanted to adventure and travel the world, to experience different places and cultures while I am young and healthy. I want to take calculated risks and try my hand at investing and starting a business, to build something for my future family and friends. On the slow days when there is not much excitement some doubts can start to creep in due to the discomfort and lack of clarity. Zach made a nice analogy of being on top of a hill before a long hike. From the top of the hill you see where you want to end up, and you see a valley between two hilltops. As you begin to walk the journey you lose sight of the hilltop you started from, you lose sight of why you started the journey in the first place. All you are left to do is trudge along in the valley in the dark of night. Now you are in the depths of a gorge, not knowing where you started or where the end is. **It is required of a young man to continue along the journey, even when it is difficult and uncomfortable.** It is required to trust your former intuition of why you started the journey in the first place. After my walk Zach and I went to Chabad of Batumi. It was my first time getting to go to Chabad on the travels. There were about 50 people there and it was really beautiful to ground myself. We met really cool Israeli's who were also traveling. An older gentleman, Yoram told us all of his travel stories and investment advice. We talked with Yaella and a drummer guy who were about our age about traveling as well. It was so nice talking with them and hearing their stories.

I woke up and went on a nice city walk alone. I walked down the main street of Tbilisis, Rustavel Avenue. It was the first sunny day in Georgia, a beautiful 65 degrees and sunny. I walked across the Bridge of Peace and took in the natural beauty of the place. After my walk I met up with Zach to meet Levan for lunch. Levan is a local Georgian who helped us last year understand the Georgian economy and tax laws. After lunch we met up with Jared and had a glass of semi-sweet white Georgian wine. We road the gondala up to the hill to see the Mother of Georgia. **Wow what a fantastic view it was right while the sun was setting.** Later that evening we enjoyed a nice sulphur bath. Georgia is known for their hot sulphur baths with healing properties. There was a cold plunge and the hot bath and we drank hot tea while enjoying. It felt as if I was transported back in time! After the sulphur baths we enjoyed traditional Georgian cuisine which was really yummy. To end our night we went to a karaoke bar and the boys all got to sing their favorite songs!

Wow what a day. I woke up pretty late at about 11:30. Zach and I went to tour apartments in Gudauri at around 12:30. There was a whole fiasco with getting a key to see the apartment. The realtor was not with us so we had to go to the various front desks to see the places. We saw 4 different units in total. One unit stuck out which was a one bedroom with an amazing balcony overlooking the main plaza. We met with the property manager of the unit and he gave us some very valuable information. After seeing the units we said goodbye to Gudauri and drove back to Tbilisi. A 2 hour drive turned into 3 hours with traffic. Zach and I returned to our guest house and got Thai food for dinner. We had been eating a lot of Georgian food already. We discussed business over a nice glass of semi-sweet wine. It was a jam packed day and I learned so much about investment strategies and real estate so quickly! Jared's flight got delayed so he should arrive tomorrow early in the morning. Looking forward to the triangulation and for the Blargvengers to reunite!

I landed in the country of Georgia in the capital of Tbilisi at 00:30 on Monday. The flight was a little bumpy and I was dehydrated. I was excited to get to the first new country on the trip. Zach and I had been talking about going to Georgia for over a year now and it was such a great feeling for a year's worth of ideas and planning to come into reality. When I landed I started to take note of all of the details of Georgia. I first noticed a lot of election related billboards. On October 26th Georgia will undergo a monumental election to decide the fate of the country. They will elect a 150 person parliament. If the incumbent stays in power, Georgia is more likely to become closer to Russia, however if the opposition wins, Georgia has a clear path paved towards joining the European Union. As Georgia is a key place Zach and I are looking to invest and do business, this election is of critical importance to us. I also noticed many real estate advertisements immediately in the airport. There are so many crazy developments which are going on here. I am not sure if it is a good sign or if it oversaturated. When we drove to our hostel we stopped for gas. The gas here is super cheap due to proximity to the Gulf region. Today we rented a car and drove to the ski region of Georgia, Gudauri. This was high on our prospective investment list due to our love for skiing and the high growth tourism that the area could offer. We drove two hours from Tbilisi high into the mountains. It was rainy and cold but we talked to some locals and received very valuable information. **It was cool being on the frontier, as an adventure capitalist for the first time.** We learned so much just from being there and exploring. Tomorrow we meet with realtors to tour some units.

I am sitting in a nice outdoor Internet cafe in Jerusalem. I leave for Georgia in about 5 hours. I wanted to reflect on my biggest takeaways from my three weeks in Israel. **Key Takeaways:** 1. Make health, working out, and longevity a priority 2. Make sure to be aware of the sounds you consume 3. Give your friends some extra kindness and acknowledgment 4. Move forward towards growth despite the struggles of the past 5. Don't rush the mornings 6. Eat fresh fruits 7. Walking everywhere is key 8. Judaism can be done in infinite ways 9. Drink lots of water 10. Israelis lack chivalry. Being chivalrous is a loving way to live

Today was Yom Kippur. I woke up late and sat on the balcony of our Airbnb. Around 1300 Ron Zach and I walked to Gan Sacher Park. We met some interesting people in the park. We spent about 4 hours there throwing frisbee, laying in the grass, and philosophizing. It's important to bring out your childish nature and not take life too seriously. Channeling childish energy can pave the way for true connection to the infinite. It's my last night in Israel after a three week trip. Wow so many amazing experiences and things I've learned about life and this special place. I'm excited to start the adventure but am so grateful to be in Israel during this time. Everybody told me Sukkot is the best time to be in Israel so I will have to come back another time. The people are so welcoming and treat you like their own. I want to bring this warmness and openness and welcomeness into my own life. To go above and beyond to make the other comfortable. I admire the courageousness and resilience of the soldiers and the people. At times I felt inspired to join the Israeli Defense Force to contribute to the country and people. In the first three weeks here in Israel I learned so much about myself and my outlook on life. I'm looking forward to further growing and integrating my learnings from Israel throughout the trip.

I woke up in Netanya and got a passion fruit and mango smoothie. It was really yummy. Ron Zach and I then took a two hour bus from Netanya to Jerusalem. It was a long journey but we got to Jerusalem at around 15:30. After settling into our Airbnb Ron and I went to Gan Sacher to get a nice workout in. The air was so crisp and the weather was so nice. In the evening Ron and I met up with Chaim Rosenheim and his friend Miles at Hatch at the Shuk. The last time I saw Chaim was 5 years ago at FSU. It was great hearing about his experiences in Israel and all the amazing opportunities Jerusalem had to offer. At dinner we sat next to a South African by the name of Dean. He is a reservist in the IDF and told us how he was probably going into Lebanon tomorrow. He told us how a bomb flew by his arm a couple days ago. He has been in and out of Gaza and Lebanon the past year. **It was crazy seeing a hero in the flesh just casually sitting next to you at a bar. This is Israel.** He told us how the IDF tried to airstrike a mansion base in Lebanon but it was so secure they had to go in by foot. On the ground they destroyed it and found truck loads of explosives with names of places in Israel they were about to drive in and do an attack on. It was really inspiring to see his bravery and he acted so nonchalantly about his experiences. After the Shuk we went to the old city for selichot. We sang songs and danced together. It was great energy and an awesome time!

Today was a great day. I woke up in Tel Aviv and packed my bags and caught the bus to Netanya to meet up with my good friend Ron from college. Ron was one of the first people I met at University of Florida freshman year. Zach and I got off the bus and walked to his Safta's (Grandmother's) house. She was there with two of her siblings. She made an amazing lunch for us. It was really nice seeing her hang out with her siblings at such an old age. They all live within walking distance of each other and hang out a lot. **That is one thing I value a lot about the Israeli lifestyle, family over everything.** She made mafrum, which had meat in the middle of cooked potatoes and dbecha, a meat stew with cus cus on the bottom. I said it was my favorite part of the trip so far because it was so special. She didn't speak English but she welcomed us like her own. She and her brother were born in Tripoli Libya. There were programs there where the government said there is a free for all to kill Jews. Also after the holocaust ashkenazi Jews would kidnap sefardic Jews since they did not have any kids. Her and her brother were kidnapped and eventually rescued by their parents. It was so cool to spend time with Ron and his family. Ron Zach and I then went to the beach to throw frisbee and kick the soccer ball around. It was nice and relaxing. A few hours went by and Zach and I got spaghetti for dinner. Netanya is known for a lot of French people so it was cool seeing all the various restaurants in the street. After dinner Zach and I met Ron and his father on the beach for his dad's birthday. He was really cool and we talked about surfing. We closed the night by going to a city wide concert that was taking place right outside our Airbnb. It was a band called Akiva. We finished the night by philosophizing about love on the beach while looking up at the stars and hearing the waves crash.

I started my day energized and inspired. I wrapped tefillin and got dressed to do a hard run for the year anniversary of October 7th. I started walking down the board walk with my headphones in. I noticed the natural beauty of this place. Literally 5 seconds later I see people running to the shelter. It's crazy on the anniversary of October 7th the people of Israel still are dealing with this. I heard booms from the interceptions. After I ran my fastest 5k yet, 22:04. **I ran for the hostages who have been strong for a year and for all the beautiful lives lost a year ago today.** If I could emulate a sliver of their strength I'd be happy. After running I met Zach at a fire Hummus spot, Sharon Hummus. We ate and enjoyed. Then we pretty much went to the beach all day and met up with Marissa. We hucked the disc and went in the water. Fish nibbled our feet. Also we found a dead squid and put squid ink under our eyes. It was dark and concentrated. After a long day at the beach we got sushi on Rothschild street. We walked a while to dizengoff for an October 7th memorial. I had amazing gelato at Golda too. After I met up with my friend Neev who moved here from Dallas. It was great seeing him and hearing about his past month in Israel. It's so cool already in two weeks on the journey meeting up with so many people along the way!

Today I woke up in Jerusalem and checked out of our Airbnb. Zack and I headed to the Knesset to meet our camp counselor from Camp Coleman, Itay Gliner. Itay was my counselor at camp over ten years ago. Every time I have been back to Israel my friends and I have made it a point to see him. In 2016, 2022 and now in 2024. We rode the bus up the hill to the Knesset. It was hard getting in at first since we were it in a formal tour but eventually they let us in with some explaining. We met Itay and he took us to his office. **He is the press secretary for the speaker of the Knesset!** He asked us about our lives and why we are in Israel. We reminisced about going to a reform Jewish summer camp and the pros and cons of the experience. He told us how it was like in the government and in Israel since the war started last year. It was great to see him and connect. He showed us around the speaker's office and around the Knesset room itself. He explained to us some details of Israeli politics and it was super interesting. We decided to eat lunch at the Knesset because why not?! I had salmon with rice and soup and an ice cream bar. After the great time with him we headed to TLV via train. It was an easy trip this time because we did not miss any trains. We arrived to our hostel, the same one as previously, and met up with Marissa to head to the beach. We went into the water and did beach calisthenics. After our workout Zach showed me his favorite burger he ever had. it was pretty yummy in dizengoff square. The rest of the night Zach Marissa and I got drinks at bars. It was a Sunday night so it was pretty quiet. All in all it was a very nice day.

I went to the Kotel again in the morning for the second day of Rosh Hashanah. I did the same routine as the day before. When leaving the Kotel a guy stopped me and asked me if wanted to join a Soodah. I asked him what a Soodah was. He explained it is a feast, which is different from a meal. A meal is to eat but a feast is to commemorate and celebrate and food is the mode to do that. I liked that explanation. I ended up talking to this guy for 1.5 hours. He was born in Brooklyn but lives in Israel. He seems about my age. He told me how he is homeless and mentally ill. He gets 4,000 sheckels from the government each month but spends it all in a day. He goes around begging for money. I listened to his story. He started saying how flat concrete is terrible and destroys the human body and how it's best to walk barefoot in the woods. He also said I should buy a tent and live in the forest to save money. He had interesting ideas and I tried to listen to him openly but after 1.5 hours of talking it was clear he was mentally ill. He said he had mental illness but didn't specify what.

In Jerusalem everything is closed. Barely any cars on the street and nothing to do. I woke up and went to the Kotel alone. At the Western Wall it was not very crowded, people must have been doing Rosh Hashanah services at their synagogues. It was cool listening to the shofar constantly. I did a silent reflection and meditation and prayed for my friends and family. One sefardic Torah scroll stuck out to me which had the Choshen, the priestly breastplate with twelve gems. It was stunning. I loved seeing all the various groups pray and blow the shofar differently. In the afternoon Zach and I threw the frisbee in the park. We are pretty good and love throwing it together. It's a good workout and it's reminiscent of our youth at camp. **It's super nice not having any noise pollution these past few days.** There's no honking or yelling or other sounds. In big urban city centers you don't realize how bad the noise can be for mental clarity. That's why it's so important to be in nature to reflect. In the US when driving a majority of the day or living in a crowded neighborhood you never get silence. Noise and frequency is the basis of creation so it's extremely important what noise and music and sounds you expose yourself to. The past couple days with no sounds has been so great for mental clarity.

The past few days have been very chill but filled with very memorable moments. Wednesday night started Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New year. It's a two day festival where Jews crown Hashem as king and recommit to the oneness and make goals to strive for the next year. On Wednesday night Zach and I joined a local family's Rosh Hashanah dinner. It was very nice of them to host us. During dinner the host commented how later that evening he was going to see a big rabbi, Reb Itche Meir Morgenstern. The host told us he is the biggest Tzadik of our generation, a very high and righteous being. Zach and I agreed to go check out this rabbi since we have encountered very spiritual people in the past and wanted to see how it compared. Zach, myself, the host and his two teenage sons walked about an hour deep into Mea Shearim. Mea Shearim is a neighborhood in Jerusalem known for being ultra ultra orthodox and fundamentalist. People do not use smart phones and the news is posted on the walls of the city. As we walked through the neighborhood late at night it was cool seeing no cars in the road and kids wandering the streets by themselves. They rode bicycles and scooters and eight year old children walked their 2 year old siblings around. It was like taking a portal back in time. Since it was Rosh Hashanah you cannot use your phone so we had to ask for directions the whole way. We got lost many times through many twists and turns but eventually found our way to the esteemed rabbi. We walked into the building where he was davening Maariv (praying the nightly prayer). There were probably 1,000 people all dressed in white with payot and large hats. I was wearing a red shirt and stuck out like crazy! The place where the 1,000 people gathered was pretty much a run down concrete structure. There were no walls or ceiling just concrete. **It was a mosh pit in there.** We had to push and shove our way to the front to try and catch a glimpse of the rabbi. People in the building were screaming and praying very emotionally, looking upwards waving their hands. It was like Dune on steroids. In the front was the fragile old Rabbi. He had a prayer book that was probably 5,000 pages thick. He wore a tallit over his head so you could not see him. We pushed all the way to the front and stood right beside him. Water was dripping from the ceiling while the thousand followers studied and prayed. Every few seconds the rabbi would grab a towel and wipe his eyes. He was crying from the prayer and emotional stimulation. People would gasp when he turned his head, just hoping to catch a glimpse of his mustache and/or face. He took 1.5 hours to do one prayer, the amidah. After the prayer he scurried off into a private room. When he scurried off behind a wall I caught a glimpse of his piercing blue eyes. He came back out five minutes later and his followed all pushed to great him. There was one part of the service where he said words out loud and the 1,000 Jews there did a call and repeat. The rabbi did hand signals for when the congregation to stop and to keep going. After the service everyone pushed to the front to get a blessing from the rabbi. It reminded me of the Travis Scott crowd crunch. It was a mad house. I got my blessing from him as he looked me in the eye and motioned his hand. We walked out of the prayers and enter red to reality. That place was a portal to an alternate universe. It was pretty weird how crazy all the congregation was about one man. It weirded me out but it was cool catching a glimpse into their community and lifestyle. I did not have any crazy spiritual experience while being in his presence. It was more just a show and a mad house in there.

Today I experienced being under attack by 200 intercontinental ballistic missiles. I want to first start with some thoughts and then I will convey the story via writing and video. **This was the first time I had feared for my life and experienced the psychological effects of terrorism.** It is really sad to me that I was personally under attack for being Jewish and being in Israel. In the US and on social media you always see videos and news but it never really feels personal or an attack on your life until you are under fire. It saddened me there are people in the world who hate me but don't even know me, just because I am Jewish. I try and strive to be compassionate for them even though they are very lost and filled with hate. I experienced the psychological effects of the terror attack. When I ran to my hostel from the shelter I was constantly looking over my shoulder and even the smallest sound scared me. I heard things that sounded like sirens but it was just an ambulance or a door. These small little triggers are the effects of terrorists on the mind. The past week I was walking around care free not worrying about anything. Now I am worried and any loud noise reminded me of a rocket boom or a siren. I have this feeling and I only experienced one attack. I can't imagine all the Israelis who have gone through it multiple times and stories of US and Israeli militarily members with PTSD from war and booms and attacks. In the parking garage shelter there was a baby. It was sad to see how children and families and people of all ages had to go through this together. I was trying to watch my mind from a bird's eye view throughout the attack. It was a roller coaster. Right when you think it's okay and safe you hear a ginormous boom and rattling so close it shakes your bones. **Being in the unknown was the most terrifying part.** I was not sure if I'd be there for hours or days. This is also a psychological game. As humans we seek control and understanding of events even if they are way beyond our control. We make up fictitious scenarios which stress us out and cause psychological harm. For example I made up a story how terrorists would storm the shelter I was in. Even though this was a real threat it was out of my control. Being comfortable in the unknown in all aspects of life is a true skill for mental stability. The following day, October 2nd, people resumed their lives as normal. There was so much life and happiness. Kids playing in the street, children walking their babies, friends hanging out in cafe's. For me the effects of the attack calmed down when I saw a bunch of people happy and enjoying their lives immediately. **The people of Israel are truly resilient and strong and happy.** The morning was an amazing. I woke up and ran a 5k on the beach and did push ups and pull ups. It was a beautiful day out. In the afternoon Zach and I decided to go check out the waves for surfing in Jaffa. We left our phones at the hostel and headed to the beach. The conditions were terrible for surfing, mushy waves and very windy, but Zach still wanted to go so I gave in. Mayaan, the owner of the surf shop was super nice. She didn't charge a lot and gave us all the info on the surf. I returned my board and Mayaan told me, "there will probably be missiles tonight so stay safe". I didn't think anything of it because I had not been on my phone and there have been missiles in Israel the whole year. This is around 1800. After surfing Zach and I threw the frisbee on the beach and then went to go get kombucha at a chill spot in town. On the way to the kombucha bar I ran into two people on two separate occasions from our volunteering trip. They both said that there are reports of missiles but did not say anything about the extend. Still Zach and I did not care because we're Israelis and not tourists. Things began to get real when we left the kombucha bar and saw all the restaurants closing up. The main street of Tel Aviv was a ghost town. It was very eerie. We were still so oblivious since we have not been on our phones in hours. We ask a soldier on the street what's going on and he said just get back home. It did not seem like there was an imminent threat so we still walked calmly to our hostel. Then on the Main Street as we are walking back to the hostel I see about 10 people run into a hotel. At first I thought they were just guests but then I see more people rushing frantically into an apartment building. We decide to follow them into the building and ask what is going on. We are in the third floor of the stairwell of an apartment building with about 7 other people. A guy lent us his phone and told us Iran is attacking. This was a shock because I thought it would just be one or two missiles from Yemen or hezbollah. **It turns out Iran would be sending 200 ballistic missiles, the largest missile attack on any country ever.** When I heard the sirens and the announcements for the first time my heart started racing. Then the booms started. We did not know if they were direct hit, interceptions, or the scale of what was going on. For all I knew the building I was in could easily have a direct hit and blow up. Also there were reports of terrorist attacks in Jaffa, where I was an hour earlier which made it seem like a larger coordinated attack. I even had thoughts of terrorists storming the apartment building I was in. The emotions and fear came in waves. At times it was silent, and then all of the sudden the entire apartment would rumble and booms sounding extremely close. I was prepared to shelter for hours if needed. I was so in the dark and clueless about everything going on I tried to surrender. It was a dream like state but my heart was still racing pretty fast. The Israelis we were with were scared too so it didn't help. When there was a break in the rockets the Israelis said there is a better shelter 100 meters away. I was torn whether to run for it or just stay. I did not know if more missiles would start any minute or a terrorist would be in the streets waiting for us. After contemplation we all went and ran to a parking garage under ground. We stayed in this parking garage for about 15 minutes. The Israelis we were with told us they got an alert it was safe to leave the shelter. Still Zach and I were nervous if we should stay longer or run to the hostel. Like I mentioned for all we know more terrorists could be in the street or more rockets any moment. Everyone was leaving and we didn't have our phones so we decided to walk/run back. It was crazy. We were on high alert checking every corner. Small noises scared me and I though I heard sirens multiple times but it was just ambulance or other noises. We made it back to the hostel and got our phones and told everyone we are safe. It was around 2230. All the restaurants were closed and we were still hungry. We decided to go back out and look for food. I was nervous going out to the street still but it was important not to let the psychological terror get to me. Most places were closed but some bars were open. The streets were dead. People glanced at me weird as i walked the street. Luckily a grocery store was open and I got hummus and chips. We made it back to the hostel still shaken up and on high alert. We stayed up late talking to our parents and processing everything. **Wow what a day I'll never forget.**