Reflection on a cross-cultural experience (Culture Blog 1)

[Elliott Hammer]

When I was in Israel one thing that struck me was that all my little cousins knew they were going to be in the army when they turned 18. When I was there they asked me if I was joining the army here and they were surprised to hear me say no. In Israel everybody serves in the army after highschool (3 years for men, 2 for women). This is understandable to me because Israel is definitely a country that cannot afford to ever have a number drop in their military. It just struck me that I might have grown up thinking differently if I had known that I was going into the army when I hit 18. I suppose that's because the idea is so foreign to me and there it is normal.