For me, one of the most stressful things regarding EIE was preparing for the changes in culture I would face the second we landed in Israel. I've found myself adapting to the Israeli life-style quite well, and realized that I had nothing to worry about. As long as I act like I know what I'm doing, I'll be good. Emerging myself in everyday life has definitely helped me. Whether it's listening to Israeli music, speaking the little Hebrew that I know, or reading Israeli literature, I feel as if I'm connecting to the land of Israel on a deeper level and enhancing my EIE experience.
One piece of Israeli literature that specifically caught my attention was a small, gathered collection of short stories by Etgar Keret (recommended by the one and only Aaron Gertz). I wasn't exactly sure what to expect as I began to read it, but I soon found myself loving his style of writing. He represented Israeli culture and attitudes extremely accurately. I'm still not 100% adapted, but I'm improving each and every day.
I agree 100%. I feel like being in Israel, as opposed to just participating in NFTY or temple stuff, allows me to connect much more with my Judaism and everything around me. I also really liked the Etgar Keret stories, which I found intriguing yet weird at the same time.
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