Trans-boundary Water Field Trip
On April 12, Arava students and interns embarked on the Water Trip, led by Dr. Clive Lipchin. This five-day trip was part of a required course for all students called “Water Resource Management in the Middle East.“ The goal? To highlight the challenges and approaches to transboundary water management in Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. The tour began in Israel with a tour of a desalination plan, then continued to the West Bank where students stopped at an ecological center founded by an AIES alumna. The next two days were dedicated to exploring water in Jordan, including a large reservoir, the King Abdullah canal, and the Dead Sea.
AIES Student Profile:
Sami Lawrence
What led you to choose AIES? What elements of the program were compelling to you?
The Arava Institute was pretty much everything I was looking for! I’m majoring in environmental studies and minoring in religious studies. When looking for study abroad opportunities, I knew I wanted to be more connected globally, and I was especially interested in immersing myself in the Middle East.
What has surprised you about this experience? I have been amazed at how well students get along here. We are able to begin really intense discussions in PELS (the Peacebuilding and Environmental Leadership Seminar) and continue the conversation over dinner later that day. It shows how much students really want to learn about one another and how much mutual respect we have for one another. Also, I’ve been surprised at how much enthusiasm everyone has for starting and sharing their own projects. Some students are leading Irish Step dancing and creative writing groups. Other students have started a composting initiative in the dining hall.
Describe a memorable moment so far.
I loved hiking the mountain behind the kibbutz and getting to see the whole landscape and the kibbutz from up high. I could see the mountains of Jordan and it gave me a sense of where I am geographically: between Jordan and Egypt.
How has AIES prepared you for the future/informed your choices for the future?
Studying abroad here has in a sense been a test run to see if I want to work on a more international scale. This experience is definitely shaping that interest and confirming that I am passionate about working on cooperative environmental initiatives. I am also gaining great connections in my fields of interest, particularly aquaponics and aquaculture.
What would you say to a student thinking about studying abroad or interning at AIES?
If you are at all interested in peace and conflict resolution, being here provides an incredible glimpse into how different peace building paradigms work on a practical level – their implications and outcomes. You will also be awed and amazed every day by the beauty of the landscape here!
The Arava Institute is currently accepting applications for summer internships and Fall 2013.
Questions? Email Sarah:
students@friendsofarava.org
