Abby Oliver (con't)
Oliver conducted research about her destination before she departed, but she quickly grasped that living in Netanya would be very different than living in the United States. “I was there when there were bombings on the Gaza Strip,” Oliver said. “I was taken back when everyone around me remained calm and didn’t seem to find it shocking. Bombings were definitely not an everyday occurrence for me, but it was normal for them.”
Oliver said she sometimes felt uneasy about all of the security that surrounded her in Netanya, but her teammates and coaches were helpful and reassuring. “Even at places like shopping malls or gyms, there were metal detectors and people to check your bags,” Oliver said. “I realized how much people in the US take a lot of things for granted.”
As the danger in Israel intensified, Oliver decided to change her career pursuit to coaching basketball. Though her professional experience in Netanya ended earlier than she had anticipated, she learned some valuable lessons.
“Playing basketball overseas gave me some free time to reflect on things. I came to understand how important my family and friends are to me.” Oliver’s belief that anyone should travel whenever they are able was also confirmed. “If you can afford it, traveling is a great experience,” Oliver said. “You can learn about different people and cultures, but it is different to actually see new things.”
Oliver had originally been worried about how she would be perceived as an American, but was glad that the Israeli people were welcoming. “My roommate and teammates were great, and I learned a lot about the Jewish religion while I was there,” Oliver said. “Israeli people are very dedicated to their religion. Shabbat happens from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. It’s their day of rest.”
Oliver realized how strict Israelis were during Shabbat when they didn’t use electricity. “No one watches TV or even used electricity to cook the big Shabbat dinner,” said Oliver. “It was all about spending time with family. I was very fortunate to be invited by my teammates and have that experience. It is something I’ll never forget.”
Oliver said she sometimes felt uneasy about all of the security that surrounded her in Netanya, but her teammates and coaches were helpful and reassuring. “Even at places like shopping malls or gyms, there were metal detectors and people to check your bags,” Oliver said. “I realized how much people in the US take a lot of things for granted.”
As the danger in Israel intensified, Oliver decided to change her career pursuit to coaching basketball. Though her professional experience in Netanya ended earlier than she had anticipated, she learned some valuable lessons.
“Playing basketball overseas gave me some free time to reflect on things. I came to understand how important my family and friends are to me.” Oliver’s belief that anyone should travel whenever they are able was also confirmed. “If you can afford it, traveling is a great experience,” Oliver said. “You can learn about different people and cultures, but it is different to actually see new things.”
Oliver had originally been worried about how she would be perceived as an American, but was glad that the Israeli people were welcoming. “My roommate and teammates were great, and I learned a lot about the Jewish religion while I was there,” Oliver said. “Israeli people are very dedicated to their religion. Shabbat happens from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. It’s their day of rest.”
Oliver realized how strict Israelis were during Shabbat when they didn’t use electricity. “No one watches TV or even used electricity to cook the big Shabbat dinner,” said Oliver. “It was all about spending time with family. I was very fortunate to be invited by my teammates and have that experience. It is something I’ll never forget.”