What is the experience of studying in Israel?

Among the countries studying abroad, Israel is definitely an unpopular one. Statistics show that there are less than 800 China students studying in Israel. Speaking of Israel, the first feeling in your mind is danger and the second feeling is mystery, right? Can such a "war-torn and dusty" country still study abroad? The following answers hope to dispel your doubts.

Is it developed?

Objectively speaking, from the basic economic and social data, Israel is a developed country with a high level. The per capita GDP of international exchange rate benchmark is roughly at the same level as that of Hong Kong and Japan, lower than that of major countries in North America and Western Europe, but higher than that of southern Europe. Due to high domestic prices, purchasing power parity per capita GDP is equivalent to that of southern European countries. Take the lowest income as an example. The current level in Israel is 4,500 shekels per month, and the shekel is 1.6: 1. Converted, this minimum income is similar to that of Hong Kong and higher than that of southern Europe. According to the UN's "Human Development Index" which combines life expectancy, education and economic level, Israel ranks close to Denmark, Belgium, Singapore, France and other countries in recent two years.

But as far as I can see subjectively, the comprehensive "sense of development" of Israeli society is still slightly lower than that of these countries. This may be related to the uneven quality of residents, because Israel's return law stipulates that all Jews have the right to return to Israel, but because of the different backgrounds of these immigrants, it is impossible to guarantee their cultural quality and education level at the same level.

How is the folk custom?

Generally speaking, the folk customs in Israel are not as religious and oppressive as many people imagine from a distance. Of course, some parts of Jerusalem still fit this description, but for most secular Jewish-dominated areas, the overall living atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant, even a little casual. Israelis are basically extroverted and enthusiastic, which conforms to the general characteristics of Mediterranean countries. If the rigor of Japan, Germany and Singapore is 100, the United States and Britain is 80, Italy and Spain is 50, and I think Israel is about 70. Not everything can be done by the rules. This means that many things you think can be done, and you may encounter some accidents; At the same time, it also means that things that you think are hopeless sometimes encounter surprises of being saved. As for whether there is no chance or a turning point, it depends on how you communicate with people. I was not used to it at first, because I have adapted to the Germanic rules for more than two years. Later, I feel that this flexibility is sometimes an exercise for myself, because many opportunities in life really have to be won by myself.

Is it safe?

I think security can be divided into two parts, one is general public security, and the other is wartime security. The overall law and order is very good. When I arrived in Israel on the first day, it was already early morning. The street is quiet, and people in some open shops are doing "what should be done". I often go out for a run at night and have never met anything bad. As for the wartime situation, I believe it is absolutely not as terrible as "imagined". Take the last few days as an example. I didn't know that there was a large-scale protest by Ethiopian Jews in Tel Aviv until I saw the news report. The police also used smoke bombs or something. Unconsciously, I still go to school by bus every day, as if nothing had happened on the other side of the same city. I believe that this was probably the case when the war really started.

Is there anything delicious?

Since most Israelis are Jews from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, most delicious food is close to these two regions. The most common ones are Middle Eastern-style pita bread (bread), humus (humus hummus), baba ganoush (baked tomato sauce), shawarma (barbecue), European croissants, cheese, beer and ice cream all over the streets, but it may be difficult to eat German elbows because of Jewish canon. It is worth mentioning that there are many sushi restaurants in other cuisines, and it is said that the density is second only to Tokyo and new york in the world. Thanks to Israel's abundant sunshine and advanced agricultural technology, the quality of vegetables and fruits is very good. Especially tomatoes, eggplants and citrus fruits are big and full of sunshine. As for restaurants that are particularly demanding, they have no money or leisure time to explore. Speaking of agriculture, in addition to drip irrigation technology, it is particularly worth mentioning that the most popular cherry tomato variety in the world comes from the Agricultural College of Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel.

Is there anything interesting?

The nightlife in Tel Aviv is super high. Because many Israelis are half-blood, there are many handsome men and beautiful women. From my male point of view, there are all kinds of beautiful women here, from Slavic blondes to wheat skin color in the Middle East and North Africa. As for girls, it is definitely good to go to the seaside in summer.

Otawa, a scenic spot in Israel, is related to religion, and N holy places in the Bible are just around the corner. Many major civilizations in the east and west have set foot here, leaving some historical sites and so on. In terms of natural scenery, there are snow-capped mountains in the north and deserts in the south. Travel around, the embassy is in Tel Aviv or Ramat Gan, and it should be convenient to go to Europe, Turkey, Jordan and Egypt. However, if you still want to go to Iran and the Gulf countries, it may be more troublesome.

What's the climate like?

The coastal areas of Israel belong to the Mediterranean climate, and some inland areas can be regarded as desert climate. The rainy and hot periods in the Mediterranean climate are not conducive to the growth of vegetation, so it seems that every plant here is very expensive to maintain. However, the advantage of rain-heat inversion is that it will not be particularly hot when the sun is shining, but it can be cooler in a cool place because the humidity in the air is not high. Probably because this climate is very popular with westerners, I feel that there are many people sunbathing in Israel, just like Spain, Italy, Greece and other Mediterranean countries.

How's the traffic?

The railway network in coastal areas is well covered, no different from that in European countries. There are buses between cities and between cities, and buses have regular flights, but they are not completely on time. Parking while driving is a big problem, especially in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. If you take a taxi, the driver may not take the initiative to hit the meter, so you need to express it clearly to avoid the final confusion.

What is the level of the university?

There are not many universities in Israel, which are basically distributed in several big cities, such as Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and so on. The average level should be said to have reached the world-class level, and there are also some very top Nobel Prize winners. Israel's national conditions are different from those of many developed countries, because high school students have to serve in military service for three years after graduation, so they go to college later. Due to the pressure of life, many people choose to work before the age of 30, so the number and proportion of doctoral students are not too high. Perhaps because of this, the output of papers is not so much, which leads to the university ranking is not very prominent. On the other hand, Israel has also won many Nobel heavyweight awards in the past decade, and its cooperation institutions are among the top in other countries, so its level has been internationally recognized. Teachers are basically graduates from top universities in Europe and America, and their level is guaranteed.

What is the internationalization level of universities?

I think this problem may be different from school to school. Judging from Tel Aviv University, the level of internationalization can only be said to be average compared with my previous school in Holland. Only two undergraduate programs and a limited number of master programs are English courses for international students. Perhaps because there are not many international students, it seems that the service organization of the school has not fully prepared all the hardware for international students. However, in recent years, the university has stepped up its internationalization and seems to be particularly interested in attracting students from China and the United States.

If you can only speak English, there will be no problem living in these cities, because almost everyone knows English to some extent. But life will be more convenient if you know Hebrew, Russian or Arabic, that's for sure.

What major is better?

Actually, I can't answer this question. I think we must decide according to our own situation. First, I want to know what I want to learn, and then I will see if Israel is suitable. Generally speaking, I think Israel's life science, information and electronic science, agricultural science and humanities related to the Middle East or Judaism are among the best in the world. In addition, I think what the Jewish nation is best at is breakthrough ideological innovation. Whether monotheism or Christianity, materialism or psychoanalysis, financial innovation or relativity are revolutionary "arguments". And those areas that work hard on details may not be the best here.