Even though Israel is in the Middle East, I find it less and less shocking each day at the number of [native] English speakers there are in this country. Everywhere I go, I hear Americans talking about something else funny or ridiculous that they see in this country, and I love to see tourists being so obviously American that even the shopkeepers know where they are from before they even speak a word of English. Something interesting that I have found since being in Israel this summer is that for some reason, I am now automatically labeled as an “Israeli”, even when I am on Ben Yehuda or in a touristy place like the Israel Museum. But why is that? Is it because of the way I dress? Is there something innate about me that screams “Israeli”? (Clearly not, because I am definitely not an Israeli) Maybe it is just because I do not walk around with my phone around my neck in a large group with other girls who look just like me. Either way, I find it fascinating that compared to a few years ago, when I was automatically categorized as “American”, now that I am living in Israel, I get the label of Israeli.
-Katy