BETHANY, Oklahoma -
Some Bethany
students are getting maybe a bit more of an international experience than they
anticipated. They are in Israel this week as part of an exchange
trip and right now, with violence erupting in the region.
Some students are
on the same trip from New York, have decided to go home because of the
violence. The Bethany principal says he has been surveying parents Friday, to see what they want to do. But most are staying, saying
they are safe and don't want to miss any of this once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.
"So we woke up
this morning and we went to the mall and we went shopping and I got these
really cute shorts," Brennen Ivy told her mother Friday morning.
It is
the most typical of conversations between a daughter and her mom. Only Brennen Ivy is in Israel, skyping with her mom in Oklahoma City. Brennen and eight
other kids from Bethany High School are on the trip as part of the
American/Israel Friendship league.
They are staying
with host families about 20 miles North of Tel Aviv.
"Yesterday on the
news I just heard the word Israel, so I ran into the other room," recalls
Vicki Ivy, Brennen's mother.
Not too far away
violence between Hamas and Israel seems to be escalating.
"I texted her and
said ‘Is anyone saying anything about the missiles?' and she was like ‘What are
you talking about?'," said Vicki.
"We didn't even
know anything was going on, until my mom told me about it," said Brennen.
Vicki says that,
along with her daughter's constant assurances, give her comfort that the
students are indeed safe. In addition the school's principal says the
League is in constant contact with the US Embassy and will get the kids out of
the country if they need to.
The students say
some activities have had to be canceled because of the recent events. They
should be back home on Wednesday.
Two families from
Bethany did decide to bring their students back.
The principal says
that's mostly because their parents were concerned the airports would be closed
and they wouldn't make it home in time for Thanksgiving.
The Bethany principal says he has been surveying parents Friday, to see what they want to do. But most are staying, saying they are safe and don't want to miss any of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
