Militza Meza
One year before going to Israel the idea of studying a Master Degree in Tel Aviv did not cross my mind. My family and friends where really shocked when they knew about my decision. My only connection to the Holly Land was through readings from the Old Testament. I am a Mexican, non - Jewish, with an International Business major. I worked in the business field for more than four years. Although being business minded, in a practical sense, I also graduated from International Relations while studying and working abroad, traveling around the world and making friends from different countries. In this context, a Master in Political Sciences taught in the country where the stories of the Bible took place was really appealing to me.
At first glance, it was evident that Israel was the right place to study security and diplomacy. Because its geopolitical situation, the country has been forced to surpass many political and diplomatic challenges and develop expertise in the security field. Furthermore, the Middle East is at the center of the world´s attention. While studying security and diplomacy at Tel Aviv, I did not only learn about these topics, but I also lived them. I witnessed the outbreak of the Arab Spring, felt the Arab- Israeli conflict and meet some Ambassadors to Israel and the Prince of Spain.
The program offered by Tel Aviv University provides a complete theoretical and practical approach. The Security Field trips along the borders of Israel and the Middle East Crisis Simulation were very illustrative to me. On the other hand, classes such as the International System and Introduction to Diplomacy enabled me to deeply understand the IR theories. Moreover the class group was formed by a diverse group of students with different backgrounds from almost every region of the globe; their comments and opinions broadened my perspective of the topics taught at the classroom. In addition, the program schedule is flexible; therefore, I had the opportunity to do an internship at the Embassy of Mexico in Israel.
My days in Israel were full of amazing experiences, exotic moments and surprises. I was particularly touched by attending to some meetings organized by the University called “Hidabrut”. The aim of Hidabrut is to promote dialogue between Israeli and Palestinians. During the meetings I had the chance to hear stories related to the conflict; they both exposed how the conflict has affected their lives and their families. Their stories went beyond what I learned in class about the Middle East history, treaties, borders and international law. This definitely changed my viewpoint of the problem.
Overall I really enjoyed my time in Israel. Tel Aviv is a beautiful city and a great place to live; it embodies the East and the West simultaneously. I fell for the land where the milk and the honey flows. Studying in TAU and living in Israel was one of the best experiences I have ever lived. I was able to acquire solid knowledge of the global geopolitics and diplomacy tools, learn about Israeli security doctrine, understand the roots of the Middle East conflict and gain a vivid perception of it. It also redirected the course of my professional career.
I am currently working in the development of a security project for my state. In the near future I would like to join the Mexican Foreign Ministry and focus in bilateral (The United States-Mexico) and multilateral security agreements; undoubtedly, the Master in Security and Diplomacy at TAU granted me the tools to successfully do it.
Militza Meza
Political Analyst
Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry
