Start of a journey

Aardvark really changed my life. It's true beauty is that you are ultimately responsible for you own experience. There is more freedom than any other program of its type and they set you up with apartments in good areas of tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The basic structure is volunteering in the morning, classes in the afternoon and optional activities most evenings. You could choose from a wide range of volunteer positions (I was an intern at a start up company and volunteered on an ambulance) you can even set up volunteering yourself if you have a specific passion that they could set it up yourself. You can also switch volunteer positions, so the experience here is all on yourself.
You can take a light or heavy classload. However, I was somewhat disappointed in the short amount of Hebrew lessons and the selection of classes. I know it is a small amount of students so they can only have so many classes but I think a larger emphasis on Hebrew should be given. It is the language here and you will be living here for at least half a year after all. That being said I worked hard on my Hebrew in class and volunteering and improved my Hebrew a lot.
Activities were a little bit hit or miss but that is on how many people show up and with what attitude.
Field trips were generally once a week and were educational and enjoyable

The true beauty of the aardvark program is its freedom. Most evenings after 6 and nearly all weekends you are free. I had no choice but to learn how to cook, you must feed yourself
There are lots to explore in both cities, more than you can ever do in 4 months. In tel Aviv you are 2 minutes walk from some of the best bars in tel Aviv on Florentine Street.
You must learn how to budget yourself, a true life skill. Every weekend I went on a different adventure, I tried not to be in the apartments on the weekends, tried to really experience the country without breaking the bank. Aardvark allowed me to do that, and based on my year in Israel I decided to stay and make aliyah
Would recommend for the adventurous type.
In short great opportunity that I would recommend to anyone who is looking to spend some time in Israel before college