March of the Living 1999 Diary

April 12, 11:00 PM

We had the Yom HaShoah ceremony this evening. About 15 people spoke, and I sang 4 songs. I say "I sang" because one song I did alone and one I did with 3 other people. The two survivors on the trip with us spoke a little. All in all, it was a sad ceremony, but for me not a particularly emotional one.

Afterwards, however, when we had our group wrap-up session, we talked about different things during our day. Especially important to me is that tomorrow is the actual March. My biggest worry is that I'm going to go and untouched. I want to feel something. Everyone before I left told me that this trip would change me, that it would be incredibly emotional, and that it would change my outlook on life. And while this might be an odd or scary concept for me, what frightens me more is that it won't happen. That I'll go, do the "death march" and be unmoved and untouched.

I brought this up in our wrap-up session, and I was surprised to find that nearly everyone in our group feels the same way I do. I guess I'll just have to see what happens.

Wake up is at 5:30 tomorrow, and I still have to take my shower. I doubt I'll be able to write anything until tomorrow night, so. . . so that's when I'll write and tell you all about it.

Until Next Time,
Julie