At least 15 UCSB students were in the Middle East this summer visiting family, traveling or working when the fighting between Israel and Lebanon broke out on July 12.
Ten Jewish UCSB students were in Israel for a 10-day free trip sponsored by the Taglit-birthright israel organization. Various members of the year-old Lebanese Club on campus were visiting Lebanon for the summer and some were forced to cut their stays short because of the conflict.
Catherine Batruni, a third-year psychology major, was in Beirut, Lebanon visiting family for the summer when the war began several weeks into her stay. Though most of the bombing occurred in the suburbs of Beirut, she said she saw planes flying overhead continually, felt the buildings shake and heard bombs when they went off.