Well, hello. I've kind of been wanting to blog all week, but my cantankerous laptop is being. . .well, cantankerous.
So it's finally working decently again.
This week was full of excitement, as always. It included some Bedouins selling camels in Hebrew class. . .
Some super-scary mannequins in the Old City at the cheap(ish) clothing store. . .
Today I found at little, lush paradise in the middle of the desert (also known as a nursery). . .
Also, chickens, turkeys . . .
. . . and peacocks.
I also saw a little boy riding a bike much too large for him. It made me smile.
Some pretty exciting things happened yesterday, especially.
We were informed earlier in the week that because we had the White Coat Ceremony Thursday (yesterday) evening, our afternoon classes were rescheduled for next week to give us extra time to "relax and groom." Surprise, surprise, things were rescheduled. Rescheduling happens so often here, and many people find it frustrating. I knew it was going to be like this, and I don't really mind it much, especially when they tell me that I get the afternoon free. Woohoo!
Anyway, the day started with Microbiology, which was taught by an astute doctor who is very enthusiastic about pneumococcus (and may or may not have been likened to Count Dracula - though he is much sweeter and less scary; I think the Romanian accent contributes). After nearly two hours of learning about the fantastically interesting pneumococcal bacteria, we had Histology Lab with a quiz, on which I got one question wrong (even though I knew the answer, I wasn't thinking right - gah, so frustrating). Histo was over early, so my friend Mayuri and I decided to embark on the adventure of figuring out where the elusive traveler's clinic is located. We both needed to get more immunizations. Surprisingly, it worked out after awhile and we were able to get back in time to participate in the last part of our class meeting with Dr. Lynne Quittell, admissions chair at for MSIH and a pediatric pulmonologist at Columbia University Medical Center. She also interviewed me for med school :D She was visiting Israel to attend our White Coat Ceremony, which happened last night.
And THEN. . .
Four of us rushed outside to a taxi to make it to our appointment at the Fish Spa in the Old City (the older part of Be'er Sheva - the part I live in is less than 50 years old). This is how we decided to use the first part of our free afternoon.
I get Groupon (or "hgrofon," as Google translate says) emails for Be'er Sheva. They're actually quite humorous with the translation (because all the emails are originally in Hebrew, of course). I could read and crack up at them for hours. Here's a nice little sampling from today's email:
(for Aldo ice cream): This ice cream is one big fun! The coolness comes in a million flavors, colors, happy and her luscious form .... But then, until this moment that falls a decision and choose the flavors it's a nightmare! How to choose a point or two, you know what - top three of all the reasons presented.
Yeah, hilarious, right?
Guess what this one is for: Remember the movie "The Summer of the father", her little girl waiting for all members and classmates will celebrate the birthday party and nobody came ... and our heart shrinks in the face. Your heart today will at full force, while surrounded by women will be trained to give together with you to design and cut of the body,
Well, you probably figured out in the last sentence that it's for exercise classes, but up to that point I know you were utterly confused.
So, I was mentioning Groupon because a few classmates and I bought fish pedicures for $10 through a Groupon. What is a fish pedicure, you may ask. Well, a fish pedicure occurs at the fish spa. What is a fish spa? Observe.
Those fish are eagerly awaiting some feet to nibble on. You see, a fish pedicure is performed completely by fish. You put your feet in the little pond thingy, and the fish come and eat all the dead skin off. Well, not all of it, but a lot of it.
So that's what our feet look like as our keratinized cells are being eaten by fishes. It tickles and feels generally weird. I thought I'd be fine, but um . . .well, this was my reaction, and everyone else's:
And then it got kind of normal . . .
Well, nevermind, it was still very weird. Every time I looked down, I saw this:
So after that excitement, I went home and watched Sleepless in Seattle with my housemates (minus Dilia, who is on a 6-week journey abroad) while eating pad thai and mango (pretty much my two favorite foods). Then I biked to our White Coat Ceremony!
At MSIH (and the BGU med school), instead of taking the Oath to become doctors at the end of the 4-year training, we take it at the beginning. This was decided a number of years ago, mostly to give students a sense of responsibility as they are held under oath during all of their interactions with patients during that time. Our class also came up with a Code of Ethics that encompasses what we believe and choose to hold ourselves to. After a few speakers, swearing the oath, and reading our code of ethics, we had a delicious dinner. To my surprise, the lady from our host family showed up! She and her husband just returned from going abroad. She gave Laurel and I gifts of chocolate (lovely, lovely gifts), and we sat down to a nice dinner.
After dinner, it was time for the skits. Hilarious! I laughed so hard. Hopefully, they'll all be posted on YouTube soon, so I can share them with you.
Then, we went outside for the after party, which had dancing and live music by MSIH students and faculty!
Then afterwards, we went out to Munchilla, a chill shanti bar right next to where the event was held. They have the tiny couches like any authentic hookah lounge would, so we were practically sitting on the floor.
So, that's my week! Life in Be'er Sheva is great. I still hate not knowing the language. I also still love the fruit guy next door. He gave me free green onions yesterday, and today he gave me free white onions. It's so nice to be cooking and think, "Oh! I need some red peppers!" and just walk literally 50 feet to get some freshly picked ones. Mmmhmmm, I like it here.
Shabbat Shalom!
So it's finally working decently again.
This week was full of excitement, as always. It included some Bedouins selling camels in Hebrew class. . .
Some super-scary mannequins in the Old City at the cheap(ish) clothing store. . .
 |
| This one is seriously super duper scary, like nightmare-worthy. You know what? I may have had a nightmare last night. I think she was in it. . . |
Today I found at little, lush paradise in the middle of the desert (also known as a nursery). . .
Also, chickens, turkeys . . .
. . . and peacocks.
I also saw a little boy riding a bike much too large for him. It made me smile.
Some pretty exciting things happened yesterday, especially.
We were informed earlier in the week that because we had the White Coat Ceremony Thursday (yesterday) evening, our afternoon classes were rescheduled for next week to give us extra time to "relax and groom." Surprise, surprise, things were rescheduled. Rescheduling happens so often here, and many people find it frustrating. I knew it was going to be like this, and I don't really mind it much, especially when they tell me that I get the afternoon free. Woohoo!
Anyway, the day started with Microbiology, which was taught by an astute doctor who is very enthusiastic about pneumococcus (and may or may not have been likened to Count Dracula - though he is much sweeter and less scary; I think the Romanian accent contributes). After nearly two hours of learning about the fantastically interesting pneumococcal bacteria, we had Histology Lab with a quiz, on which I got one question wrong (even though I knew the answer, I wasn't thinking right - gah, so frustrating). Histo was over early, so my friend Mayuri and I decided to embark on the adventure of figuring out where the elusive traveler's clinic is located. We both needed to get more immunizations. Surprisingly, it worked out after awhile and we were able to get back in time to participate in the last part of our class meeting with Dr. Lynne Quittell, admissions chair at for MSIH and a pediatric pulmonologist at Columbia University Medical Center. She also interviewed me for med school :D She was visiting Israel to attend our White Coat Ceremony, which happened last night.
And THEN. . .
Four of us rushed outside to a taxi to make it to our appointment at the Fish Spa in the Old City (the older part of Be'er Sheva - the part I live in is less than 50 years old). This is how we decided to use the first part of our free afternoon.
I get Groupon (or "hgrofon," as Google translate says) emails for Be'er Sheva. They're actually quite humorous with the translation (because all the emails are originally in Hebrew, of course). I could read and crack up at them for hours. Here's a nice little sampling from today's email:
(for Aldo ice cream): This ice cream is one big fun! The coolness comes in a million flavors, colors, happy and her luscious form .... But then, until this moment that falls a decision and choose the flavors it's a nightmare! How to choose a point or two, you know what - top three of all the reasons presented.
Yeah, hilarious, right?
Guess what this one is for: Remember the movie "The Summer of the father", her little girl waiting for all members and classmates will celebrate the birthday party and nobody came ... and our heart shrinks in the face. Your heart today will at full force, while surrounded by women will be trained to give together with you to design and cut of the body,
Well, you probably figured out in the last sentence that it's for exercise classes, but up to that point I know you were utterly confused.
So, I was mentioning Groupon because a few classmates and I bought fish pedicures for $10 through a Groupon. What is a fish pedicure, you may ask. Well, a fish pedicure occurs at the fish spa. What is a fish spa? Observe.
Those fish are eagerly awaiting some feet to nibble on. You see, a fish pedicure is performed completely by fish. You put your feet in the little pond thingy, and the fish come and eat all the dead skin off. Well, not all of it, but a lot of it.
So that's what our feet look like as our keratinized cells are being eaten by fishes. It tickles and feels generally weird. I thought I'd be fine, but um . . .well, this was my reaction, and everyone else's:
And then it got kind of normal . . .
Well, nevermind, it was still very weird. Every time I looked down, I saw this:
At MSIH (and the BGU med school), instead of taking the Oath to become doctors at the end of the 4-year training, we take it at the beginning. This was decided a number of years ago, mostly to give students a sense of responsibility as they are held under oath during all of their interactions with patients during that time. Our class also came up with a Code of Ethics that encompasses what we believe and choose to hold ourselves to. After a few speakers, swearing the oath, and reading our code of ethics, we had a delicious dinner. To my surprise, the lady from our host family showed up! She and her husband just returned from going abroad. She gave Laurel and I gifts of chocolate (lovely, lovely gifts), and we sat down to a nice dinner.
After dinner, it was time for the skits. Hilarious! I laughed so hard. Hopefully, they'll all be posted on YouTube soon, so I can share them with you.
Then, we went outside for the after party, which had dancing and live music by MSIH students and faculty!
Then afterwards, we went out to Munchilla, a chill shanti bar right next to where the event was held. They have the tiny couches like any authentic hookah lounge would, so we were practically sitting on the floor.
So, that's my week! Life in Be'er Sheva is great. I still hate not knowing the language. I also still love the fruit guy next door. He gave me free green onions yesterday, and today he gave me free white onions. It's so nice to be cooking and think, "Oh! I need some red peppers!" and just walk literally 50 feet to get some freshly picked ones. Mmmhmmm, I like it here.
Shabbat Shalom!
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