A photo montage of my unique experiences in Israel, by blogger of the month Rebekah Dickman

Attending medical school is not within itself a unique experience. When I tell people that I am in medical school they are impressed at my ambition, but not overly impressed. Then I whip out the fact that I attend medical school in Israel, and suddenly it becomes exotic and impressive. And although I did not decide to go to medical school in Israel to impress people, it does happen to be a fun added bonus. Note – this factor also translates to normal events. Instead of “Last weekend we hopped a bus out of town” or  “I’m training for a half marathon” or “Last night I went to a really great lecture” I get to tell people “Last weekend we hopped a bus…and headed to Jerusalem” and “I am training for a half-marathon…it’s at the Dead Sea” and “Last night I went to a really great lecture…in a bomb shelter”. See what I mean?

Alongside the “instant coolness factor” I have also found that I also accumulate a lot of really fun and entertaining pictures. Since this is the last blog for me, and I figure you are tired of reading what I have to say, why not share some of the photos? It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is an essay for you to enjoy.

Thanks for reading! – blogger of the month, Rebekah Dickman

on living abroad..and Sesame Street, by blogger of the month Rebekah Dickman

When I was little Sesame Street was one of my favorite shows. I loved the variety and the characters, especially Bert and Ernie.  One my favorite clips remains the one in which Ernie sings about visiting the moon;

Well, I'd like to visit the moon

On a rocket ship high in the air

Yes, I'd like to visit the moon

But I don't think I'd like to live there

Though I'd like to look down at the earth from above

I would miss all the places and people I love

So although I might like it for one afternoon

I don't want to live on the moon

Sometimes that’s how I feel living abroad. It’s amazing to visit and see new things and have new experiences, but I do miss all the places and people I love. I am generally not one prone to homesickness, but lately I find myself wishing that I could jump home for a day or two just to say ‘hi’, do some laundry and perhaps grab some Mexican food. This morning, lying in bed listening to the rain dripping outside, I almost felt like I was back in the soggy Pacific Northwest. It was really nice.

Rainy afternoon.
When taking your Shabbat walk
 and it happens to be raining, you
should always dress appropriately.

I think that winter in the desert is the main precipitating event that is causing me to reminisce of home. Despite the fact that Beersheba in the desert, the winter is surprisingly cold and sometimes even wet. Ok, “cold” is perhaps too strong a term - high 50 in the day and 40s at night - but it feels cold because most of the apartments do not have heating nor are they designed to retain heat. Most days I return to the apartment and am forced to either keep on my Jacket, or worse to put on the jacket that I left hanging on the hook that morning because it was bright and sunny when I left in the morning. Personally, I find that a little backwards.

Good old MickyDs.
Not that I really like McDonalds,
but it is strangely comforting to see,
even if I have to spend 10 min
sounding out the sign.  

Still, there are some things to be said about living abroad. When one takes the leap and exits their normal orbit, one experiences amazing things. Just one example of this:  last week I attended a lecture on Bedouin culture. The conference was held in a bomb shelter. Yup, a bomb shelter. And no, it was not because falling objects were threatening to descend from the sky. The organization that held the talk actually had their offices down there. Surprisingly it was really cozy, and except for the lack of windows, I can see how it would be a good place for an office.

Desert anyone? Sometimes the menu is
only in Hebrew. Sometimes it is in English.
If you are lucky, it will include items like  Desert and Coffe. 

So in response to Ernie, I agree; it is nice to be home surrounded by all that you know and love. But for me, it would be more sad to never leave because then I would miss all the great things that are our there in the world. -blogger of the month Rebekah Dickman

Korean Shabbat Extravaganza, by blogger of the month Rebekah Dickman

The invitation. Note the stress on the bowl size.  It really
did turn out to be important!

Medical schools have a reputation of being cut-throat, high-stress situations in which every person is out for number one. If you have to step on a few heads to get there, all the better! Perhaps this is true in some places, but not at BG! Here, we are more like family – and why not? We are 34 twenty-somethings (and a few who are eternally 29), living thousands of miles from family, stranded in a desert of sand and falafel, united by our common desire to make a difference in the world and the desperate wish that someone would get around (already!) to perfecting that machine that will zap Hebrew directly into our brains. What else are we going to do but look out for each other??

Mix Mix rice.  This was the 'translation' we were given
for the main dish which involved a lot of veggies,
rice and a large bow (the mixing vessel).

Enjoying company.  Shabbat was made for hanging
out with friends and food.  Nobody said it had to
be the traditional kind.

With the exception of December, we hardly go a month without having some sort of class “get-together”. January was no exception: Upon returning from break we were informed that the Korean contingent (the boys anyway) had cooked up a scheme to have a “Korean Shabbat Extravaganza”, in which they would make something tasty and as Korean as one can get in Israel. I think they did a pretty good job!

The resultant feast included a lot of fantastic food, and it was a fun way to start out the new semester. I fervently hope that in the coming months and years, we maintain our camaraderie. (And diverse palates!) - blogger of the month, Rebekah Dickman

Prep work.  Part of the prep team creating some amazing
rolls. They were very professional!

The Instigators.  Got to give props to these guys, they
not only put the whole idea together, but
they also helped in the kitchen!  Impressive!

On Exiting Israel, by January blogger of the month Rebekah Dickman

On Exiting Israel

Welcome to another exciting episode of life in a foreign land! Ready to play?

Your challenge - if you choose to accept it - is to successfully make it through the security at the Ben Gurion International airport in time to catch your flight. You have three hours to complete this mission. Failure to complete all sections will result in time-consuming detention and possible loss of limb.

Task #1 (Optional):  The front door

If you are one of the lucky ones, you might find that you have an extra security check before entering the airport! (It would be inadvisable at this point to joke about the Ninja throwing stars in your carry-on).

Task #2:  The Maze

Find your airline and enter the correct corral. Presentation of your passport is required. Correctly interpreting the orders of the agent at the gate to the corral will gain you bonus points.

Task #3:  The Interrogation

Step up to the “nice” security agent with the large firearm and answer correctly the questions posed. Questions such as: “Why are you in this country”, “Is this your first trip to Israel”, “Do you have family here” and “Did you know Hebrew before you came” are commonplace. Bonus points for making it through the entire recitation of ‘why I wanted to go to school in Israel despite having no family or friends in the country and not speaking the language’ without cracking a smile.

Task #4:  The First X-ray

Present your barcode from task 3 and deposit your luggage into the x-ray machine. Do not forget to pick up your luggage on the other side, as you will need to proceed to task 5. Unfortunately choosing to ditch the luggage at this point will only make matters worse.

Task #5: The Search

Quickly unpack all of your carefully arranged items so a substance detection wand can be passed over each and every item. Multiple times. Bonus points for not setting off any alarms and for not having any items punctured, sniffed, scanned, confiscated or any deviation of previously said actions.

Task #6: Halfway Through

You have made it to the resting point! Congratulate yourself by handing your luggage off to a ticketing agent and getting your official boarding pass! But don’t stop now, there is much more fun to be had.

Task #7: The Second X-ray

Remember not only to remove your computer, ipod, ipad, cell phone, charger(s), and headphones and any other electronics or you will have to repeat this task. Make sure to get your shoes cleaned by the friendly agent on the other side of the x-ray! Bonus points for not giggling as you are selected to aid training the new security guard on how to thoroughly hand-frisk passengers.

Task #8:  The Scrum

Last chance to turn back! Enter the hall of the exit stamp. Lines in this section are strictly optional. If you see a gap, go for it. Remember to stay close to the person in front of you or you are likely to loose your spot. Personal space is also optional.

Once stamped, you have successfully made it through security and may enter the departure lounge.

Congratulations on your success!

Safe travels and have an enjoyable holiday. We look forward to tormenting you on your next trip. If you are flying El Al, we will see you on your return trip!

Hello from Frankfurt!, by blogger of the month Julia Rubin-Smith

Hello from Frankfurt! Here I am in the city that always makes me think of hot dogs, awaiting my connecting flight to Tel Aviv – I actually enjoy long layovers, as they give me an opportunity to get things done, like overdue blogs and about-to-be-due microbiology lab reports.  I guess med students are never truly on vacation, as there’s always something else to be done!

Celebrating after our final final!

After our last exam on Dec. 21^st, a few of us gathered outside for celebratory champagne and falafel before everyone took off for our winter break. A few of my classmates remained in Israel over the holidays, but the majority of us either went home or took the opportunity to travel to exotic locations such as Spain, the Czech Republic, and Jordan. (I never thought I would live somewhere where Jordan was the least far flung of these destinations!)

For me, the last ten days or so was a whirlwind of visiting with family and friends in Boston, running errands, eating all the American food I’d missed, and celebrating the holidays. I enjoyed the brief cultural respite, reveling in orderly queuing, friendly customer service, and jaywalking without fear of death. Even the weather cooperated, not getting too horribly cold until the day that I left to return to school. It was a wonderful vacation, and I’m so glad I was able to go home and see my family, but I’m actually really excited to start a new semester! Despite its quirks and frustrations, I found that I missed Israel while I was gone, and I’m looking forward to getting back into the fray. 

On that note, I will leave you with a (paraphrased) anecdote from one of our classmates, which I think is a great snapshot of Israeli culture (and humor):

As the El Al flight arrived at Ben Gurion airport, the captain came on over the intercom to welcome the passengers to Israel. He reminded everyone to stay seated with their seatbelts fastened until the plane arrived at the gate and the fasten seatbelt sign had gone off, and that cell phone use was prohibited while the plane was still moving. He followed that with, “for those of you who are sitting, we wish you a Merry Christmas and we hope you enjoy your stay. For those of you standing in the aisles and talking on your cell phones, we wish you a Happy Chanukah and welcome home!”  -blogger of the month, Julia Rubin-Smith