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| Floating in the Dead Sea, photo credit: Max Migliore |
Sometimes, the richest soil can be found in the unlikeliest of places. Even in this flat, hot desert, somehow over the past year, 37 adventurous souls managed to take root firmly in the sand, thriving not just individually but together forming a deep and resilient root system.
We drew nourishment from our surroundings, flourishing in the safe and supportive environs of the lush Soroka lawns, the shade around the Caroline house hammock, Coca, Aroma, Bet kiosk, the medical library, mirpesets, the pool and basketball court, the 6thfloor. We sopped up nutrients in the form of berekas, café, falafel and shawarma, shakshuka, home-baked goods, cafeteria food, and copious hummus and tahina. We derived energy from daily interactions with familiar faces- The security guard’s morning fist bump, the Bet baker’s rants, chats with neighbors, arguments with landlords, running into new friends on the street.
But even the deepest taproot can’t reach its full potential alone. We have accomplished our greatest growth together. We opened our homes to each other, cooked, danced, swam, traveled, carried heavy things, argued, forgave, studied, ate and ate and ate, and sometimes even did the dishes afterwards.
From lunchtime preventive medicine article presentations to Max’s Cell Bio review sessions and Amit’s lipid facts, we shared our passion for knowledge and science. From Dan’s moed bet exam tutoring system to countless informal study sessions and competitive Firecracking, we bolstered and challenged each other academically. Through book clubs, writing groups, and creative collaborations, we explored intellectual realms outside of a typical medical education. Across bible study and meditation groups and through countless forays into obscure corners of religion and culture, we supported each other spiritually as we navigated the unique terrain of medical school in the desert.
These interactions continue to stabilize and enhance our collective ability to adapt to change, withstand demanding conditions, and most importantly, to foster each other’s nourishment and growth as humans and physicians-in-training.
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| View from 6th floor classroom, Soroka Medical Center. |
As I write this, less than 24 hours done with year one and hurtling across the Atlantic, I can’t help but feel uprooted, torn not only out of the sandy Beersheva soil that I now call Home, but also apart from the beautifully complex, symbiotic web that has anchored me over the past year. Yet, I know this is just that-- a feeling, and not reality. As we disperse to over 20 different countries this summer, we will be gathering vital nutrients in the form of new experiences, perspective, skills, and opinions, which will inevitably seep into and fertilize the soil of our collective class experience come August, spurring new directions for our development as individuals and family of the Class of 2017.
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Minutes before taking our last exam of the year! Photo credit: Ilana Shub |
Over the next few blog posts, I will be posting photos from throughout the year that are representative of our vibrant class and our shared experiences so far. Enjoy!
(This post was inspired by discussions that arose around the planning and execution of TEDx BGU 2014: ROOTS! If you missed it, check it out on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsRNoUx8w3rOtCNRJkHRY4f7xahnd4qE0) - Virginia Byron, MSIH blogger of the month
