BIG RECAP, I KNOW!
The truth is, no, I did not get lazy. Technical issues made it difficult to get my laptop to function with a full battery. But here I am, ready to give you a QUICK rundown of this past week!
Most important days:
Day 4 --> Visited another Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan and visited 21 families!! Yes, 21. I know a refugee camp is an incredibly unhappy place, but I found myself thinking back to the experience and feeling happy. Not about the way the people I saw were living their lives, but because I finally made it again. The trip of my dreams was literally making my dreams come true.
Day 5--> Finally left Jordan and crossed to Palestine! The borders took us 4.5 hours to cross. The distance is actually about 1 hour, but the crowds of sweaty, unhappy, frustrated, angry people/border control officers/ Israeli soldiers made the trip longer. Surprisingly, this was one of the fastest times I ever made it across. It usually takes us an average of 6+ hours. I won't get into all those times because Palestinians get used to it, but I can say that the fact that we GET USED TO IT is the worst part. If you thought the TSA was annoying, you haven't crossed into Palestine.
Days 6-9 --> Basically spent them seeing family, relaxing, catching up on sleep, and staring. There was lots and lots of staring. Staring at the stars that I could actually see in the village where my grandparents live, staring at the Israeli settlements that I could see everywhere: outside the car window, from the balcony of my aunt's house, out the window of the hospital I am volunteering at. The days are really warm, the nights are cool and breezy and although they tend to be quiet, I can't help but jump when I hear sudden loud noises or a helicopter fly overhead.
Day 10 --> First day of working in the hospital! I'm in the main hospital in the region that mainly serves the lower class populations/uninsured and taking part in a hand surgery medical mission trip. We saw between 40-50 patients today as part of the screening process to determine which patients the surgeries will be done on this week. It was a long 7 hour day, and tomorrow will be longer because the surgeries actually begin, but it was a day I wouldn't change for anything.
Many who found out I'd be working in this hospital looked at me and shook their head. It's a harsh environment. The first patient I saw was an 8 month old baby born with 3 fingers on each hand and 8 toes on each foot. There were patients with issues from birth defects to burns. The most difficult ones were the children who broke bones or had injuries that the local doctor only made worse. I volunteered in the same hospital 2 summers ago and I saw a different batch of difficult patients, but despite all of that, I was reminded once again that THIS is where I feel the most happy. This is the place where every single thing in my life connects. I forget that I am still working on medical school applications, I forget all the days I spent stressing out, crying, worried over exams and grades. I even forget how many more years of school I still need to get through before I can finally begin working as a doctor. But imagine if someone told you you could step into your future life for a week. Would you do it or not? That is what this week is for me. I spoke to patients, used my bilingual skills, made little kids smile and laugh. I watched doctors I hope to be like one day be the people I only dream of growing into.
When I walked out of the hospital at the end of the evening in the middle of the busy streets of the city where there were cars honking, people rushing into the hospital,and jammed sidewalks, all I could think of what this is what I wanted the end of my day to feel like every day.
Until tomorrow! :)
The truth is, no, I did not get lazy. Technical issues made it difficult to get my laptop to function with a full battery. But here I am, ready to give you a QUICK rundown of this past week!
Most important days:
Day 4 --> Visited another Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan and visited 21 families!! Yes, 21. I know a refugee camp is an incredibly unhappy place, but I found myself thinking back to the experience and feeling happy. Not about the way the people I saw were living their lives, but because I finally made it again. The trip of my dreams was literally making my dreams come true.
Day 5--> Finally left Jordan and crossed to Palestine! The borders took us 4.5 hours to cross. The distance is actually about 1 hour, but the crowds of sweaty, unhappy, frustrated, angry people/border control officers/ Israeli soldiers made the trip longer. Surprisingly, this was one of the fastest times I ever made it across. It usually takes us an average of 6+ hours. I won't get into all those times because Palestinians get used to it, but I can say that the fact that we GET USED TO IT is the worst part. If you thought the TSA was annoying, you haven't crossed into Palestine.
Days 6-9 --> Basically spent them seeing family, relaxing, catching up on sleep, and staring. There was lots and lots of staring. Staring at the stars that I could actually see in the village where my grandparents live, staring at the Israeli settlements that I could see everywhere: outside the car window, from the balcony of my aunt's house, out the window of the hospital I am volunteering at. The days are really warm, the nights are cool and breezy and although they tend to be quiet, I can't help but jump when I hear sudden loud noises or a helicopter fly overhead.
Day 10 --> First day of working in the hospital! I'm in the main hospital in the region that mainly serves the lower class populations/uninsured and taking part in a hand surgery medical mission trip. We saw between 40-50 patients today as part of the screening process to determine which patients the surgeries will be done on this week. It was a long 7 hour day, and tomorrow will be longer because the surgeries actually begin, but it was a day I wouldn't change for anything.
Many who found out I'd be working in this hospital looked at me and shook their head. It's a harsh environment. The first patient I saw was an 8 month old baby born with 3 fingers on each hand and 8 toes on each foot. There were patients with issues from birth defects to burns. The most difficult ones were the children who broke bones or had injuries that the local doctor only made worse. I volunteered in the same hospital 2 summers ago and I saw a different batch of difficult patients, but despite all of that, I was reminded once again that THIS is where I feel the most happy. This is the place where every single thing in my life connects. I forget that I am still working on medical school applications, I forget all the days I spent stressing out, crying, worried over exams and grades. I even forget how many more years of school I still need to get through before I can finally begin working as a doctor. But imagine if someone told you you could step into your future life for a week. Would you do it or not? That is what this week is for me. I spoke to patients, used my bilingual skills, made little kids smile and laugh. I watched doctors I hope to be like one day be the people I only dream of growing into.
When I walked out of the hospital at the end of the evening in the middle of the busy streets of the city where there were cars honking, people rushing into the hospital,and jammed sidewalks, all I could think of what this is what I wanted the end of my day to feel like every day.
Until tomorrow! :)
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