I know it's been awhile, but like I said in my first post I'm not that good at keeping a journal. There is 1 main reason, and then a reason secondary to that, as to why I don't see myself wanting, or needing, to write. The primary reason is because I haven't had or done anything all that exciting that I feel needs to be written down. The secondary reason to this, is that I have an awesome roommate. Everyday the two of us discuss our day together. It's a very casual daily catch-up, it takes place in either one of our rooms, but it's nice to have a roommate that I can do that with. It also helps that she's a physical therapist back in Brazil and is working in a PT clinic here in Israel, so we can discuss what she does at work, with the medical jargon, and I know what she means.
Since training, I try to spend at least 4 days a week on the ambulance. I haven't seen, or done, anything too exciting yet but my last day is January 24 so I've got plenty of time. But either way, the 4 other MDA Cholniks (the overseas volunteers) have each had a birth and I am SO jealous! I started out with lots of old people, the first 2 weeks my youngest patient was 43, who needed basic transports. Thank goodness my luck has started to change. Aside from having unexciting shifts, I'm still having a lot of fun and meeting lots of cool people. For those that don't know, Israel has a mandatory military draft, of both men and women, when citizens turn 18. However, for the religious girls, instead of enlisting they do National Service, or Bat Sherut in Hebrew. Most of the girls speak English so I've had at least one on every shift with me. Most of these girls are awesome. Today actually, one of the bat sherut, Michal, I was with is in charge of organizing tomorrow's schedule. When we were talking about it, the other bat sherut said to Michal that she needed a "cholnik". Michal said "I'll take Becky" then looked at me and said "only if you want." It was the first time that anybody at the station has requested to do a shift with me.
Just like in the states where EMS is stationed at sporting events and various other large events, we are allowed to sign up for special events here as well. From the very beginning I asked if I'd be able to help cover the sporting events. My volunteer coordinator looked at me like I was crazy because most volunteers don't have any interest. I explained why and he understood. Well, he looked at the schedule and there was a 2 day karate tournament coming up, so I said I'd do it. Little did I know that I had signed up to help cover the 30th European Traditional Karate Championship. I was so excited! Not only is karate a sport I've never helped cover, but it was a European championship and I'm excited for how awesome it will look on my resume. In addition to the karate, I have been at a practice for one of the local professional basketball teams and, just last night, was at a professional soccer game. And I signed up to do another soccer game next week. My resume will look AWESOME!
Enough of the "cool", professional stuff. When I left, I knew that I would be missing all of the fall and winter holidays, both American and Jewish. Being gone for the Jewish holidays was hard but I was in the best place of all to be away from blood family on those holidays. I didn't realize Thanksgiving would be as hard as it was. I was fine most of the day because it's a nothing holiday here so it wasn't rubbed in my face that I wasn't home. What really made me homesick was when I got home later that night, I had 5 Skype notifications from Paul. He was on with my parents Brian and they were trying to get a family Skype call going. That night, we had our first family conversation since Brian left for college and it was so nice to have spent some time "together" as a family. The connection was bad because the 3 family members stateside were at Disney World and using Skype on Mom's phone, so they got off and Paul and I had some time to talk. He and I caught up a little since the last time we spoke, and when we got off the phone I sat at my computer for a few minutes just feeling sad. I also think I'm at that point in my trip where just about ready to come home. I have NEVER been away from home for this long without seeing family, but, thanks to Brooke and her countdown, I'll be home in something like 55 days or so. And I know, for sure, by then I'll be ready to come home, not ready to leave Israel because who would, but because I miss my family.
No comments:
Post a Comment