Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Progress made, by blogger of the month Jacek Jarczynski

Western Wall, Old City, Jerusalem 
Me in red with Julian and Tal.

September is almost through and I can hardly believe that I have been in Israel since mid-July.  A great deal of progress has been made on all fronts with regard to academics, housing, settling in, meeting new people, and getting familiar with Be’er Sheva in general.  As summer turns to fall I can see olives and dates ripening on the trees throughout the city.  There is much inspiration in this area for someone with an appreciation for nature, history and ethnography.  I am quite fond of Be’er Sheva and the new friendships I established here.  The MSIH experience thus far has been fantastic.  The classes are coming along well (taking a break from biochemistry reading to write this entry), I am picking up more of the Hebrew language with every day and the local people I have met here so far proved to be incredibly generous and friendly … and I love my new bed!  No more sleeping on an inflatable mattress!  The things we take for granted until we have to relocate and set up shop all over again in a new place.  Earlier during the month we went on a class trip to Jerusalem.  After meeting with students from the Hebrew University Medical Center we went on a tour of the old city.  It is impossible not to feel the weight of history present in every corner of the old city.  All for now and back to glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway.   - blogger of the month Jacek Jarczynski