Classmate's Video

Another installment of my classmate's youtube blog. He's got a good video of what's it's like here on Yom Kippur - the highest Jewish holiday - the day of atonement. EVERYTHING is closed. My friends went running on the FREEWAY, and I followed on my bike. I'll post pictures later.

He also talks about Sackler for a second, for those of you who still have no idea about what I'm doing over here.

The video is a bit long(ish) but the Yom Kippur clip is towards the beginning(ish).

Enjoy!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VAOCSYok1sQ

Due to popular request...

Here is my mailing address:

Candace Cheng
c/o New York State/American Program Office
Sackler School of Medicine, Room 216
Tel Aviv University
Ramat Aviv 69978
ISRAEL

My home address (I think mailing packages is less reliable for some reason):
Candace Cheng
Pasternak 5, #3
Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69205
ISRAEL

Also, a HUGE update is in store - Petra, Jordan, Yom Kippur, my first med school quiz...but I have to get some studying done before I leave for Moscow tomorrow morning.

Life is good.

I just finished my first week of medical school.

I just started this "blogging" thing and already I'm slacking...

Let's recap:

Last week I had my first Shabbat Dinner at Elisheva's.

She's an excellent cook!

It was a really great experience. Apparently, you are supposed to wash your hands in a special way and then once that is done, you're not supposed to talk until you have eaten a piece of bread. No one told me initially, until I asked why 2 of the girls weren't speaking. So luckily, one other person who knew what was going on (and hadn't washed her hands yet) explained everything to me and it was all gravy in the end.

We did a prayer before we ate -- that was also interesting. I learned that a lot of prayers are sung because before everything was written down it was easier to remember 'songs.' And after we were finished eating the 4 of us girls sat around drinking Johnny Walker Black. It was great

At some point last week (I think...I no longer have any concept of time), we were at a bar on the beach and I got into the middle of an Israeli dance circle/battle. Reminded me of the good 'ol breakdancing days.

This dude flipped me around a couple of times, which was really fun, except for the whole "heaps of sand flying into my face" thing.

Then school started on Sunday.

We got right into things with neuro lab and started with a brain dissection. Very cool, except that it's kind of a balagan (my new favorite word = clusterfuck) with 7 crazed medical students trying to share a brain.

I'm excited to be back in school and to be learning things that I find interesting! Hopefully that will continue.

I am currently taking:

- Neuroanatomy

- Cell Physiology

- Biochemistry

- Behavioural Sciences

Starting in October, I'll be taking Anatomy, Neurophysiology, and Molecular Biology as well.

Today and yesterday I played pick-up soccer. Again it was hot, and loads of fun. My friends and I decided that I should start a list on this thing that includes the ridiculous comments I get from people. Yesterday we played with some Israelis at this giant sports center (very cool) and at the end the guys asked if I "played before." They then clarified, asking if I played professionally, or at the very least, semi. HAHHA. Anyone who has ever seen me play knows this is pretty hilarious (though very very flattering).

Alright. There's an update (mom). Time to read some books.

The problem with moving internationally....

There are so many other important things to pack that one cannot possibly pack room decorations.

I live in a white box.

Seriously, I'm pretty sure there are hostels that have more 'pizazz' than my room in its current state.

But anyways, here are some photos of my new, pretty sizable, pad: (I'll post photos of the rest of the apartment once we get it cleaned up)



The sad part is that I've unloaded EVERYTHING I own. I even went to the store and bought a ton of other things and my room still looks deserted. Look how empty that bookshelf is!

White Coat Ceremony

Holy shit, I'm going to be a doctor.

I don't think any of this ever really hit me until last Thursday night.

Last Thursday night we had our white coat ceremony, followed by a talent show.

The White Coat Ceremony is a relatively new tradition among medical schools and marks the transition into the medical profession. Dean Shenkman remarked that the Hippocratic oath is usually given during graduation, but that we will be seeing patients before we graduate and so an "initiation" and oath would be appropriate for us students before we even start school.

We recited the Oath of Geneva:

Oath of Geneva

I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;

I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due;

I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity;

The health of my patient will be my first consideration;

I will respect the secrets which are confided in me;

I will maintain, by all means in my power, the honor and the noble traditions of the medical profession;

My colleagues will be my brothers and sisters;

I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;

I will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws of humanity;

I make these promises solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.

Reading it on paper is one thing. But standing there and reading it aloud and making an oath is another. The whole thing was strangely powerful? moving? emotional? not sure of the right word, but I definitely took it to heart and am excited? scared? happy? for my future.

Outside the ceremony:

With Sella and Noa, our Israeli tour guides. The ladies LOVED Sella. Poppin' collars...

After the buffet dinner (someone needs to keep me away from those things...this is the second time we've had a buffet and the second time I've walked away from the evening in pain because I ate too much), we had a talent show.

I ate 3 plates. I am neither kidding nor exaggerating.

Classmate's cute cute baby:

I was -- this close to performing the beaver song, but decided against it at the last moment (also, Younger suggested that I not act a fool in front of the Dean...good point). I will happily perform for friends and family!

Instead I was recruited by a friend to be a part of his skit for his "strong man" performance. In the skit, he tries to come on to me and I give him a fake name "Shanaynay Goldstein" and he goes to find the name in the phone book but finds that it doesn't exist, so he proceeds to tear it in half. It was impressive.

The talent show was impressive overall. Elisheva did a stand up routine which brought down the house. There was a Napolean Dynamite dance by Sam. A skit about what it's like to call Ira at the financial aid office (people were on the floor laughing), and an Enrique Iguelsias guitar medley, among the performances. Supposedly a video is going up on youtube so I'll post a link once it's up...if ever.

A skit about the difference between Israeli men and American men. Andy is neither -- he's a young female Sacklerite.

The Enrique medley:

All in all, a very good night.