We started off by visiting the Galilee Medical Center. Located in Nahariya, Israel, this major trauma center is the second largest hospital in Northern Israel.
Especially during the Lebanon war in 2006, this hospital has treated many patients in their underground hospital. This part of the hospital was created to make sure patients were safe and could be treated properly during catastrophic times. Although the underground hospital is empty unless needed, fresh supplies are kept underground in the event of an emergency.
Next, we were able to practice laparoscopic surgery strategies through the simulators that the hospital owned. Along with this, a cardio surgeon did a live demonstration of cardiology basics as well as a demonstrated on how an echocardiogram is conducted.
We then made our way to Akko, also known as Acre. This amazing city was shaped by several groups of people, such as the Ottomans, Crusaders, and many others, in the past. Akko had many different types of buildings and markets all throughout. We visited the Jazzar mosque, and all girls were instructed to cover their heads with a scarf or hat. During this time, we saw the inside of the mosque, as well as the outer building which surrounded the mosque. It was very interesting to see the antique and simple styles of this sacred building that was created and preserved by many.
After visiting the mosque, we continued to tour the rest of the Old City. Every turn we took as we walked around revealed another beautiful, ancient building that displayed so much meaning from when it was created. Along with all the buildings and towers, we also went by the walls that surrounded the city. Stairs that led toward the top of the walls that protected the city during war showed a nice view of the city itself.
Our next stop was Unistream, helping underprivileged Israeli teenagers have a voice in the community as they came up with ideas to help improve this startup nation. The Israeli students explained their lifestyles and projects. They are with this Unistream group for three years, where this time is split up into brainstorming ideas, choosing an idea to work on, and creating a model and prototype to be presented. To show us how Unistream functions, four teams were created where BCA members worked with Israeli students of Unistream to brainstorm ideas and present a final idea that dealt with improvements that could be made in the society in regards with food. Ideas presented included edible utensils, portion control methods, pesticide reduction techniques, and restaurant time efficiency tips.
The last thing on our agenda was to have dinner with the families of the Israeli students we met from the Nahariya schools. BCA students were split up among different households, where delicious and authentic Israeli food was served and passionately devoured. We all had so much fun interacting with the families, getting to know their lifestyles and cultures more all while chomping down on some fresh food. This experience was something that we could not get anywhere else; there is nobody better to learn about Israeli culture and food than Israeli families themselves!