Not feeling like a Sunday

Sunday September 8th, 2013

  Today wasn't a very eventful day but it was long, jam packed, and it felt nothing like a Sunday usually does, although yesterday's Sabbath isn't usual for a Saturday either. Anyways as nursing students, there are only 8 of us out of the whole program (it is kind of a separate special thing for BYU-Idaho) we were required to do Nursing orientation today for clinical. So while the rest of the student body were out exploring Jerusalem we were learning our role in the hospitals here. It is hard to realize sometimes that being able to go to the hospitals is such a great opportunity and we are so lucky to have this chance to expand our learning and see a new perspective, when both options are appealing. Anyways after reading through our usual paperwork we were able to walk to the hospitals we will be attending throughout the semester. I already mentioned Red Crescent which was featured in earlier posts, but we also have 3 other facilities. Augusta Victoria is a huge Oncology and Pediatric Dialysis Center (among other things I believe) that is located right after our drive way bends. It is also in many of my landscape pictures as one of the three towers which help us guide our way back to the center when in the City. (I hope to one day label a landscape picture to point out how each place fits into the city but I haven't figured out how yet!) We also go to Princess Basma's Center for Disabled Children which is a local facility that helps the disabled, hosts classes, and also teaches parents how to care for their loved ones who have disabilities. Our teacher also explained that some mothers from Gaza come with their children to stay in the center for a few weeks and learn how to best take care of their children. I felt like this was such a neat experience and will be so great to have multiple opportunities in the healthcare field! The last hospital we go to is the most America sounding of them all, Makassed Hospital. This is a huge hospital that has many different units similar to the Medical/Surgical, Labor/Delivery, Cardiac, and others like the United States. I am so excited to interact with the residents of Jerusalem and to better understand how the medical field applies to all people of any culture or age.
    I also had an opportunity to go into the City with a group of Nursing students and some others who were kind enough to wait for us to get through with class to see the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque. These sights are remain in Muslim control and are very hard to get into as a tourists, so instead we just enjoyed the sights! The Dome of the Rock was build in AD 691 and was called this because it is believed to be where Abraham was asked to sacrifice his Son. Historians believe it is located on the Holy of Holies which is one reason why the Jews will not walk into the but instead only visit the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in fear that they will step on such holy places. It is also believed by some Muslims to be the place where Mahammad ascended into heaven.
Enjoy some pictures yourself and look forward to descriptions of tomorrows field trip!

Dome of the Rock

al-Aqsa Mosque