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My time in Italy, as usually happens, passed very quickly. I left with many memories, great experiences, many beautiful pictures, amazing acquaintances and hopefulness to go back again one day. I dream of going back to walk through the narrow streets of Naples, while listening to a barely noticeable tambourine chimes and inhaling the tart flavor of fresh ristretto, flavored with acidity of the Sorrento lemon, and plunge into an unforgettable atmosphere of the “Neapolitan theater”. Southern Italy forever captivated me with its beauty, sincerity, warm sun and friendly people.
Oman- where time stands still “Oman? Where is it?“ – One of the most frequent questions I was asked last year. Every time I had to explain patiently that it is situated on the Arabian Peninsula, and it is bordered by Saudi Arabia, Yemen and United Arab Emirates. The two questions that always followed were: “Are you crazy? Why are you going there?“ The truth is that I initially had no answers to why I chose to do my SCOPE exchange in Oman. However, after spending one amazing month there, I can surely say now that it was one of the best decisions that I have ever made! I still remember getting off the airplane and feeling the hot, humid air around me. My first impression was that my flight did not land in Muscat, the capital of Oman, but rather the largest sauna in the world. But as soon as I met the rest of the exchanges and the Omani students, my impression changed, and magically that hot humid weather became pleasant. We had a great time together – Omanis organized plenty of activities for us: they drove us to visit some of the most beautiful places in their country. We also got to experience firsthand their lifestyle, which gave us a better understanding of their customs, culture and religion. We grilled on the beach and in the mountains, slept under the starlit Omani sky, swam in the sea with the dolphins, explored some beautiful valleys in the Green Mountains, and watched turtles lay down their eggs on the beach in the middle of the night. We ate plenty of fresh dates and mango, tones of delicious Omani food (prepared for us by our friends and their families of course) and drank liters of fresh fruits juices. We spent countless hours hanging out, singing, playing cards and werewolves. But the exchange was not only about sightseeing and having fun. Rather, it was a great learning experience as well. Every day I had to go to the hospital, where I had classes at the General Surgery Department. I learned a lot of new things – the doctors communicated with each other in English, www.ifmsa.org
Ewa Stuglik
NMO: IFMSA-Poland Jagiellonian University Medical College, Poland ewka.stuglik@gmail.com
so I didn’t have any language problems. Moreover, they were really eager to answer all my questions and resolve all the doubts I had. I was allowed to do a lot of practical stuff – such as wound stitching, removing cysts, assisting in the operations and even intubating patients. Oman is a beautiful and safe country, full of friendly and helpful people. Even before the start of my exchange, I was certain that I would have a great time. But my experience in Oman definitely surpassed my expectations! All the people I met there (my friends from the exchange and the Omanis who took care of us), made my SCOPE exchange an unforgettable experience, that I’d love to re-live!