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Once in a Blue Moon – Sousse Story Amela Hamidovic
IFMSA - Serbia Medical Faculty University of Belgrade amelahamidovic@gmail.com
We are all aware of the situation in the world – wars, terrorism, refugees, poverty. In April of 2015, there was a terrorist attack for the first time in Tunisia, in the city of Tunis. Many innocent people died. But somehow, time heals everything. My exchange was supposed to start in August, there was still a lot of time. But then there it was again. Towards the end of June, there was a beach attack in my city, in the city of Sousse. It was horrible. People got scared, exchanges started to getting canceled one by one. At the end, I was the only one left from Serbia who still wanted to go. I did not want to give up and let the terrorists win. Not like this. This would be my second exchange in Sousse, Tunisia. You probably noticed that I wrote “my city”, because it is. Sousse is my second home. For the first time, I went there because of the beauty of the country; the ancient Carthage, wide blue sea, perfect sunset in the Sahara Desert, and clear sky filled with stars – what you can’t see anywhere else on the entire planet. But the second time I decided to go back was because of the people: the professors, assistants and interns, and the amazing host from AssociaMed Tunisia Sousse, that more than being hosts and contact persons, were and still are friends.. Spending a month in the Emergency Department and one more in General Surgery at Farhat Hached Hospital, I have
learned a lot and gained the much needed practical skills. Everyone in the entire Sousse was smiling and were helpful just when I needed it: from the salesperson in the local store to the neighbours that we bothered constantly with our music. Eight brave people across the world decided to come that summer to Sousse. Eight people that remained friends and family; plus, our hosts. Some from AssociaMed, some just medical students. We laughed together, we danced, and we cried together for hours when it was time to say goodbye. But, we still meet regularly, on Skype at least, to talk about our adventures, the clear blue moon that we saw from the roof of our house, the magical Sousse sunrise, the warm sea and the hot nightlife. I have never danced anywhere the way I did in Sousse. I wrote this article in hope to inspire people not to be scared, not to let injustice win over the most beautiful country that I ever visited, over the kindest people that you can find on the planet. Tunisia is not just about exchange, if you go there, it will remain a home, forever in your heart.
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