The reality of Hebron and Palestinian life

When I first applied to the medicine programme, I did not know what to expect. My perceptions of Palestine were that it was a dangerous place to visit; my friends and family advised me not to go.

Against their advice, I decided to go anyway, I was scared but also excited and curious.

My route into Palestine was not a conventional one; I flew into Jordan and then stayed for a few nights before crossing the border from the south.

I arrived in Jerusalem and from there to Hebron via Bethlehem. Before coming here, I would have thought it would be a place where there was little to no activity, but when I came, I was pleasantly surprised to see how busy it was; it had the hustle and bustle of any major city.

I was welcomed warmly by the Excellence Centre staff and felt right at home straight away.

The rest of the days consisted of visiting hospitals and refugee camps to see the reality of Palestinian life and healthcare. This experience was a bittersweet one as I felt so welcome by the Palestinians but also sorrow at the harsh realities of living here. I can’t thank the excellence centre staff enough for how rewarding they have made my visit here, I felt completely safe and welcomed throughout my time here.

My advice to people who are on the fence about visiting would be to take the leap and experience the reality of Palestinian life first-hand.