Gabriella Vulakh relates her experience in vibrant Israel

For my Fulbright Fellowship, I am pursuing a Masters in Disaster Management at Tel Aviv University and interning at the Neurosurgery Department at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital), after completing my BA in neuroscience at Brown University.

From day one, I have been immersed in a new healthcare system and world of diverse medical staff and patients. Though the hospital environment is a dynamic mix of Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, and English, we often find other ways to communicate — through animated hand gestures, pointing at medical imaging, or using universal scientific terminology. More importantly, the contagious energy and passion for medicine surrounding me transcends language barriers and cultural differences and has reinforced my calling to the medical profession. While the hospital setting has shaped much of my Fulbright experience, it is the vibrancy of everyday life in Israel that has truly deepened my sense of belonging. The vitality is present everywhere — on the bus with kids returning from school, at the shuk (market) filled with its kaleidoscope of colors, sounds and smells, on jogs along the beach promenade with my running club, and across the Shabbat dinner table filled with family and friends. 

I am incredibly grateful to the colleagues and classmates I have worked with, and the friendships I have developed, and I will cherish these relationships long after I return to the U.S. My time here so far has shaped me both personally and professionally, and I wholeheartedly encourage anyone to apply to Fulbright Israel — to experience the richness of this vibrant country, to grow as a person, and to be a part of something truly transformative.