Back home

We are both back home after a very long day (+/-) of traveling. Had to get to the airport 3 hours ahead...just enough time to clear the endless security and share some riotous laughter with our new friends Vince, Karen and Vinnie from iicme (the conference organizers who did a great job) outside McDonald's (really). Catch this...on the menu was a "McKabab"!! Really!! Terry took a pix of the menu....of course. The flight from Tel Aviv to Atlanta was 13 hours. Then 5 more to SD...but we were back in our own homes by noon. Eeegadds..it is as hot here as it was in Jerusalem! We are each unpacking...and catching up with family/friends...and on sleep....and many other things, probably for the next few days. Will send details and followup pix soon....just navigating security at the Tel Aviv airport is a story in itself.
A special thanks, again, to Mike and Rachel for including us in this amazing adventure by making this trip possible. And also a special thank you to our Israeli colleagues for their warmth, generousity of spirit and commitment to their work. I don't think either of us had any idea of how special this trip would be.
Finally thank you ALL for your support and positive feedback/comments about the blog. It was really fun doing it. So many of you told us you felt you were there with us. You were...we took a little piece of each of you with us in our hearts.

Louise lecturing yesterday.....can you NOT use your hands??? No.

Terry lecturing yesterday

Dr. Joselyn Rapelyea (on left) and Fatima, mammo tech....both from George Washinngton Univ.

Apartments in new city

Mother and daughter, tech (on left) and Mom in lavender...and another new friend on the right

Terry and Mona (Radiologist from Tel Aviv)

Louise, Rachel and her husband Henry

Contest

Who wrote which blogs? You shouldn't even have to guess. Now..the harder part....who took which pictures. You might be surprised by that!!
;o)))

Sin on a plate - Foodies, you ain't seen nothing yet!

The Course Faculty dinner tonight was a short walk from the hotel where we are staying. The temperature was blissfully pleasant after many HOT days. We walked through a local park to get to “Chakra” for our evening meal. (Rumor has it Madonna eats there when she is "in town") A superlative from some other realm needs to be used to describe the food that we shared tonight. It was beyond amazing. It was essentially a “best of the best” dishes that the restaurant has to offer. Plate after plate of dishes (we quit counting after 18!!) to share kept emerging from the kitchen (long after we should have been full) They ranged from vegetable and salads, risotos, meats and fishes and beautiful desserts, accompanied by fine Israeli wine. Savory, delicious and beautifully plated, each offering was a feast not only for the palate, but for the senses as well. Dr. Rapelyea (radiologist from GW in D.C) said about one course that “this should be called ‘Sin on a Plate’”, so we borrowed her phrase for tonight’s blog. Enjoy the pictures. TLL
Note from lcm: I have been to about 300 faculty dinners...all over the world, in some of the best restaurants. This, without a doubt, was the BEST restaurant meal I have ever, ever had. OMG!! OK, I promise, after this...no more food stories. Think we're obsessed?? ;o)))

Day 2 of our Breast Imaging course in Jerusalem

The enormity of positive response from the Israeli technologists has reminded both of us of why we love teaching. To have had individual technologists and the corporate whole hungry to hear all that we have to share and still wanting more is difficult to contain in words. They simply fall short of expressing the profound sentiments and gratitude we have for being part of this experience and to know that these techs will share with those around them, and so the ripples in the pond broaden. I am also very cognizant of how “good and easy” life, particularly work-life is in America. Yes, our lives are stressful but there is so much in terms of technology, standardization and outcomes in our world of Medical Imaging that we take for granted. We often feel that continuing medical education is an obligation rather than a privilege. We have been inspired by those we have come into contact with, from Dr Brem who made this dream of bringing such a conference and faculty together in Israel a reality, to Dr Michael Linver who championed an educational component for the techs, to the Israeli physicians and lecturers, and the open hearts of the techs, eager to hear all that we can share. This has been an experience and journey that we will carry in our minds and hearts with us long after we return to the States. We have been incredibly humbled and blessed.
Only a couple free hours remain after the morning’s lectures remain for those “have to have” items that we have somehow missed in our extensive exploration of “all things shopping” Love to all those we hold dear and who have followed us on our blog. We are longing to be back with you soon.