Fausto C. – Boston Tel Aviv, Summer 2018

“I am glad to say, without a moment of hesitation, that this has been one of the most exciting summers of my life. I study cell biology, so summer internships provide a terrific opportunity to expand my resumé, and the experience is crucial when applying to higher level jobs. An internship can be done anywhere, whether it be an industrious city or somewhere close to home. This, however, was different. I got the unique chance to come to a different country, which I was rather unfamiliar with, and immerse myself in its rich culture. I also got to learn about paramount topics, such as the complex circumstances of the middle-east conflict. This is an opportunity I could never have received in a “standard” internship.

Onward Israel and Israel Experience not only provided me with this, but also an extremely interesting internship. I got to work with mesenchymal stem cells, which were extracted from abdominal fat, and used to improve the conditions caused by age-related macular degeneration. One of these conditions happens to be blindness among the elderly. The research was stellar; however, my favorite thing about the lab was that I was challenged to think on my own. It was not about following procedures, like in most labs, but more about improving or even designing experiments. If I had any insights or thoughts that could potentially provide value to the work, I could say them openly amongst my boss and peers. I had the liberty to follow through on my ideas and thoughts, and that is the most invaluable characteristic of my work.

Overall, I am thankful to Onward Israel and Israel Experience for allowing me to join this beautiful experience. I learned so much about Israel and Biology. Also, I made some terrific friends along the way. I will not forget the amazing things I learned in the lab and I will always cherish the afternoon beach hangouts, the dance parties, the dinners and the priceless connections I made. My summer really has been quite a fruitful one.”