Volunteering to work as a nurse overseas in a country with considerably less opportunity for good healthcare than I enjoy at home in New Zealand has been a long time coming for me. The ship Africa Mercy has provided me with the venue to serve within a christian organisation that provides surgical care to some of the poorest nations of the world. I hope to be in my element on this "voyage" of discovery utlising all my operating theatre, management and life skills in this (expected to be) challenging role.
This post is being written prior to joining the ship in mid April 2013 as I prepare for "active' service. In order to be as prepared as I can be I have endeavoured to read about my host organisation, Mercy Ships, surgical operations I will be partaking in, life aboard and have spoken to previous service members who are now resident back in NZ. I am also brushing up on my French as it is commonly spoken in west Africa. I am imagining I will not be fully prepared and expect to be challenged, pushed to my limits, and confronted with unexpected and trying situations. These situations may occur en route to Guinea, on board or on shore as I become familiar with the local culture and travelling away from my home turf.
My mission is to quickly adapt to my surroundings and become a valuable member of the wider team aboard the Africa Mercy docked at Conakry, Guinea, west Africa, just 9 deg off the equator. I intend to give my best at all times and to learn about my surroundings in order to contribute effectively and efficiently as quickly as possible.
How will I cope and what reflections will I have about my situation? I look forward to finding out ......... ;D
This post is being written prior to joining the ship in mid April 2013 as I prepare for "active' service. In order to be as prepared as I can be I have endeavoured to read about my host organisation, Mercy Ships, surgical operations I will be partaking in, life aboard and have spoken to previous service members who are now resident back in NZ. I am also brushing up on my French as it is commonly spoken in west Africa. I am imagining I will not be fully prepared and expect to be challenged, pushed to my limits, and confronted with unexpected and trying situations. These situations may occur en route to Guinea, on board or on shore as I become familiar with the local culture and travelling away from my home turf.
My mission is to quickly adapt to my surroundings and become a valuable member of the wider team aboard the Africa Mercy docked at Conakry, Guinea, west Africa, just 9 deg off the equator. I intend to give my best at all times and to learn about my surroundings in order to contribute effectively and efficiently as quickly as possible.
How will I cope and what reflections will I have about my situation? I look forward to finding out ......... ;D
