So here goes.One of our biggest challenges in the past couple of weeks has been Amy. She has really struggled with a lot of bullying issues at school and a lot of people we have spoken to have identified it as a bit issue with the school and the kids here. Its hard to instil resilience when you are feeling challenged by that yourself! It all came to a head last Friday when Amy was punched at school. So, long meeting at school and some strategies in place and we all feel a lot better about school. The principle was very supportive and saddened by what had happened as she had not been informed. It was so good to be heard and acknowledged and hopefully the last 2 weeks here will be smooth sailing so Amy can feel good about her time here and leave with good memories. I think she has had the hardest job here and Rob and I are so proud of her and hope that this experience will help her sometime later in life.
Ben has had some interesting adventures. Last weekend we were fishing at the jetty and a group of blokes were going fishing for the day and invited him along. Off he hopped into the dingy, into the deep blue ocean in the direction of....more blue ocean. Ben returned 10 hours later, surprisingly not sunburnt, sporting a big hole in his t shirt where a little shark he had dragged out of a crack in a rock, had turned around and grabbed him!!!! Trying not to be alarmed, we welcomed him home!!!!! Oh yes, the Steve Irwin in our Ben lives on.
There are apparently 5 churches here on the island. We have been to two of them now. The latest one we attended is right next door to the clinic and the view from inside the building is blue, blue ocean, not that I was distracted at all!! Its a bit more contemporary although the hymns are sung in creole and English so we are able to join in every now and then. Ben took his guitar along last weekend and everyone enjoyed hearing him play.
As far as work is going, I am continuing to learn everyday. I think I can diagnose scabies at 50 paces now and am getting my head around what is important to keep a big stock of in the pharmacy. Its been a great way to remember what medication treats what. Looking after the pharmacy has become my role and it fits well with my need to organise stuff! last week I did my first suture job and also got to practise some cannulation on a young fellow who had taken 36 panadol in 24 hours for a tooth ache! We flew him out pretty quickly and hope his liver survived!! Its good to slowly get to know people better, especially some of the island elders who just have the most amazing stories to tell. We have been lucky that the pace has not been frantic and its OK to just chat and take the time to listen without having to rush through assessments. Rob and I are also becoming quite proficient at dentistry and have done a few temporary fillings on some fairly ordinary looking teeth! I think its just because we like playing with the dentist chair, and Rob has a new light that is like a hiking head lamp, which he wears during these sorts of procedures. I really do try not to laugh!!!
One of the things we really love is going down to the wharf at night or the boat ramp and fish with the locals or just sit back and watch all the action. The kids are amazing and start so young. They just know the ocean intimately and when and what to cast. we know its going to be a good fishing night when there is a good turn out. I couldn't resist this photo, I am sure that as soon as he can walk he will be fishing!!!
OK, well we are now 8 weeks before we head home to Meringandan. I have a real longing to be home, be in our place, with friends and family, hug my dog, play in the garden. But it will also be with a sadness that we leave this place. Its rawness has shown us a side of life that has to be experienced to be believed and I can't help but feel that one day we will come back.
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