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| My trip! 9 countries in 129 days! |
So, technically my trip involves 5 countries but I'm including any lengthy layovers! I've tried not to be too regimented as I think being able to go with the flow and just meet people and see where that takes me is important so I may have a slightly different map when I'm done but this is the basic plan!
- Lusaka, Zambia - Florence Mwando, a retired ophthalmology nurse my matron, Keith, put me in touch with, is Zambian and did her training in Lusaka. I met Florence and decided it was way too good an opportunity to miss so tacked an extra few days onto the beginning of my trip and will fly to Lusaka and visit the University that Florence trained at and affiliated hospital. I will spend less than a week in Lusaka before travelling towards the Zimbabwean border hopefully via a quick peek at Victoria Falls!
- Hwange, Zimbabwe - In Hwange I will be staying with a community of nuns I have been set up with by a priest called Fr Luyando Trust who has arranged for me to visit St. Patrick's Hospital in Hwange and also hopefully travel to some for the more rural parts of the region to see what the healthcare is like outside of urban centres. I will meet local nurses and observe them in practice.
- Bulawayo, Zimbabwe - I will be staying with locals in Bulawayo who, again, have helped me to set up visits in clinics in Bulawayo.
- Harare, Zimbabwe - Once again, I am being put up by families in Harare, my impression of Zimbabwe is already excellent as everyone has been so generous and helpful even before I get there! I will be visiting teaching hospitals in Harare but am also hopefully travelling to Norton, about 40km West of Harare, Howard and Bindura which are both North of Harare and have a a more rural hospital and nursing school.
- Kigali, Rwanda - I have an 18 hour layover in Kigali on my way to the Philippines so will hopefully have a bit of an explore for the day!
- Dubai, UAE - I also have a 12 hour layover (I'm already tired just thinking about this journey!) and might be able to organise a visit to their English language centre which is involved in nurse recruitment over there but that one is still a maybe!
- Manila, the Philippines - Phew, finally made it! I have been in touch with our recruitment offices in their 2 bases in the Philippines so they are helping me arrange visits to several hospitals in Manila and...
- Cebu City, Philippines - visiting hospitals we are currently recruiting from which I think will be amazing as I can meet and speak to nurses who have chosen to stay behind, are currently in the recruitment process or who perhaps are home after working overseas for years.
- Osaka, Japan - 10 hour layover in Osaka. Hey, it counts!
- Honolulu, Hawaii, USA - Visiting the Queen's Medical Centre in Honolulu!
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - 4 days at the University of British Columbia meeting their nursing students, observing their practical training classes and discussing their training with their tutors.
- Seattle, Washington, USA - Work in progress but definitely getting my Grey's Anatomy on!
- San Francisco, California, USA - Also a work in progress!
- San Diego, California, USA - San Diego is so close to the border with Mexico, there will be a huge diversity of staff working in hospitals here. Interesting to see if there are any specific support systems in place for this.
- Tucson, Arizona, USA - Just an overnight stop on my journey across the Southern States!
- Dallas, Texas, USA - Again, a quick one on my way to...
- Houston, Texas, USA - Visiting the Cizik School of Nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Centre where I will be giving a presentation to their faculty members and students on my research trip!
- New Orleans - My interest in New Orleans is 2 fold. Firstly, it's famously diverse but also I have been fascinated by the city since hurricane Katrina and would love to see what they have done with their hospitals while rebuilding the city and how these hospitals adapt to fairly regular natural disasters that we have little to no experience of in Ireland and the UK.
- Washington DC, USA - Hoping to arrange a University visit in DC but also have a neighbour and friend from home who will put me up and planning a day-trip from DC to...
- Baltimore, Maryland, USA - to visit Johns Hopkins!
- New York City, New York, USA - the melting pot of the USA!
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA - When researching diversity I could never overlook Boston and it's huge Irish- American population, the same could be said for New York in fairness.
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - Passing through on my way to Toronto but will have a night!
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada - with the amount of Irish nurses I know who have emigrated to Toronto it was an easy one to slot in!
- Chicago, Illinois, USA - this is a catch up stop as I am also hoping to be put up in Chicago with wi-fi and a printer before the Magnet Conference in...
- Denver, Colorado, USA - the last official stop of my trip where I will attend the 2018 Magnet Conference and hopefully catch up with a few colleagues from NUH while I'm there! Thus the need for the prep days as I'm sure I'll be kept on my toes! I then have a few days to catch my breath and do one last bit of packing before flying home from Denver on October 31st! Happy Halloween to me!
