29 Apr Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. The Opening Ceremony on Santo was quite different in many respects from the Closing Ceremony in Vava’u. The ceremony was held outside of the chief’s community hall. The hall was built of all imaginable materials - the roof was corrugated plastic covered with dried palm fronds secured by chicken wire, the walls were solid wood, lattice wood, woven pandanus, bamboo, and cloth, and the floor was concrete. I thought the simple but rich textures were a lovely contrast to the dull gray concrete block buildings erected in the former East Germany during the Soviet occupation, which Hilarie, JoAnn K, and I saw 3 years ago on the Christmas Nutcracker Tour led by Helga and Jack of Posh Journeys.
Today’s ceremony started with a tribal dance by native ni-Vanuatu (Melanisians) wearing loincloths, palm fronds, leaves, headgear, painted torso and face, and performed in a tight cluster facing inward while chanting and pounding the ground with long sticks. There was also a pig on a leash, and from Michener’s description of the importance of the boar in ceremonial tribal culture in “Tales of the South Pacific”, I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be a good day for the pig. And so it wasn‘t, as the pig was sacrificed to honor the occasion while we watched. I believe it would be served at a feast in the evening (I‘m eating fish onboard Cleveland, thank you). The sun then broke from behind the clouds, and there were many speeches honoring the hosts and guests. The people of Santo are still very grateful to the US Navy and Army for defending the island during WWII, and for the lasting improvements they made to the Luganville area that are still enjoyed today, e.g. fresh water catchments and filled marshland that reduced the mosquitoes. The ceremony was concluded with a reception line in which the Pacific Partnership personnel formed a line and the locals walked the line shaking the hand of each of us. Thus I got to say hello to all of the local attendees personally. Compared to Tongans, the ni-Vanuatu Melanisians are much darker, shorter, and thinner, and seem more reserved although certainly friendly. I’m putting some photos on my flickr photo stream http://www.flickr.com/photos/babs-pp11.
Cheers!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Arriving in Vanuatu
Thurs 28 Apr. We arrived this morning at the island of Espiritu Santo (“Santo”), Vanuatu under a gray sky, and set anchor at 0900. The ellipticle in the mini-gym on the bridge once again provided a good view of the action. We had blissfully calm seas and light winds for the entire transit from Tonga, although some personnel still got sick either from the conditions or their scopolamine patch. Transit time was spent doing physical training (PT) or mission training, e.g. use of medical equipment, preparation for helicopter transport, etc. We were confined to berth quarters one afternoon during military exercises so we turned our berth into the “girlie” spa, and did a facial/hair make-over, gave each other shoulder/neck massages, and watched a DVD movie. I haven't had this much fun with "the girls" since my days living in the dorm at Mary Washington College. Any other spare time was spent reading or walking the flight deck to enjoy fresh air and natural light. Never in my wildest dreams did I see myself in the middle of the Pacific walking the flight deck of a Navy ship, nor preparing for helicopter transport to a remote medical site, which is my nursing assignment for Saturday and Sunday (more on that afterwards).
My brother John gave me a copy of Michener‘s “Tales of the South Pacific“ to read on this trip. Michener based the book on his time on “Santo” during WWII. The musical “South Pacific” is also based on the islands of Vanuatu. I just looked at the Project HOPE Public Affairs Officer’s (PAO) aerial photos taken from the helicopter when we first arrived this morning - this is definitely a tropical paradise. This is becoming a popular destination for wreck diving so I’ll be interested in seeing what the town Luganville has to offer when we have a liberty day.
In case you had trouble finding my photos on Flickr, here’s the weblink address http://www.flickr.com/photos/babs-pp11. And you can see the PAO's photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/radder86.
Cheers to all!
My brother John gave me a copy of Michener‘s “Tales of the South Pacific“ to read on this trip. Michener based the book on his time on “Santo” during WWII. The musical “South Pacific” is also based on the islands of Vanuatu. I just looked at the Project HOPE Public Affairs Officer’s (PAO) aerial photos taken from the helicopter when we first arrived this morning - this is definitely a tropical paradise. This is becoming a popular destination for wreck diving so I’ll be interested in seeing what the town Luganville has to offer when we have a liberty day.
In case you had trouble finding my photos on Flickr, here’s the weblink address http://www.flickr.com/photos/babs-pp11. And you can see the PAO's photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/radder86.
Cheers to all!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wallowing along
24 Apr somewhere between Tonga and Vanuatu. The heat finally broke in Tonga on Friday, our last liberty day, so I snorkeled on a cloudy rainy day with thunder, lightening, and 25 knot wind gusts. We were a merry band of 14 Aussies, 2 Kiwis, and 4 Americans. Our host captains did their best to make it a great day for us by choosing a protected snorkeling spot, serving lunch on the boat instead of a beach BBQ, and keeping the rum punch flowing. The fish and coral don’t care about the weather so there was plenty to see. I don’t think it was my imagination that the coral didn’t look as healthy as on my trips in 1998 and 2005.
On Saturday morning we stowed and secured our belongings, and at 1500 we left Vava’u for Vanuatu. I decided to multi-task by working out on the elliptical in the mini-gym on a bridge overlooking the ship’s bow, while watching the crew hoist the anchors. Soon we were headed out the channel into the open Pacific. There was a glitch 3 hours underway, which kept the engineers busy for a few hours, but all seems fine since then. Thankfully the Pacific is living up to its name so far - peaceful - calm seas and about 12 knots of breeze. The Cleveland’s class of ship has a wallowing motion like an alligator, hence her gator logo/mascot. So she rocks slowly back and forth, more to port than starboard, while the bow swings from side to side, and the rocking seems to pause now and then. Definitely an odd motion, unlike any sailboat that I‘ve been on. I wore my wrist seabands for the first 24 hours to avoid seasickness, but have removed them for now. Getting around ship isn’t too difficult in these conditions so I hope they hold. There are 2 straps to hook vertically across the rack (bunk) opening to prevent you from rolling out in rough seas. The elliptical faces starboard so when she heels to port you need to hang on to the handles to keep from being pitched off the back. But the view is fantastic - blue water with occasional whitecaps, puffy clouds on the horizon, and no land in sight!
The mess has run out of salad greens, so it’s canned/frozen vegetables until resupply. I hope the apples and grapes don’t run out as they are the only fresh fruit available now. I’ve put some photos on a Flickr site (this should be the link to my photostream): http://www.flickr.com/photos/babs-pp11/ . It was miraculous to be able to upload them considering the bandwidth limitations, but they’re unorganized until I figure out how to do that.
Cheers to all!
On Saturday morning we stowed and secured our belongings, and at 1500 we left Vava’u for Vanuatu. I decided to multi-task by working out on the elliptical in the mini-gym on a bridge overlooking the ship’s bow, while watching the crew hoist the anchors. Soon we were headed out the channel into the open Pacific. There was a glitch 3 hours underway, which kept the engineers busy for a few hours, but all seems fine since then. Thankfully the Pacific is living up to its name so far - peaceful - calm seas and about 12 knots of breeze. The Cleveland’s class of ship has a wallowing motion like an alligator, hence her gator logo/mascot. So she rocks slowly back and forth, more to port than starboard, while the bow swings from side to side, and the rocking seems to pause now and then. Definitely an odd motion, unlike any sailboat that I‘ve been on. I wore my wrist seabands for the first 24 hours to avoid seasickness, but have removed them for now. Getting around ship isn’t too difficult in these conditions so I hope they hold. There are 2 straps to hook vertically across the rack (bunk) opening to prevent you from rolling out in rough seas. The elliptical faces starboard so when she heels to port you need to hang on to the handles to keep from being pitched off the back. But the view is fantastic - blue water with occasional whitecaps, puffy clouds on the horizon, and no land in sight!
The mess has run out of salad greens, so it’s canned/frozen vegetables until resupply. I hope the apples and grapes don’t run out as they are the only fresh fruit available now. I’ve put some photos on a Flickr site (this should be the link to my photostream): http://www.flickr.com/photos/babs-pp11/ . It was miraculous to be able to upload them considering the bandwidth limitations, but they’re unorganized until I figure out how to do that.
Cheers to all!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Fond Farewell to Vava'u, Tonga
21 Apr 2011, Vava’u Tonga. Can it be true that the Vava’u Tonga mission is winding down already? I spent most of the past several days working in the diabetes clinic testing blood glucose levels, checking blood pressures, and talking to patients about diet and exercise. We improvised with the supplies at hand to clean an older man's ears that were heavily impacted with wax. He left with a big smile because he could hear again. But now the last patients have been seen and it’s time to move on to Vanuatu. The Closing Ceremony was held today at a public school where repair work was done by as part of the civic mission. Speeches were made to honor all participating nations (Tonga, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and the USA), the US Navy band played, the Tongans sang and performed traditional dances, and a luncheon feast was served. It was a bright sunny day with no breeze and wilting heat/humidity, but there were smiles all around. I admit to a wave of homesickness as I remembered my two previous trips here with Fred and wished he was here again with me to see the happy Tongans.
Food is always a good item for cultural exchange. As much as we were interested in tasting Tongan food, the Tongan staff at the hospital were interested in tasting “that food you get in the brown bags”, i.e. our lunch MREs (meals ready to eat). So on the last day at the hospital I offered up my MRE to a couple of curious Tongan nurses, and I ate the fresh fruit that they brought for us (pineapple, bananas, papaya, coconut) - I know I got the better end of that exchange.
From my volunteer hours at the RotaCare clinics in Santa Cruz and Monterey I know the important contributions that the volunteer interpreters make to the medical care of our patients. The same was clearly true in Vava’u. The interpreters included the hospital staff, Latter Day Saints missionaries (young American and Tongan men and women), American Peace Corp volunteer(s), English-speaking family members of patients, and English-speaking patients themselves who stayed to help at the clinic after their own treatment. We had a few simple phrases about diet and exercise translated to the Tongan language to use for diabetes and hypertension teaching materials for those patients who don‘t speak English.
My last day at Vava’u will be an all-day sailing and snorkeling trip to Ovaka Island and Swallows Cave. I hope the reefs are as healthy now as they were in 1998 and 2005. The next challenge will be living aboard while underway. I hope the seas are calm as I’m not looking forward to navigating the steep stairs in rough seas. My berthing area is aft, and 1 deck below the mess hall and 3 decks below the computer room. I think it will be a 5-day sail, arriving in Vanuatu on 28 Apr. Cheers!
Food is always a good item for cultural exchange. As much as we were interested in tasting Tongan food, the Tongan staff at the hospital were interested in tasting “that food you get in the brown bags”, i.e. our lunch MREs (meals ready to eat). So on the last day at the hospital I offered up my MRE to a couple of curious Tongan nurses, and I ate the fresh fruit that they brought for us (pineapple, bananas, papaya, coconut) - I know I got the better end of that exchange.
From my volunteer hours at the RotaCare clinics in Santa Cruz and Monterey I know the important contributions that the volunteer interpreters make to the medical care of our patients. The same was clearly true in Vava’u. The interpreters included the hospital staff, Latter Day Saints missionaries (young American and Tongan men and women), American Peace Corp volunteer(s), English-speaking family members of patients, and English-speaking patients themselves who stayed to help at the clinic after their own treatment. We had a few simple phrases about diet and exercise translated to the Tongan language to use for diabetes and hypertension teaching materials for those patients who don‘t speak English.
My last day at Vava’u will be an all-day sailing and snorkeling trip to Ovaka Island and Swallows Cave. I hope the reefs are as healthy now as they were in 1998 and 2005. The next challenge will be living aboard while underway. I hope the seas are calm as I’m not looking forward to navigating the steep stairs in rough seas. My berthing area is aft, and 1 deck below the mess hall and 3 decks below the computer room. I think it will be a 5-day sail, arriving in Vanuatu on 28 Apr. Cheers!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Mission begun
My first clinical day was 15 April at the local hospital. We arose at 0415 for 0500 muster in the Well deck to board the LCU landing craft that would take us ashore. The LCU rests on an interior wooden deck within the stern of the ship. After the personnel and equipment board, the ship ballasts down to flood the interior deck and float the LCU so she can back out and be on her way. Local buses met us at the dock for the short drive to the hospital. Clinic was set up, and after prayers and singing, patient registration began. Most of the nurses including myself registered patients. After registration, patients were sent to the appropriate group for their care: Adult Medical, Pediatrics, Dental, Optometry. A field suite for minor surgeries was also available. Paper records are kept by the hospital but our mission uses a PDA electronic records system. As part of my PDA training I sat with the doctors while they examined patients and entered their notes and pharmacy orders into the PDA. The teams were multi-national including personnel from the US, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Tonga. Although the children are now taught English in school, many adults don’t speak English so the interpreters, locals and Mormon missionaries, were an important addition to the team. The patients were very grateful for their care.
Most likely heat/dehydration has upset my intestines so I had to miss clinic today and stay on the ship with Imodium, electrolyte drink, and probiotics. It’s been difficult to adjust to the heat. Although much of the ship is air conditioned to the high 70s, the rest of life is in the 80s while we wear long pants, dark shirts, sturdy shoes and socks, and a backpack, and often stand in the sun for long periods. Any shade is a god-send. The constant roar of the ship’s HVAC is wearing. But I’ll adjust to all of this. I’m living in a Female Berthing area in a locked room currently with 9 other women, and it is more comfortable than most. Bunks are stacked 3 high. Everyone is very collegial and respectful, which is important for such a small space where people work different shifts and are coming and going at all hours. The residents clean the their berthing areas including the heads so that was part of my duty today since I stayed on ship. Navy food is pretty good. The MRE (meal ready to eat) for lunch yesterday was interesting - I was lucky to trade for a tuna meal.
More later. Best to all.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Déjà vu Vava’u
13 April 2011. Malo e lelei from Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga. After 4 flights and hours of layovers, I’ve arrived at the first mission port for Pacific Partnership 2011. The people you meet while traveling have interesting stories, e.g. Roger who grew up in a missionary family in Papua New Guinea and now is a businessman in southern Australia traveling to Vava’u to look for additional business opportunities. And the young English couple with a Lonely Planet travel guide in hand who’ve been traveling the world for the past 18 months. The 7-passenger plane from Tongatapu to Vava’u, stuffed to the max with baggage, made for a spectacular low-altitude flight over the islands and reefs. But now I’m in Vava’u for the 3rd time (first 2 times with Fred and friends on bareboat sailing charters), and got the scoop on the current conditions from the Navy advance team over dinner. Ah, the tropics, where the chocolate melts and the sweat pours! Went to the local crafts market to buy a precious hand-fan, as well as shell and coconut husk jewelry. Now it's hurry up and wait for transit to the ship. The landing craft were unloaded this morning before a crowd of curious locals. To inquires from the locals about the purpose of my visit, they respond that they'll be coming to the clinic for treatment of whatever ails them, so I'm looking forward to meeting them again within a few days. More later.
Cheers,
Bridget
Cheers,
Bridget
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Making lemonade
Santa Cruz, CA. I’m almost ready to leave on my volunteer nursing adventure in the South Pacific with Project HOPE and the US Navy. The bad economy is handing out lemons to recent graduate nurses - meaning it's almost impossible to get a job without considerable nursing experience. So I’m unemployed, but making lemonade from those lemons by doing volunteer nursing. I truly enjoy volunteering at the RotaCare free community clinics in Santa Cruz and Monterey - wonderful volunteer staff and patients. When I decided to become a nurse I knew I also wanted to do international volunteer work, especially in tropical countries where Fred and I like to vacation. But why Project HOPE? At the Fungus Fair I met a retired physician who told me about his good experiences on 2 international volunteer missions with Project HOPE (thanks, Denis!), so I decided to look into their volunteer opportunities. Fred and I have twice sailed in the beautiful kingdom of Tonga, so when I saw that Project HOPE would be going to Tonga with Pacific Partnership 2011, I knew I must apply for a position. I assumed my international volunteering would be after I had worked for awhile. But why not now?
So on Wed 13 April I meet the Project HOPE team on the amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland in Vava’u, Tonga, location of the start of the 3-month humanitarian civic mission referred to as Pacific Partnership 2011. The Navy describes the mission thusly: "Pacific Partnership is Pacific Fleet's annual mission to improve interoperability for crisis situations, humanitarian and civic assistance, and disaster relief. The main body of the U.S. assistance is arriving on the amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7). Pacific Partnership is a team effort between partner nations and host nations, which invite the multinational force to provide medical, veterinary, dental, and engineering subject matter expert exchanges. Pacific Partnership 2011 is the sixth iteration of this mission." Partner nations include Australia, New Zealand, France, and Japan. Additional host nation locations will be in Vanuatu (28 April-10 May), Papua New Guinea (19 May-1 June), Timor Leste (14-25 June), and Micronesia (3-15 July). There will be shipboard transit time between countries, and liberty stops in New Caledonia (11-14 May) and Darwin, Australia (8-12 June). I’ll be a Community Health Nurse with Project HOPE, so my experience with the RotaCare clinics will serve me and my new patients well. Sweet lemonade!
You can read more about the mission at the following Project HOPE sites:
Blog http://www.projecthope.org/news-blogs/In-the-Field-blog/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ProjectHOPEorg
Twitter http://twitter.com/projecthopeorg
Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/projecthopeorg
and the US Navy site:
http://www.cpf.navy.mil/pp11/
I plan to update this blog at least once in each country as internet access allows. Hopefully I can upload some photos or put them on a Flicker site (more on that later). So until Tonga ...
Cheers,
Bridget
So on Wed 13 April I meet the Project HOPE team on the amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland in Vava’u, Tonga, location of the start of the 3-month humanitarian civic mission referred to as Pacific Partnership 2011. The Navy describes the mission thusly: "Pacific Partnership is Pacific Fleet's annual mission to improve interoperability for crisis situations, humanitarian and civic assistance, and disaster relief. The main body of the U.S. assistance is arriving on the amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7). Pacific Partnership is a team effort between partner nations and host nations, which invite the multinational force to provide medical, veterinary, dental, and engineering subject matter expert exchanges. Pacific Partnership 2011 is the sixth iteration of this mission." Partner nations include Australia, New Zealand, France, and Japan. Additional host nation locations will be in Vanuatu (28 April-10 May), Papua New Guinea (19 May-1 June), Timor Leste (14-25 June), and Micronesia (3-15 July). There will be shipboard transit time between countries, and liberty stops in New Caledonia (11-14 May) and Darwin, Australia (8-12 June). I’ll be a Community Health Nurse with Project HOPE, so my experience with the RotaCare clinics will serve me and my new patients well. Sweet lemonade!
You can read more about the mission at the following Project HOPE sites:
Blog http://www.projecthope.org/news-blogs/In-the-Field-blog/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ProjectHOPEorg
Twitter http://twitter.com/projecthopeorg
Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/projecthopeorg
and the US Navy site:
http://www.cpf.navy.mil/pp11/
I plan to update this blog at least once in each country as internet access allows. Hopefully I can upload some photos or put them on a Flicker site (more on that later). So until Tonga ...
Cheers,
Bridget
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