The thing about Winnie and being in the presence of her private practice is that it is so inspiring. I don't want to make it sound so corny or whatever, but she told us her story and I must admit I was a bit emotional XD Ok firstly, her practice is upstairs in a rented building shared with the medical centre. She's got a height-adjusted bed but it's a manual one, not powered. She has exercise posters put up on her walls and cupboards. She has an ultrasound, but she's borrowing it. She has therabands, theraputty, tape, wobble board, textbooks, mostly donated. When I showed her my physiotherapy pocketbook, she looked in amazement and said how it was like a few textbooks in one and she smiled so widely. I knew I had to give it away, so I did. Told her to keep it 'cos I could easily get it back home. She did and the next day (today) she told me how the whole night/rest of y'day afternoon she could not put the book down (: Made me smile.
Winnie also introduced us to her 17-year-old daughter and soon-to-be 16-year-old son. She even said we could come to his celebration this Saturday! So cool. At lunch, we hitched a ride with one of our expat patients, dropped off at the market where Winnie showed us around - bought pineapple, mangoes, tuluk and coconuts for us to have an absolute FEAST for lunch! Tuluk was AMAZING - wish I could get some right now. Nom nom nom. Only 100VT! Lunch was spent just chatting with Winnie and her telling us about her stories etc. She longs to go to conferences and courses etc to develop her skills more, but the opportunities are not here or are too far away and too costly. She is also on the hunt for a new ultrasound! Sigh. Then she talked about how she doesn't even know the business/management side of things - she said a management course would be good - and that her hubby is her manager. Even pricing - she pays about 5,000VT for initial consultation if they have medical insurance - was something she was unsure about. She talked about the inequality between men and women and the lack of understanding of the role of physiotherapy in the community. Yet Winnie still mixed this with laughter and shy smiles, she wasn't asking for forgiveness or sorrow. And that's the thing. Just telling it how it is and not asking for anything in return.
Island life is going good. Think I'm turning pretty brown and dark. Good/bad? Like chocolate, no? Yummeh? Oh yeah we may actually be working at the Vanuatu National Games cos it just so happens to start this Saturday!! Suh-weet! Plus a week at the hospital too somewhere in between. Man wish all "supervisors" were like Winnie. She is tis my idol.
