Visitor FN0601 
| Visitor |
| Sex? |
female |
| Profession/occupation? |
Surgical Nurse |
| Home country? |
Switzerland |
| What made you want to go to
Solomon Islands? |
talking to a previous visitor |
| Did you go alone or in company? |
in company |
| Arriving in Solomon
Islands |
| When did you arrive in Solomon
Islands? |
November 2006 |
| Did you encounter any
bureaucratic difficulties? |
no |
| What was your first impression
after arrival? |
chaotic airport |
| Living in Solomon
Islands |
| What did positively surprise
you? |
How people look after each other |
| What did negatively surprise
you? |
I was sometimes scared of drunk people |
| What took longest to get used
to? |
the hot weather |
| What did you miss most in
Solomon Islands? |
vegeterian food |
| What should you have brought
along? |
spices |
| What did you do to prevent
malaria? |
I took Lariam, mosquito net, long sleeve shirts and
trousers |
| Place and province where you
spent most of your time? |
Honiara, Honiara-City |
| Other places/provinces where
you stayed? |
Buala, Isabel |
| Where did you stay? |
Mendana Hotel, Kiwi-House, house sitting for an
Australian couple, and diocese guesthouse in Isabel |
| How long did you stay at each
location? |
1 week in the Mendada Hotel, 1.5 month in the Kiwi-House,
3 weeks house sitting, 3 weeks in Isabel |
| How much did you pay for
each? |
everything was paid for by the Ministry of Health, the
house sitting was free |
| Where did you usually eat? |
Home (we had a lot of barbecues at the Kiwi-House) |
| What did you typically pay for
a normal meal? |
SBD 100 when eating out |
| What local food/beverage did
you like most? |
all kind of fruits, green coconut for drinking |
| What local food/beverage did
you like least? |
nothing |
| Mobile
phone services |
| If you brought along a mobile
phone, which services did you successfully use? |
- |
| Comments? |
- |
| Money
matters |
Used Travellers Cheques in US$
to get cash
Used debit card to get cash at ATMs
Used credit card to pay for goods/services |
| Comments? |
There are no ATMs in Isabel Province. It's important to
bring enough cash. |
| Working in Solomon
Islands |
| How did you usually go to
work? |
Walk from the Kiwi-House, by bus from Lenga Kiki, where
we did house sitting |
| Where did you work? |
In Honiara at the surgical department of NRH, in Isabel
at Buala Hospital |
| What was your occupation? |
Nurse |
| What were your working days and
hours? |
Monday to Friday 7.30am to 3.30pm |
| What was particularly difficult
in regard to your work? |
The lack of dressing trays |
| Did you feel accepted by the
locals? |
yes |
| What did you usually do in your
spare time after work? |
cooking, reading, walking |
| Leaving Solomon Islands and
looking back |
| When did you leave Solomon
Islands? |
April 2007 |
| How long was your stay? |
4 months |
| How do you judge the length of
your stay? |
just about right |
| What did you learn from the
locals? |
some pidgin, to be patient |
| Your advice to prospective
visitors? |
As a nurse it's good to have some special skills to pass
on to the locals |
| What did you miss most when
back at home again? |
The new friends from the Solomon Islands, the sweet
fruits |
| What did you enjoy most when
back at home again? |
My family and friends, the cooler weather |
| Would you go back for another
stay? |
Anytime! |
| Estimated total cost of your
stay (including travel costs)? |
CHF 10,000 |
| Additional comments? |
- |
