Visitor FR9801 
| Visitor |
| Sex? |
female |
| Profession/occupation? |
MD |
| Home country? |
Switzerland (born in Germany) |
| What made you want to go to
Solomon Islands? |
talking to a previous visitor |
| Arriving in Solomon
Islands |
| When did you arrive in Solomon
Islands? |
May 1998 |
| Did you encounter any
bureaucratic difficulties? |
yes, but they were solved for me by helpful
coworkers |
| What was your first impression
after arrival? |
heat and friendly smiling people |
| Living in Solomon
Islands |
| What did positively surprise
you? |
equanimity and joie de vivre even in difficult
situations |
| What did negatively surprise
you? |
the widespread alcoholism especially in Honiara and its
negative effects |
| What took longest to get used
to? |
inactivity and resignation when activism seemed necessary
(at least from my point of view) |
| What did you miss most in
Solomon Islands? |
my family and friends in Europe |
| What should you have brought
along? |
I didn't miss anything material |
| What did you do to prevent
malaria? |
avoid being outside during twilight, repellent |
| Place and province where you
spent most of your time? |
Honiara, Honiara-City |
| Where did you stay? |
Koala Ridge (house for short-time doctors) |
| How long did you stay at each
location? |
10 months |
| How much did you pay for
each? |
- |
| Where did you usually eat? |
at home and in the hospital cafeteria |
| What did you typically pay for
a normal meal? |
about SBD 5 (if I remember correctly) |
| What local food/beverage did
you like most? |
all fruits, vegetables (cooked in coconut milk) and
fish |
| What local food/beverage did
you like least? |
meat |
| Working in Solomon
Islands |
| How did you usually go to
work? |
by car |
| Where did you work? |
NRH |
| What was your occupation? |
surgical registrar |
| What were your working days and
hours? |
[-] |
| What was particularly difficult
in regard to your work? |
the partly different attitude to work |
| Did you feel accepted by the
locals? |
yes |
| What did you usually do in your
spare time after work? |
jogging, going for a walk; on free weekends: Bonegi Beach
or Marava |
| Leaving Solomon Islands and
looking back |
| When did you leave Solomon
Islands? |
April 1999 |
| How long was your stay? |
11 months |
| How do you judge the length of
your stay? |
just about right |
| What did you learn from the
locals? |
to work with minimal resources |
| Your advice to prospective
visitors? |
grab this great opportunity for your professional and
personal advancement |
| What did you miss most when
back at home again? |
the friendliness of the people and the sea |
| What did you enjoy most when
back at home again? |
family, friends and mountains |
| Would you go back for another
stay? |
yes |
| Estimated total cost of your
stay (including travel costs)? |
about CHF 8000 |
| Additional comments? |
it was the best of my 10 years of working life and one
oft the most beautiful of my life to boot |
