Visitor FS1003 
| Visitor |
| Sex? |
female |
| Profession/occupation? |
Medical Student |
| Medical school year or years of
experience since graduation? |
5 |
| Home country? |
Switzerland |
| What made you want to go to
Solomon Islands? |
talking to a previous visitor |
| Did you go alone or in company? |
alone |
| Arriving in Solomon
Islands |
| When did you arrive in Solomon
Islands? |
May 2010 |
| Did you encounter any
bureaucratic difficulties? |
no |
| What was your first impression
after arrival? |
Very friendly and helpful people (especially Rose and
Yvonne) |
| Living in Solomon
Islands |
| What did positively surprise
you? |
the people |
| What did negatively surprise
you? |
nothing |
| What took longest to get used
to? |
no/very slow internet |
| What did you miss most in
Solomon Islands? |
books/internet for medical research |
| What should you have brought
along? |
more medical books |
| What did you do to prevent
malaria? |
Mefloquine |
| Place and province where you
spent most of your time? |
Honiara, Honiara-City |
| Other places/provinces where
you stayed? |
Gizo, Western Province |
| Where did you stay? |
Kiwi-House, Phoebe's Resthouse |
| How long did you stay at each
location? |
6 weeks each |
| How much did you pay for
each? |
Kiwi-House: SBD 200 for 6 Weeks, Phoebe's SBD
110/night |
| Where did you usually eat? |
lunch: home; dinner: home/Kukum Fried
Chicken/Restaurant |
| What did you typically pay for
a normal meal? |
SBD 40 |
| What local food/beverage did
you like most? |
fresh fish, coconut rice |
| What local food/beverage did
you like least? |
grilled fish embryo |
| Mobile
phone services |
| If you brought along a mobile
phone, which services did you successfully use? |
voice and SMS |
| Comments? |
- |
| Money
matters |
| Used a credit card issued by
Mastercard to get cash at ATMs |
| Comments? |
- |
| Working in Solomon
Islands |
| How did you usually go to
work? |
walk |
| Where did you work? |
NRH: Surgical Department, Gizo: Outpatients |
| What was your occupation? |
Elective Medical Student |
| What were your working days and
hours? |
Honiara: 8 AM to 4-11 PM, Gizo: 8.30 AM - 3 PM |
| What was particularly difficult
in regard to your work? |
Gizo: little medical supervision |
| Did you feel accepted by the
locals? |
yes |
| What did you usually do in your
spare time after work? |
Honiara: spend time with neighbours, doctors, other local
students; Gizo: swimming, snorkeling, cooking, dancing |
| Questions
for medical trainees of all levels (students to
registrars) |
| How was the supervision? |
adequate |
| Comments |
very loose in Gizo, close in Honiara |
| How was the teaching? |
adequate |
| Comments |
poor in Gizo, good in Honiara |
| Leaving Solomon Islands and
looking back |
| When did you leave Solomon
Islands? |
August 2010 |
| How long was your stay? |
3 months |
| How do you judge the length of
your stay? |
too short |
| What did you learn from the
locals? |
how easily your life can be very joyful by just being
interested in each other |
| Your advice to prospective
visitors? |
never be afraid, be very open and friendly to everyone
you meet |
| What did you miss most when
back at home again? |
the people |
| What did you enjoy most when
back at home again? |
running water |
| Would you go back for another
stay? |
Anytime! |
| Estimated total cost of your
stay (including travel costs)? |
CHF 6,000 |
| Additional comments? |
Bring medical books (in English), hospital supplies
(scrubs, Betadine, old glasses, anything...), and small
presents for children, neighbours, friends! |
