Visitor MR0602 
| Visitor |
| Sex? |
male |
| Profession/occupation? |
MD, registar internal medicine |
| 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? |
To be picked up by the Medical Superintendent was a nice
surprise. |
| Living in Solomon
Islands |
| What did positively surprise
you? |
friendliness of the locals |
| What did negatively surprise
you? |
littering everywhere |
| What took longest to get used
to? |
to speak pidgin |
| What did you miss most in
Solomon Islands? |
real bread and spices |
| What should you have brought
along? |
spices |
| What did you do to prevent
malaria? |
Lariam |
| 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? |
Hotel, Kiwi-House, home sitting, guesthouse |
| How long did you stay at each
location? |
1 week, 2 months, 1 month, 1 month |
| How much did you pay for
each? |
accomodation was paid for by the Ministry of Health |
| Where did you usually eat? |
home/downtown, also in the cafeteria |
| What did you typically pay for
a normal meal? |
SBD 16 to 30 |
| What local food/beverage did
you like most? |
green coconut, roti |
| What local food/beverage did
you like least? |
taro |
| Mobile
phone services |
| If you brought along a mobile
phone, which services did you successfully use? |
none |
| Comments? |
did not work |
| Money
matters |
Used Travellers Cheques in US$
to get cash
Used debit card to get cash
Used credit card to pay for goods/services |
| Comments? |
There was no ATM in Isabel Province |
| Working in Solomon
Islands |
| How did you usually go to
work? |
walk or by bus |
| Where did you work? |
NRH, medical department; Buala Hospital, Isabel
Province |
| What was your occupation? |
physician (registrar) |
| What were your working days and
hours? |
8am to 5pm (excl. lunchtime) |
| What was particularly difficult
in regard to your work? |
getting used to local diagnostic procedures, accepting
lax work habits |
| Did you feel accepted by the
locals? |
yes |
| What did you usually do in your
spare time after work? |
barbecue, cooking, playing soccer |
| Questions
for medical trainees of all levels (students to
registrars) |
| How was the supervision? |
loose |
| Comments |
Whenever I asked I was usually helped by my
consultant |
| How was the teaching? |
poor |
| Comments |
consultant held a double position and had not enough
time |
| Leaving Solomon Islands and
looking back |
| When did you leave Solomon
Islands? |
March 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? |
to take things a bit easier |
| Your advice to prospective
visitors? |
learn pidgin in advance |
| What did you miss most when
back at home again? |
the friendliness of the locals |
| What did you enjoy most when
back at home again? |
eating bread, shopping in well stocked stores |
| Would you go back for another
stay? |
maybe |
| Estimated total cost of your
stay (including travel costs)? |
CHF 10,000 |
| Additional comments? |
- |
