Final days in Laos for Griffith Group C

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Laura Boulogne

Day 11 or 'Monday blues':
Today, a lot of us were touched by fatigue and homesickness so the general mood was dragged down. However, we kept going and never stopped, and we closed the clinic at 3:30pm after seeing 145 patients. That night, we had a team meeting, a few chocolates, a good debrief and got the general mood right back up.

Day 12 or ‘So many cute babies and pregnant mums!’:
This morning was cold but as the sun set, we warmed up and kept working at a rapid pace. By lunchtime, we had seen more than half of our triaged patients. Today was a good day for everyone and we all worked well under Maddy’s supervision. I had a few interesting cases like a suspected heart block, lymphatic cancer, hypertension with a BP of 200/95 and a few common colds, UTIs and chest infections. The 101 patients we saw today meant we had an early finish and we had everything all packed up by 3:30 so we jumped in the trucks and headed home.

Tomorrow will be our last clinic day and it gave me food for thought. It has been such an interesting trip! I have learnt so much about myself, my goals, limits and qualities in nursing; I have modified my assessment so much to adapt it to the Laos community and this trip was extremely good for me because now I know that I can apply my new knowledge about different cultures to help me treat people from all different backgrounds when working in hospitals back home.

Most of all, I have to say that I have learnt to trust myself, trust my instinct and trust that I have the knowledge and the skills required to be a good nurse and to assess patients of all ages and to work in a multidisciplinary team of health care workers and translators.

Day 13 or ‘Last clinic day’:
The clinic went really well this Wednesday and Celise was our last team leader. As she made her speech, I tried to remember our very first clinic and it reminded me how far we had come since day one. Just as I had opened the first clinic with maternity education, I opened this one with Lizzie, Tiffany and Elisabeth C playing the role of a pregnant mom giving birth. We saw a few more than 75 patients today.

Day 14 or ‘Sex education day’:
Today we went to Ban Pak Seng's high school to teach Sex Education. Divided in groups of girls and boys, our team educated them on the reproductive system, contraception and menstruation.
The girls sessions went well as we explained how puberty changes us physically, emotionally and our personality. As we moved on towards periods and menstrual cycles, we observed the girls writing questions on the paper we had given them. After giving out the girls day packs and talking about STIs and sex safety, we answered questions and realised how little the Laos High School students knew about sex and their own bodies.

Lunchtime rang and we headed up to our head quarters to sort through all the boxes and got our donation bags ready. The rest of the day was the closing ceremony, a game of volleyball, and bacci at the high school as well as the award ceremony with the teachers. I got the translator award as I had been translating all of the French signs.

Day 15 or ‘Blessings at the village and to the bouddha caves we went’:
Today we had a traditional Barsi ceremony as we got blessings from the inhabitants of Ban Pak Seng. We left with the flowers and travelled down the mountain toward the Mekong. We visited the Bouddha’s caves and placed the flowers on one of the altars. We went back to Luang Prabang by boat and cruised down the Mekong. We all enjoyed our last day together as a group and got ready for our final weekend of exploration. Sadly, Allison and Cara were be leaving us early and were going to have to say our goodbyes to them tomorrow.

Exploring Luang Prabang

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Laura Boulogne

Day Six or 'Down by the riverside': 
Today we packed up the trucks and after a visit to the military hospital, we drove five hours to our host village, down the mountains and along the river. We had such a beautiful welcome, and all of us were covered with flowers bouquets made by the school kids as we listened to the Chief's welcome. They humbly received us and thanked us for choosing to come to Laos and to stay in their village for a week.

It was after we had settled in that we heard the news, there was bonfire on tonight that we would get to dance at. All of the kids had gathered around the fire by the time we arrived and were playing with our team. Soon, we were all mixing and enjoying the night with many traditional dances and a few Aussie ones too. Two hours later, we finished the night all jumping around and dancing to Pink's 'So What?' We were all tired but so content, we had big smiles on our faces as we headed to bed.

Day Seven or 'Teaching how to brush your teeth by the river': 
The clinic opened in one of the poorest villages yet, as we struggled to get tables and benches . Here, people have simple houses and are all farmers in the mountains. As the education sessions start, some of us headed towards the river with the sixty village children to start teaching them how to wash their hands and brush their teeth. The kids were so beautiful and loved the soap so much that they started washing their bodies and faces in the river.  The clinic went really well and Ella led the dance. The village has 230 residents and we treated around 120 patients with many disorders. Sadly, the main disorders where due to dehydration or labor muscle pain from working long hours. As we packed up, the sun was high and we all planned to swim in the river back to our host village.

Day Eight or 'A shooting star': 
Today, we saw 150 patients go through triage as we set up our clinic in our home village. Fatemeh was team leader and she did her best to distract all the cute babies whilst directing us all, we all did an awesome job. By the time four o'clock rung, we were all packed and waiting to receive our half-way feedback. Everything seemed positive and on the way to accomplishment. I couldn't believe that we are already midway. What a journey! At diner, we all debriefed and chatted about our day, the interesting cases we had and what to plan for tomorrow's clinic. It is very interesting to realise how much we had all bonded and how we were a team working towards the same goal, helping the Laos community. After dinner, we grabbed torches and sweaters to walk down the river and observe the stars in the night. The sky was so clear we could all see Mars, the big and small saucepans, parts of the Milky Way as well as the North Pole star.


Day Nine or 'The night of the thousand blessings': 
As we woke up and went to breakfast, we could feel that something was in the air in the village. It was only after the clinic that we realised that we were going to have a beautiful ceremony tonight. The clinic went well and we treated 79 patients under Kayla's leadership. This village showed interesting cases such as presumed tuberculosis, emphysema, ear and chest infections. As we got home, we all spent some time with our families before going from house to house to have blessing ceremonies and receive cotton bracelets. It was very touching and we all felt warmth in our hearts and tears in our eyes as the village said their goodbyes to our group. Back home after the ceremonies, we exchanged gifts and talked about Australia and our lives.

Day Ten or 'Cooking and rafting it is':
Today the whole village was awake and busy as the first rays of sun shone. A big meeting was set in the village's community centre as we all packed our bags, ready to head back to Luang Prabang. After breakfast, we headed to four villager's houses to learn to cook different meals that we would all share for lunch. My group headed to my home stay to cook chicken salad with banana flowers, garlic, dill, coriander and mint. We all gathered and tried each others meals as we were prepared to raft down the Suang River. Rafting was a new experience and we split into groups of three to travel down to the next village with. The river sides were beautiful and the kids waved at us as we left our home village.

Off in the trucks we went for a weekend of exploring or relaxation in Luang Prabang.

The Challenges (And Lessons) From Living In Nepal

COUNTRY: Nepal
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Tayla Peck

Living in Nepal for the last four weeks has really highlighted the everyday struggles faced. From gas shortages to no electricity, I am amazed at how happy and friendly the Nepali people are. 

Walking down the street, I find myself constantly smiling as I am greeted by many strangers. Everybody says hello or namaste! There is a unique and different feeling in Nepal that I have never experienced in any other country that I have been to.

The Nepali people face many hardships everyday, yet are the most beautiful people. Gas and petrol shortages mean that prices are very expensive and  that these resources are hard to access. When driving to and from the hospital, I see people lining up in the street for kilometres. I have also noticed that each day is a different category of vehicle.

For example, one day it may be car and the next day it may be motorbike or truck and bus day. I have also seen people line up to purchase gas for kilometers on end. My taxi driver informed me that people may line up for hours and still not reach the front of the line and not receive the gas or petrol that they need. For a country facing so many hardships, the people of Nepal continue to put a smile on my face and make me fall inlove with this country even more!

Top Five Things That I Got Out of My Antipodeans Abroad Experience

COUNTRY: Nepal
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Tayla Peck

Top five new skills and abilities gained from an Antipodeans Abroad experience!

1. Being able to travel and practice nursing in another country 
I love that I was able to combine my interest for nursing and travel together to enhance my clinical skills and to push myself outside my usual comfort levels. I was able to practice the way that I do in Australia and teach some of the Nepalese nurses Australian healthcare practices. To be able to travel and work in a hospital at the same time is a great opportunity for someone like myself.

2. Meeting new people 
I have met a group of new people from all over Australia who I have formed great friendships with. These friendships have clicked from the start and we have shared many exciting memories and experiences together. I have already organised catch ups with some of these girls and we hope to road trip together to all catch up.

3. Challenged myself immensely 
From travelling by myself and meeting new people to paragliding with new friends, I have definitely pushed myself and challenged myself throughout this amazing experience. Working in a new hospital can be scary enough let alone in a different country. These challenges that I faced during my time in Nepal has opened up new travelling opportunities for myself that I never thought I could do. Living with a new family can also be challenging but the Tibetan community are very friendly and welcoming.

4. Living with My Host Family
What an experience this was! I loved living with my host family. We bonded very quickly and before I knew it, I felt apart of the family and very comfortable within their home. I found myself looking forward to coming home to my host family and telling them about my day. I was able to experience life living in Nepal and the struggles this family faced everyday. From not having electricity at night sometimes and having to resort to cooking dinner outside over a fire was incredible to witness and experience. I enjoyed cooking dinner with my family and learning how to make the local food that I will be able to cook when I get home. My favourite meal is buff mo mo's and chocolate and banana mo mo's for dessert. Showering was also challenging at times as the water was cold without electricity. My host mum would heat up water over the fire and I would have a bucket shower. I realise how simple and easy life in Australia is and how much we take things like electricity and showering for granted everyday. I will never forget the incredible expereince of living with my host family.

5. Life in Pokhara for Four Weeks 
I was able to live in Tashiling, Pokhara for four weeks. I was immersed in the culture and life in Nepal, learning how to cook local food and speak the local language. I was able to pick up simple greetings like hello, goodbye, welcome, thank you. As my time in Pokhara progressed I was able to further develop my language skills. It was surreal being surrounded by such perfect scenery. Our settlement in which we were staying was in front of the World Peace Stupa and mountains. On clear sunny days, we could see Fishtail and some of the Himalayas. It was breathtaking. I felt very privileged being able to wake up to these views every morning. As I was becoming what felt like a local I became great at bargaining down shopping and taxi rides. Bartering and haggling is all a part of the experience and can be great fun too. Especially if you get a bargain!

Learning About Nepalese Healthcare

COUNTRY: Nepal
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Tayla Peck

I was lucky enough to work in ED, ICU, CCU (Coronary critical care) and Maternity at Manipal Teaching Hospital. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the hospital and feel that I have learnt a lot about the Nepalese health care system and their practices. The healthcare staff are very curious about Australian practice and were enthusiastic about involving me in patient care, showing me the ways in which Nepalese healthcare operates. The doctors and interns are keen to share their knowledge and are happy to answer any questions. They speak perfect English too!

It is important that you practice how you would in Australia which can educate the nurses and doctors but still acknowledge the Nepalese clinical practice. Be prepared and bring PPE like gloves, face mask and hand sanitiser. The hospital can provide some of these but don't always think that they will be readily available. Nursing scrubs and a white lab coat are essential to have as this was our uniform. Enclosed shoes like runner or nursing shoes are also required. Nursing roles and tasks in Nepal include IV and oral meds, vitals observations, patient care such as bed making and personal cleansing and dressing, Dr rounds and assisting with invasive procedures.

To get the most out of your hospital placement it is essential to have an open mind and acknowledge the connection between healthcare practices and the deficit in resources. Be prepared, as there is a huge difference between Australian and Nepalese healthcare – but overall, the experience is incredible. Like Australia, working relationships are built on trust and mutual respect so it is important that you are involved with patient care and are interested in the Nepalese health practices by asking lots of questions.

I was invited to one of the nurses homes to have tea and muffins one afternoon. It was lovely to see her home and be invited into it.

Must-Do's in Phnom Penh From Newcastle Nursing

PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: University of Newcastle Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Molly Batinic

Last week in Cambodia, and we have ticked almost everything off of our bucket lists, plus some. We not only saw the last of the kids at PIO and started work at a new school, we also took our long weekend as an opportunity to explore Siem Reap … And it was worth every minute! The top 5 must-do’s of the week are almost all in this incredible city. 

 First of all, no one can miss the chance to see Angkor Wat, more specifically, at sunrise. From the history, to the beauty of this famous landmark, it was a fantastic way to start our Siem Reap adventure. After a long day of exploring that and many more temples, we decided to hit up Pub Street. And yes, it is exactly as the name suggests. We ate delicious food and danced the night away with both locals and tourists on our first night away from Phnom Penh. However, after an excellent, but long first day there, it was time to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Kulen Mountains. This involved three different stops on our tour, including a visit to the big Buddha, a hike along the underwater carvings river and finally a swim in the ever so enchanting waterfalls. It was simply magnificent! Next on the list is a visit to the Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital for an amazing and eye-opening Saturday night. Due to this chain of hospitals in Cambodia, millions of children’s lives have been saved that would not have without sufficient treatment.

And finally, our last to do for this week is based in Phnom Penh, however it is most certainly not for everyone. As we have been enjoying supporting the many dining-for-a-cause restaurants in Cambodia, we decided to continue this and have dinner at ‘Dine in the Dark.’ The idea is to be placed in the same shoes as a visually impaired local and eat a 3-course meal whilst having no idea of what you're actually eating. Like I said, it's definitely not for everyone. However, it was a great experience and although not all agreed, some of us girls would most certainly go back again.

Now onto the work part … We didn't quite manage to get through all of the 500+ kids at PIO, but we came extremely close and a everyone put in a huge effort. Although, our last day at the school was a bittersweet one and a few sneaky tears were shed whilst saying goodbye to all of these delightful children. But lucky for us, we were onto a new a school, where the children were just as wonderful. Chibodia is an afternoon school where children from the countryside can go to learn English, sewing and computers. We did basic health checks here, as well as educating the children about proper hygiene standards, which they absolutely loved! On our own time, some of us girls also visited a school in which one of our translators volunteers for, which teaches English and computers on an island just outside of Phnom Penh. It is called the Coconut School and it has changed the lives of many children and broadened their minds and futures, which will indefinitely change the future of Cambodia for the better.

We now have one more school to attend and get through as many kids there as possible, before we say our final goodbyes and leave this incredible country. You could say, we are feeling quite sad about this prospect already!

Griffith Group C Arrive in Stunning Laos

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Laura Boulogne
After numerous goodbyes to our families, our trip from Brisbane to Luang Prabang in Laos started with Liz, our facilitator, helping a patient with food poisoning while flying at 20 000 feet. Very little did we know that it wouldn't be the first clinic that we would work at up in the clouds.

Landing in Luang Prabang we had a tour of this beautiful city and its temples. Our guide took us around the Mekong and the Suang river as well as across the city in the night markets.
Sunday morning after a night of heavy rain the decision was made not to drive up to the host families in remote Laos, 2000m high up the mountains due to the muddy slippery roads. Stop is set in Ban Pak Seng, the center of the district where we will hold our clinics. 

Day one – Freezing, up in the clouds we went

For our first day of clinic we went up to a small village at about 600m ASL. Today it will reach sub zero temperatures, and everyone is wearing as many layers as they can. Many tried to buy gloves, socks and coats at the local markets to give themselves a sense of warmth. At this stage it rained for 48h and the rain just calmed leaving us with a cold wind…very far from the 30 degrees of the weekend. Thus we are all freezing under our scarves as we pack up the trucks and head up to the mountains on narrow road surrounded by cliffs displaying the most beautiful and purely natural views of the mountains.

As we enter the village we can all witness the poverty of the inhabitants: small wooden house, no real infrastructures, kids and parents with very little clothing and footwear on the icy dirt ground. Here we are setting the clinic in a one-room building with a cement floor, roof and two walls: this is going to be an interesting first day!

As the day goes by our team leader Tiffany runs the clinic and direct us all towards completion, we saw a hundred patients. Temperatures are now reaching below zero and the rain started again. Today has been hard on us and our patients, their temperature weren't easy to take, we had to shyly ask them to undress to auscultate them in this cold, we could not find their pulses... However, we are all feeling humble facing our happy and respectful patients, they did not complain nor argued and kept a smile on their faces as they thank us: Khop Jai Lai Lai.

After a nice warm dinner that night we all headed to bed under a pile of blankets.

Day two – Australia Day

Today we are heading to breakfast in the rain. To keep being productive and not waste any second we all unpacked our donation bags and started re-arranging all the clinical boxes to be ready for the next clinics. Medications are being sorted and counted, clothes and shoes packed, toothbrushes, toothpaste and soaps in our education bags and our assessment boxes filled up. Some of us wore Australia Day caps and temporary tattoos as we worked.

The afternoon is spent with a meeting where we all debriefed our experience at the clinic, our expectations, goals and hopes for this placement.


Day three – to the hospital we go

All clinics up the mountains have been cancelled for this week, we are all feeling sad not to be able to see and help so many villages. It's Kayla's birthday today and we sing as we hope for the rain to stop. As we head to the hospital, hope comes as the sun peaks out, warming us all on this cold morning. Visiting Pak Seng’s hospital many of us decide that we cannot complain about Queensland Health and our western hospital anymore! These people have nothing in the hospital and yet they are fairly healthy and living vibrant lives. As the afternoon sets some of us go to the centre of the village and start kicking the ball with a few kids, the next minute is it five of us nurses against thirty kids playing soccer, frisbee and volley, what a beautiful dry afternoon!

The day concluded with a pumpkin cake for Kayla and a good night sleep.


Day four – back to work

Today we held a clinic in Ban Pak Seng where we reside, about 53 families came to see us as we treat GIT disorders, chest infections, cold as flus as well as visual disorders with glasses. We are all feeling content to be able to do what we are here for and help the villagers.

As we head to dinner we meet a lot of girls dressed in beautiful traditional gowns and music can be heard in the background. While eating we all debrief about the clinic, what was done well and what could be modified to provide the best care. Alex, our team leader reflects on today and congratulates us on treating 104 patients before an announcement is being made: the children of the village will dance for us tonight.

Demonstrations of the five traditional Lao dances are made and we all look at them in awe. These dances are really graceful and the silky traditional costumes are complimenting their movements. Inviting us to join them some of us become Lao dancer just for the night. When our turn comes to teach them a dance, the Nut Bush was our choice and we all cracked on laughing at the end. Another beautiful night in Laos finished with us all going to join the dancers in their bamboo dance.


Day five – above the clouds under the sunlight

Today I wake up with a certain sense of excitement, and it hasn't rained since yesterday night. Last night we were advised that a dry night meant that we could go and help up in the mountains today. All of us are feeling relieved and hope for a full day of sunshine for us to go up to the village, do our clinic and come down the mountain safely. Today is our last clinical day of the week before we drive back to Luang Prabang for the weekend.

We drive far above the clouds to discover Ban Nung Kam, our clinic home. This village has a population of 630 and they are giving us a warm welcome as the children all line up in front of us. As the clinic starts I go with the antenatal team to check the pregnant women of the Ban Nung Kam. Thankfully all of them are healthy and foetal hearts are amazing to hear. As we wrap up the clinic and head back on the trucks, Juliette, team leader, announces that 154 patients is our count for the day.


The first major challenge I have witnessed on this trip was today, a woman burned her foot by the fire two nights ago and because of the roads she could not get help in the districts hospital. She was in a state of sepsis, tachycardia, arrhythmia, and as we gave her antibiotics we knew that there wasn't anything else we could do.

It is a bittersweet night for me as we all join for dinner enjoying the warm dawn and the feeling of going back to Luang Prabang tomorrow for a weekend of exploration.

Feeling At Home in Cambodia – Newcastle Nursing in Phnom Penh

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: University of Newcastle Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Molly Batinic

Sous sdei! (Hello)

One week down and we're almost locals. This week we have spent much time absorbing the culture of beautiful Cambodia. It's Tuesday afternoon and we are currently getting pedicures after a long, but rewarding, day. We have seen over 500 kids, with only the teeny tiny kindergarten students to go. Each grade has its own profoundly unique characteristics and personalities. 

The grade 6 students are extremely smart and caring of both the younger children and us foreigners. The infant children are much louder, however, but their endearing smiles and everlasting happiness take us by the heartstrings. We have poured out heart and souls into trying to help these children and the outcomes have been absolutely incredible. Watching these children smile and laugh, as well as holding their hands when they cry has been extraordinary and inspired us to continue to do such great work each and every day.

However, this week has not all been about hard work and no play, we also had the weekend to explore the everlasting sights of Phnom Penh.

 Our top 5 must-dos from this weekend included a visit to the heartbreaking killing fields. Our Saturday morning was spent touring the place where millions of Cambodians were slaughtered only 40 odd years ago, and was a life-changing experience, especially hearing the survivors’ stories. On a happier note, that lunchtime we immersed ourselves in some traditional Khmer food... Tarantulas. Huge, scary and hairy – but delicious – spiders.

 Another must-do in Cambodia is to get a massage. They are super cheap and perfect for anyone who wantsto relax for a peaceful hour. We decided to go to one named seeing hands, which employs blind locals and gives them a stable job to live by. Another highlight was the night markets. The setup of these was unexpected in an extremely delightful way. They were completely different from any markets back at home, with live music and so many food options to choose from, we were absolutely in our element whilst bartering away for cheap shoes, clothes, jewellery and everything in-between.

But after a couple of nights here, our wallets were begging us to stop. So the last must-do for this week was a free and eventful night at the Olympic stadium. But no, it was not for soccer or football, or even athletics – but rather, for aerobics. Every night locals spend sunset swaying and Cha-chaing the night away whilst listening to all types of music. It's the funnest way to burn away all of the food we have been eating.

Speaking of food, we have been getting to know each other, as well as our translators, much more this week over lunches at the mall. These were done throughout the week in the middle of the days at the clinic. The air conditioning and good company has been a great way to split up some of the difficult days. The translators are incredible locals who all attend the university for either medicine or dentistry. We laugh hysterically on a daily basis when we are together, and they are absolute lifesavers with both their translating and medical knowledge. They will surely be missed when we leave.

Ah kon (thank you) to them all.

Newcastle Nursing Settle Into Life in Phnom Penh

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: University of Newcastle Nursing Placement
WRITTEN BY: Molly Batinic

Six strangers travelled together to Phnom Penh and luckily, so far so good. The traffic is chaotic, the language is unknown and the culture is immensely different. For the first couple of days we were thrown straight into the culture and sights of beautiful Cambodia before starting our work at the health clinic.

This epic adventure that was enabled by Antipodeans Abroad has influenced us to do other charitable activities whilst here. On day two, we decided that lunch at Friends was a must-do. Friends employs disadvantaged youth to get them off the streets, and teaches them vital cooking skills so they can have a brighter, happier future. This vibrant restaurant not only encourages hope for these children, but also has a positive environment and incredible food.

Many of the must-sees of Phnom Penh were checked off of our bucket list in these days. This includes visiting the S21 jail where the Khmer Rouge genocide took place during the 1970’s, wiping out 3 million Cambodians in just over 3 years. The Palace was also another wonderful sight to see, and was such a shock to see how much respect and devotion was still directed towards Buddhism and their King.

A sunset cruise is also a must-do if you are looking for a peaceful end to the day – a serenity-filled dinner. Whilst in Phnom Penh, it’s also fantastic to experience the bustling markets. Barter with the locals and shop till you drop, whilst spending little amounts of money on clothing, paintings, ornaments and everything in between. Lastly, if living on the edge is your style, jump on a cyclo-bike and rush through the city streets. You will support a local charity, whilst maneuver crazily through the traffic to get to around the city.

After exploring, we were ready to immerse ourselves in the clinics.

The alarm buzzed at 5.30am on Wednesday morning, and we dressed in our scrubs and got ready to tackle the busy day ahead. We were faced with many challenges and our worlds were put into perspective. From the poor working conditions, to the extreme health conditions, we were feeling overwhelmed by what we came across. Basic health checks in our country seem like so little, but to these children they were so much more. We set up stations to include eye checks, ear checks, skin and hair integrity, height/weight and temperature, vital signs, as well as dental interventions and quality of life questionnaires. By the end of the afternoon, we had our routine down-pat and established rapport and trust with the children. The day drew to a close and we were feeling both exhausted and excited for the many days to come.

30 children assessed, only 470 to go. Wish us luck!

Final Week in Laos for Griffith Team B!

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Nathan Bell

Reflecting on Griffith Team B's final week in Laos is bitter-sweet, as Laos has really gotten under their skin (in a good way).

Monday, Day 16: 
Today turned out to be our largest clinic – we had 120 families turn up, however, with Madeleine in charge the day couldn't have gone more smoothly. We send a couple of students out to make a home visit, a 74-year-old gentleman not eaten or drunk anything in the last three days. Sophie and Chris spent some time scrubbing up on their painting skills, or I should more correctly say, they spent lots of time scrubbing everything after painting. Either way with the help of Hazel and Elizabeth's daughters, they all managed to repaint a number of well-used blackboards. The school now looks the part, and the classrooms should be more usable; the experience left a mark not only on the girls but the school – and perhaps the girls’ clothes as well!

Tuesday, Day 17: 
Today our placement was a medium village, and we set up at a local high school. In this village most of the problems were respiratory issues, and it would seem cooking plays a large role in this unfortunately. Locals cook with wood fires indoors, often in the middle of the living space; the resulting soot that lines the tin roof also lines their airways. I did educate some people on the benefits of setting up an outdoor cooking area, one still under cover, but the interpreter said to me laughing, "But they won't, it's cultural." Later that night we discover the local hangout, a place of beer, burnt pork and Patong, a game played with large solid steel balls, closest team to the jack wins. Sounds easy, right? Yeah, I thought so too. The locals throw these balls with astounding accuracy, and the brief moment of pride you feel as your ball sits two inches from the jack swiftly turns to dismay, as they promptly apologise for knocking it out of the playing field before they even make the shot! Michelle and I stayed out later to meet Kood, a local member for the department of agriculture who proved most useful with his grasp of not only Patong, but English which he learnt in Vientiene. We also met another group of travellers from France, and after several rounds of nation vs nation we retired a draw.

Wednesday, Day 18: 
Loaded up with supplies we head out to the next village, our second last one. The school we operate out of is situated on the steepest of steep hills with no water or power. After we carry all the gear up the hill, one of our team is in a bad way with her asthma – the meet and greet continues but several of our cohort huddle around her and lend support and reassurance. It is sad to see one of our own needing treatment and without power, the nebuliser machine won't work and going down the hill again would almost certainly exacerbate the asthma. However not to be defeated she continues the day, a testament to her dedication to the clinics and the people who need her skills. Today turns out to be a huge clinic as well, 131 people – it seems like most of the village turned out for this one. There were as usual a few standout cases that came in to the clinic, such as a lady with the biggest goitre I have ever seen, about the size of a cantaloupe. One cardiac case came through that was also complex, but then again, when aren't cardiac cases? However there is not much we can do for them seeing as they cannot afford the ongoing medications that would be required to extend their lives.

Thursday, Day 19: 
So the final clinic has arrived, it's a mixture of joy and sadness. Joy to be soon returning home to our loved ones, but sadness that we couldn't help more and that our team so tight will soon be dissolved and dispersed. Today we visit the Pak Seng District Children's Hospital. It turns out to be a small but rewarding clinic, and for me was the trip highlight. One of the last patients of the day is brought to Elizabeth Coyne the leader for group C. The local nurse indicated the child of maybe four years old needed a head dressing redone over a laceration to his forehead that had multiple stitches. However, language barriers being what they are, when we asked the interpreter to clarify, he said they wanted the stitches removed. Despite not having a proper stitch cutter we made do with sterile scissors and tweezers, eleven stitches later and a new dressing the child was on his way home. The little boy never made a sound. For a lucky few in our team, they got the opportunity to sit in for a birth, and witnessed a beautiful baby girl being born. It was very fortuitous for mother and baby that Hazel was there to help the local midwives, or the outcome could have been very much different. It was a difficult birth and only the second one that Hazel had been apart of in seven years.

Friday, Day 20:
Following our blessing ceremony, we head to the vehicles and leave for the three hour journey to the caves; caves that contain thousands of Buddha statues that have been placed there throughout the centuries. So now the clinics are all done, we are free to do as we wish before returning to Luang Prabang and then home to Australia. We eat, drink and enjoy our final days together. I should at least mention the market shopping; some were a little addicted to say the least, but I guess to be fair, no more than my love affair with Lao beer. The final goodbyes for some at the Luang Prabang airport are strangely hard as they leave us to travel further afield, some won't leave us until the next stop Bangkok. Either way with each one that parts ways we lose a little more of our team. I hope that this final blog reminds us all of the time and the experiences we shared.

Griffith Group B – Reflecting on A Life-Changing Trip

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Nathan Bell
As our time in Luang Prabang comes to a close, and we start the bumpy return journey to the Seuang Valley, I cannot help but think of how far we have all come. The initial trepidations we all felt have long since gone, replaced by a sense of achievement; we are making a difference here. Looking around at the detritus it is clear Laos has a long way to go in terms of basic sanitation. However with each volunteer group that visits – nurses, doctors, or engineers – it improves just that little bit as we work with locals to assist with sustainable solutions.

The road from Luang Prabang to the Seuang Valley now has several sections of paved road. We arrive at our new base station, dinner is to be served at the White House, rice of course, noodles and some vegetables.

Day 9: Monday

We head to Ban Sopur, a village established in the 1975 when the road finally reached the area and comprised of 84 families or 435 people. The chief of the village gave a heartfelt speech welcoming us to the village and thanking us for the healthcare that we provide; a blessing ceremony was to follow. I am by no means religious but the act was touching because they honestly believed and chanted well wishes whilst tying sections of cord around our wrists. Despite battling fatigue after a long day, we are to be welcomed to our base village.

Dancing and frivolity ensured. It is also clear why people choose to live out here; they are as one family. Picture if you can a family barbecue, but only with 400 members and everyone joins in to sing a spontaneous ballard or start a random dance; yes we are financially better off but surely they are richer in community spirit; it is little wonder they don't want to leave. On a side note people, kababs are out here, cooked rat on a stick is in.



Day 11: Wednesday

We travel to another medium village with many more families in need. The things that we take for granted such as basic analgesia comes to these people maybe twice a year in some cases. We will see about 84 people with varying conditions, two boys from one family both with cognitive impairments also had congenital cataracts in both eyes. We were eager to help in whatever way we could and unanimously elected to use a portion of the donated funds to sponsor the both boys for cataract surgery; the cost? A paltry one hundred dollars per eye.



Day 12: Thursday

Before heading out to the village our waiting group is approached by a young mother enquiring for her daughter. It would seem where Australian children push Lego in noses and ears, Lao children lodge rice grains, and in this case the result was a girl with a sore ear. Unfortunately for them we could not solve her issue as there was the risk of puncturing her drum, but we will sponsor her to be treated at the local hospital.

Day 13: Friday

Today begins with weaving lessons, and it's safe to say that I have a newfound appreciation of their craft. They spend up to a week making a scarf depending on the complexity, something that might only fetch US$50 on the market. We all have a try and some find a natural rhythm with the machine others appear in constant battle. As we leave for the next station the weavers set about unpicking the mess we made halfway through their scarf.

Next station is master chef, Laos edition and it's safe to say that if I had seen the kitchen and wasn't preparing the meal myself I would be reticent to eat it. No one will ever complain about cooking space or conditions again; they really make do with a bare dirt floor, dull knives, and a stove that is akin to a camping fireplace where to turn up the heat you push the wood in a little bit further. We all manage excellent dishes and have learnt some Lao cooking (even those who just made sticky rice...well maybe) and survived without having to break into the stash of Buscopan just yet.

All fed and eager for rafting we travel by truck to the next village and the awaiting rafts. There we split into groups of three and board our makeshift vessels. The local Lao men who control the rafts have a sense of humour it seems and took great pleasure on rocking the rafts from side to side when you least expected it. It also goes without saying that there was a race amongst the rafts, many pushing the limits of pole pushing endurance. Rapids got the heart beating a little faster but in the end we all ended up floating down the river off the rafts by choice; well some needed a little group motivation perhaps. A perfect way to end the working week and to start the wind down; the countryside was truly magnificent and I wish you could see it through my eyes as I did.

Griffith Group B Arrive in Laos!

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Nathan Bell
The third of January is here; the moment has finally arrived when we depart for Laos. It could only be described as a mixture of excitement and apprehension, somewhat masked by the hustle and bustle of the airport terminal. The first two days delivers high adventure and Bangkok smells in spades, although the tedium of air travel is not lost on anyone. Flying into Luang Prabang airport we pass a series of mountains with peaks like cloud-ringed fingers; it brings relief not only from the air travel, but the stuffiness of continually recycled air. The airport runs with a smooth third world efficiency, but at a guess most would say better than Bangkok.

Bombarded by strange new sights at every turn is it any wonder we didn't all just fall into bed when the tour around the city was done? However after we arrive and unpack our belongings, like hungry children we dig in for seconds and third helpings of adventure. Night markets! What else can I say? Those who have never been to a developing country and visited the food and goods markets were in for a treat. There was no shortage of vendors peddling wares for all to buy; from WW2 bomblets melted back down and converted into cutlery or figurines, to scarfs and all you could eat buffets for 10,000 Kip ($1.70 AUD), a small charge to test the strength of ones stomach.

One of the many adorable babies getting seen too by SRN's Rachel, Rebecca, and, Claire. Typically our larger group broke off into neat packets and roamed around exploring the sights and sounds, although strangely despite the size of the town and limited means to communicate, most would find the only pizza shop in town.

On the third day we are ready and raring to go. After loading the vehicles we all clamber aboard for the two-hour bottom numbing ride to the first home stay village Na Pho. It seems like the whole village has come to meet us and give the gift of flowers, Saa Bai Dee (Hello) say the little children with the cutest little bow, Kup Jai (thank you) we would reply or something close depending on your First leg all done!

We landed in Bangkok individual grasp of the Lao language. We meet our home stay mothers today, mine is Gyow; she is warm and friendly and shows us to our bed spaces. Not much more than a two inch mattress on the floor with a blanket and a matching one inch thick pillow. After settling in, I migrate outside the small house and try to communicate with Gyow who is tending to dinner. I am met with much smiling but it's clear she speaks no English and my level of Lao is limited to hello and thank you; this could be difficult.

The scenery from our little home stay is nothing short of spectacular to say the least; rice paddy fields backed by an almost shear mountain that rises 1000 meters behind. Each morning it is not until about ten o'clock when the clouds covering its peak are burned off by the sun and it can be seen fully. I must say I was wondering at the quality of the local food we might get and as such packed enough mi goreng noodles from Australia
to tide me over in the event of unpalatable local
fair. later that night, we shared games and dance
competitions with the locals. Jessica was
unanimously crowned Australian stick game
champion after a number of wins against the local
pro team in a heart pounding game that required
speed, dexterity and a excellent grasp of Lao
language.

Day four was the first clinic at Sop Jek! Sop Jek is a
 small village in the Seuang Valley with 73 families. We cut our teeth in remote community health care that day. Many of us were tired by the end of the day but grateful for the experience. We saw people with all manner ailments, and despite the communication issues were able to help many and in the process learn so much ourselves. By then end of the first clinic we are ready for more.

Day five and we set up for the big clinic of this week, run out of the local school; we have the benefit of four rooms to use. I have been delegated team leader and happy to say had a mixed emotional response, but ultimately reconciled with them all and channeled them into determination. Fortunately for me the teamed leaders value is the sum of its parts and I had a fantastic team to back me up. At every turn and with each problem the group innovated and created an efficiency I didn't think possible, kudos to all. By the end of the day we had seen 131 people through our clinic and everyone felt a strong sense of achievement; we were doing it, and we did it well.

Day six and we revisit Sop Jak, this time to provide sexual health education to the high school students. We rotated through several classes and answered anonymous questions from the class, we were surprised by many as it is information we take for granted.

Eye-opening Experiences in Laos (in a good way!)

COUNTRY: Laos
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Laura Maskell

After a nice relaxing weekend at Luang Prabang, Group A was ready to conquer week two back in Pak Keng village. Once we arrived in the village we were reunited with our original home stay families.

This week, Group A experienced four eye–opening days of clinic. This allowed us to see multiple medical cases, some of which were culturally unique to Laos and some that are also seen within Australia. As we were approaching winter, the group saw many cases of the flu and bronchitis along with multiple cases of reflux as a result of eating large portions of spicy foods.

This week, Group A also saw a middle-aged schoolteacher who came into the clinic with chest pain and difficultly breathing. Auscultation and assessment revealed consolidation of left lower lobe. Upon discussion the group decided to send the man to Luang Prabang hospital the following Monday. After a few days the man returned home and said that he was feeling much better, and that he was grateful for our service.

Next, a young mother who had a baby boy earlier that week came in. Quickly, doctors discovered that the baby was struggling to feed properly was becoming rapidly malnourished. After a few days of monitoring the group also agreed to send him to the Luang Prabang hospital. They reported that the baby was thiamine deficient, and after an intramuscular injection he was able to feed normally, beginning to make a full recovery.

Overall the clinics were absolutely eye opening allowing the group to understand the unique culture of Laos. This week gave the group a deeper appreciation to how these people live and a better understanding to primary healthcare.

After a long week of clinics the group was excited to do cultural activities within the Pak Keng village such as cooking, weaving and rafting before returning to Luang Prabang for some hard-earned relaxation.

Discovering Amazing Angkor Wat and New Insights into Nursing

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Wollongong Nursing
WRITTEN BY: Ashton Reid

Week two has been just as challenging and exciting as week one. It marked the end of our first clinic rotations. It was really good to swap clinics between the two groups because it allowed us to see both different perspectives and how the two clinics worked – including their similarities and differences.

This week Krabei Riel clinic gave us a taste of midwifery and with our supervisor's help, we were able to do plenty of antenatal care with the mothers. For both clinics, immunising children was a big job with lots of families bringing their babies into be immunised first thing in the morning.

Throughout week two, we were all given the chance to look at the clinic pharmacy and observe medication dispensing. It was interesting to see the differences pharmacy practice between Cambodia compared to Australia.

On Thursday we were given the day off and all trekked by tuk tuk to the temples around Angkor Wat. The architecture and history behind all the various temples was amazing and so interesting as some were both Hindu and Buddhist temples. It is so easy to see how they became a wonder of the natural world.

Friday was our last day of practical, and lots of hugs and tears were shed. We invited everyone out for our last team dinner so a lot of the staff from the clinics came as well as our interpreters and drivers. It was really nice to sit down and talk to them about their lives more and the two weeks that we had all shared together.

It is easy to say that we all had an amazing time in Cambodia, and have learnt so much not only about nursing skills but also about the inter-personal skills that need to be engaged in with a patient to provide excellent primary health care, and person-centred care.

Griffith Nursing Arrives in Breathtaking Pak Keng, Laos

COUNTRY: Laos
PROJECT: Nursing – Griffith University
WRITTEN BY: Laura Maskell

The countdown was over and this year’s first group of Griffith University nursing students were on their way to Laos! We were travelling over 12 hours to conduct primary health care and education to multiple villages along the Seaung River.

Once our group of 13 students and three teachers arrived at the Luang Prabang airport after multiple hours of travel, we were met by our friendly tour guides/translators who drove the group to our first destination My Lao Home via tuk tuk's. Of course being typical tourists we took multiple selfies in the tuk tuk to show family this novel mode of transportation (or, at least it was at them time).

Our group spent the weekend in the main city Luang Prabang, where we were lucky enough to sightsee, relax and embrace the atmosphere and culture of Laos. On Sunday morning our team was whisked away for an hour and a half trip up the mountain to our home stay village Pak Keng. The view was breathtaking: We were surrounded by millions of vibrant tall trees and a gushing river. When we finally reached Pak Keng we were greeted by the village children who were ecstatic to see us and presented with beautiful hand made bouquets of flowers.

After meeting and settling into our home–stays, we encountered our first dilemma. The squat toilets! After expressing concerns and trying to figure out the best way to undertake the deed of toileting, business began. We were taken to the local clinic to sort through our medications, medical supplies, donations and education, in order to deliver primary care over the coming weeks to those who had no, or little, access to healthcare.

On the first two clinic days, the group delivered health promotion education on hand hygiene, teeth brushing and correct lifting technique to each village and an additional sex–ed to the Pak Keng high school. Furthermore, the clinics allowed us to see the common issues faced by countries with lower socio-economic status than Australia. The clinics were an eye opening experience of how so little can help an individual so much, allowing us to feel both compassion and appreciation.

Towards the end of the week, we endured a short trip back in the rain to Luang Prabang where we were reunited with normal toilets and hot water. Over the weekend the group decided to go elephant riding, get massages and explore the traditional Laos food before we began week two.

Nursing in Siem Reap: Mountains, zip-lines and giant buddha statues

COUNTRY: Cambodia
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Nursing - Murdoch University
WRITTEN BY: Melissa Williams and Peter Footer

So here we all are – we have made it to the end of week two of our International Placement. Well done to everyone involved – the very important support crew back home in Australia, our amazing preceptors in Cambodia, our Siem Reap based partners and translators, and most importantly our little team of Aussie nursing students here in Siem Reap.

Sou Sdei and Ter nak sok sa bay te? (hello and how are you?)

Last weekend we took a trip to Phnom Kulen National Park. We set off in our van with our trusty transport driver and translator and began our journey to the top of the mountain. Kulin Mountain is 487 metres high and the summit has only been able to be reached by car since 1999. This is when a private businessman built the current winding road up to the summit. This same businessman now charges US$20 per foreign visitor to use said road – hence I suspect he has well and truly made his money back (plus some) by now. The journey to the top takes at least 2 hours and due to the narrowness of the road, it is only possible to ascend prior to 11am and descend after midday – it seems some logical order does exist in this beautiful country.

Kulen Mountain is situated in the north-eastern corner of the Angkor Complex and is considered to be the most sacred mountain in Cambodia by the Khmer people. It is said that this is where King Jayavaraman II declared himself as god king and announced independence from Java in 802 AD. Even at the top of a mountain of this size and ruggedness there are the remains of 56 Angkorian temples – most in bad condition, however one remains named Hahendrapura. We were a little templed–out by this stage, after our epic day visiting temples on Thursday, so we opted to travel to the summit of the mountain to visit a Buddha Pagoda. It contains an 8-metre long reclining Buddha statue, carved into a sandstone block dating back to the 16th century. In Australia I highly doubt you would be allowed to get anywhere near to such an amazing piece of history, however in this neck of the woods there is a boardwalk built around the statue, and worshipers rub Buddha and leave offerings.

Following this, we travelled a short distance back down the mountain to a river where there are carvings dating back to 12th century AD. It was then that monks carried heavy carving tools up these hills to carve the thousand Lingas and other bas-relief images of Hindu gods and goddesses into the riverbed and surrounding rock face’s. The carvings are known as Lingas and are phallic symbols, and the flow of the river over them sanctifies the water. This sanctified water continues down the Kbal Spean River through Angkor Wat and eventually becomes a tributary feeding into Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia’s biggest lake.

After this we travelled a little further down the mountain to Kulen Waterfall. What an amazing place to visit, with many Monk, tourist and local doing the same thing on this day. Following a very steep decent down stairs that would hardly qualify in Australia, we reached a beautiful bathing spot where a few of the crew stripped down to their shorts and t-shirts (no bathing suits here sorry) and enjoyed the refreshing fresh flowing sanctified water. Meanwhile myself and another crew member basked and frolicked on the big granite boulders admiring the beautiful scenery and hundreds of butterflies that were sipping on the minerals found in the waterfall.

After the cool off we headed back up the many, many, many stairs where we sat in a quaint little pagoda and were served a fresh home cooked meal. You see, in Cambodia, you blink and then all of a sudden there is a feast fit for a king placed in front of you for you to enjoy.

Following our busy weekend we commenced week two by integrating with some of the local population on the outskirts of Siem Reap as we began working in both Regional Hospital Station 4 and the Bakong Health Clinic. The group was split into two with one group spending the majority of this week at the hospital and the other at the clinic.

At the hospital there were approximately 15 in-patients. Due to the difference in roles and standards between Cambodian and Australian nurses, it is not appropriate for us to administer medication, however following on from the Doctor’s rounds our preceptor wasted no time identifying plenty of opportunities to put our assessment skills to the test on very willing and interested patients. Nursing care in Australia is very different compared to what occurs in this Cambodian hospital, in particular the patients’ family room in with them and take care of all their cooking, cleaning and ADL (activities of daily living) needs.

Due to the rooming in of families, by the end of the week we had a gaggle of gorgeous children following our every move as they became more confident with our presence. As part of our health education aims, we used impromptu opportunities to teach these children hand-washing skills and continued to teach them basic English words. We also gave them some balls to play with and taught them to catch (with their eyes open) and we even showed them how to play a new game – Tunnelball. Highlights at the hospital included a neurologically deteriorating patient whom through our fundraising efforts could be sent to a private clinic to receive a much need diagnostic CT scan, as well as an emergency admission who had been hit by a car. We also completed assessments on patients with heart valve deficiency, pneumonia, alcohol withdrawal, abdominal illness and diabetes.

Meanwhile, Peter one of the members in the group working at the clinic had this to say about his teams’ week…Working in the clinic has been a great experience full of opportunities to experience cultural exchange from both sides. With fewer resources in comparison to Australia, extremely competent nurses run the medical team. The clinic operates similarly to both an Australian General Practice and an Emergency Department, with one ambulance to transfer patients if an emergency occurs. The clinic offers a great opportunity to demonstrate nursing assessments to other staff as well as primary health care such as dental and hand hygiene. Highlights include experiencing a newborn assessment, the diagnoses and treatment of Tuberculosis and teaching children how to brush teeth.

Everyday we are taken on a much-needed rest for lunch and an afternoon siesta. This two hour break is commonplace in Cambodia (needed to deal with the stifling humidity) and most of the clinic staff use this time to go home and cook themselves lunch. After lunch the clinic spends most of its time preparing for the next day, and with very few patients attending in the afternoons, we generally use this time as an opportunity to present case studies and assessments to each other as way to continue our education.

During our down time, Siem Reap offers many things to do – from temples to pubs. One personal highlight for me this week was flying 50 meters high in the air with the zip–line company Flight of the Gibbons. Although rather expensive at US$120 – and we did not actually see a gibbon – the experience was exhilarating, offering a break from the organised chaos of traffic and markets that is in the city area.

So that sees the end of week two and it is hard to believe that this time next week our job here will be done and we will be reunited with our beautiful families and friends. So, until then…

Le Hi and Ah Kun Chrian (goodbye, and thank you very much).