The Winds of Zenadth

 

Tuesday 9 September - Friday 12th was the Torres Straight cultural festival, named the Winds of Zenadth. Don't ask me what Zenadth is... a google search has not helped me :/ The Winds of Zenadth only occurs every two years, alternating with the music festival on TI, so I was pretty lucky to be here just at the right time. I worked the opening night, but managed to just have enough time to walk down and get some dinner - I had to wait in line for about 20mins! I had my dinner break at 6ish, and even though it was suppose to start at 4pm, not much was happening! That night I had a bean curry, which was kind of like chili con carne, and very tasty :)

 

After work I came home and some of the other girls from Groupshare had brought me some turtle and vegetables to try. Yes that says turtle and I had a little bit. The turtle and veg were cooked underground, and had this horrible smoky taste that I didn't like one bit. So I didn't eat much. The vegetables were cooked in the same manner and had the same smokiness as an after taste. Even though they were in a coconut milk sauce, which was nice, the smokiness came out and I couldn't eat that either!
 

Turtle. The dark greenish stuff on the bottom left piece is fat :/
 

I had Wednesday and Thursday off work, but didn't get to see much of the singing and dancing until Thursday because on Wednesday I had dinner with some of the other nurses. We all brought a plate of food and had a great feast :) The next night I was invited to another dinner, but declined as Thursday would be my last chance to experience the cultural fest, as I was working Friday afternoon/evening. That night I went and watched some of the dancing and singing, and bought myself some local art :)



 

 

Cutest turtle - would have loved to have bought him, but he's
too big :( Check out the artists website for how he makes them:
www.ninosabatino.com.au

The mini ones didn't look quite as cute

 

Dancing and singing :)

 

My dinner - Seemur Chicken. ALL the stalls were selling it,
so I decided it must be the thing to eat. Was quite nice -
chicken in a soy sauce with vermicelli noodles and rice

The first time I've had ice-cream in about 6 weeks!

 

 



Some more singing and dancing :)

 

Bought the bowl to put my shells in that I got from
Goods Island - plan to collect some more

Dugongs - from the same guy who made
the turtles

Turtles :)
 

Friday morning before work I rode up with a friend to watch the parade. Locals from each of the different islands had decorated their cars with weaved palm leaves and flowers, and were singing as they walked along. For lunch I had a meat pie and lamington (very cultural - haha!). And then it was off to work for public holiday rates ;)

 

The parade... I may have dropped my pie :P

 

Picture in the Paper

Well I have managed to get my picture in the paper after less then two months on TI! The picture was from the Wongai Ball (see previous post). I suppose when you live on such a small island the chances of being in the paper are higher - just like your chances of running into someone you know are much higher. Happens all the time :P

Goods Island

On Sunday 31st August I went with a group of friends to Goods Island. One of those friends has a boat! And was nice enough to take an early trip over and back just so I could get to work on time (I started at 1pm that arvo). Goods Island is about 20 mins away by boat, west of TI. We had a bit of free time to relax and explore the beach, while more people were picked up from TI and then we went for a walk up to the light house. This was followed by a walk down a very steep rail track and then a bush walk back up another hill to some war shelters. It was then a rush back to the boat and back to TI, where I got home at 12.30 - just enough time to have a shower and gobble down some food before starting work fairly exhausted especially after a late night from the Wongai Ball. But I had a great time. Would have loved to have had a swim after our walk as the water was so amazing, but I will have to save that for next time.

Good bye TI

Our destination

so beautiful

 

These bottles are from approx the 1940's

Our next destination

So steep!

 

Wongai Ball

Saturday 30th August I went, with a group of about 8, to the Wongai Ball held at the Port Kennedy Association Hall, which raises money for the local Catholic School. The wongai is a native plant, sort of like a plum, but apparently tastes like dates. I haven't tried it - they didn't have any at the ball. There is a legend that states if you eat the fruit of the wongai on TI you will always be destined to return. I had a great time at the ball, until I got stepped on with a high heel. My foot is still sore! And has a nice bruise as well :/

Dinner was great - it was a Asian/Torres Strait style buffet, including a mix of things like fried rice, sweet and sour pork, a curry of some description and my new favourite, numus. This is an islander way of preparing fish, kind of like a cerviche, where the fish is 'cooked' in vinegar and lime juice and flavoured with garlic, onion, chili and coconut milk. YUM!

Pretty decorations on the ceiling

Wine out of a flashing cocktail glass -
just because!

 

New Wheels

On Saturday 30th August I headed over to Horn Island again to visit the nurse educator and to pick up her spare bike. Now I have a set of wheels to get me around TI until October when my bike come up with Reece (Can't wait to see this guy - miss him so much!!). The bike is a bit small for me, and the nuts and bolts need tightening - at the moment the handle bars are upside down :/ But it is better then nothing and so much quicker then walking!

 

Grad Study Day 1

Tomorrow marks one month since I started my grad year (and subsequently yesterday marked one month since I arrived on TI). It has gone so quick!! On Thursday 28th August we had a Graduate Study Day, which was great. First we learnt about communication techniques (such as SBAR) and how to escalate our concerns to achieve a desired action using the PACE acronym. Then it was time for morning tea - the nurse educator made a great  zucchini slice, yum!

After morning we had a practical session learning how to insert  different types of airway tubes (see pics), followed by a session on understanding different types of heart rhythms and the actions that should be taken depending on whether they are shockable or not (note: only ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia are shockable. A defibrillator is not useful for 'flat-line' as you see you TV!). After that it was time for lunch.



Endotracheal Tube (http://intensivecare.hsnet.nsw.gov.au/intubation)

Laryngeal Mask Airway (http://almostadoctor.co.uk/content/systems/-respiratory-system/skills-and-procedures/airway-support)

Geudel airway - keeps the tongue from
blocking the airway
(http://www.anesthesiamyths.com/breathing-tube/)

Nasopharyngeal Airways

     
Following lunch it was back to the classroom, where we learnt about the importance of timely, accurate and concise note-taking. We were given some real life examples of patient notes that weren't overly useful. This session showed that patient notes need to be completed accurately because 'it it's not written, it didn't happen'. For afternoon tea I made upside down pineapple cake. It was the first time I had ever made it, and it was delicious - here's the link to the recipe if you want to try it at home: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/27762/upside+down+pineapple+cake