Arusha | Blog the World

The Weekly Question – which experiences would you recommend to Work the World students going on placement this year?

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Here we go with another Weekly Question blog including feedback from students on placement in Africa, Asia and South America right now!

Your overseas placement with Work the World will be an invaluable learning experience which develops your skills, confidence and knowledge in your chosen discipline, but it can’t be all work and no play! Doing your elective placement abroad should also be an amazing travel adventure you’ll never forget.

This week we asked students in each of our houses “which experiences would you suggest to Work the World students going on placement this year?”

wine tour mendoza1 150x150 The Weekly Question which experiences would you recommend to Work the World students going on placement this year?

Enjoying some Malbec!

In Argentina one of the top suggestions was hiring a two person bike and doing a wine tour. Ewa, James and Aurore who’ve all been on placement in Mendoza for a few weeks now said they would recommend that anyone going to Mendoza hires a two person bike and cycles their way around the vineyards of the region. We couldn’t work out whether it was for the beautiful scenery or the yummy Malbec!

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Tanzania – what’s on during your elective?

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Tanzania is a great country to visit. Destinations like the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Mt Kilimanjaro, Lake Victoria and Zanzibar offer some of the most amazing travel opportunities across Africa and they are all in one country!

The climate is tropical, so some periods are hotter, wetter or more humid than others, but generally whichever month you travel to Tanzania there is something wonderful to see and do!

Dave 2010 173 150x150 Tanzania whats on during your elective?

Safari- available throughout the year

Scuba Diving 150x150 Tanzania whats on during your elective?

Scuba diving - available all year

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The Weekly Question – how do you feel about safety and security on placement?

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

Very often students and their parents (OK, more often the parents!) contact us with concerns about safety and security in the countries we work in. We know that venturing to lands unknown can be daunting and often you just don’t know what to expect. That’s why we’re here to give you all the info, advice and guidance you need before you set off and while you’re away!

Ghandruk trek Nepal 150x150 The Weekly Question – how do you feel about safety and security on placement?

A stunning view on the Ghandruk trek, Nepal

Safety and security is of course a key priority for us too, which is why all of our destinations are in countries considered to be politically and economically stable by the Foreign Commonwealth Office.

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Dengue fever – 7 top tips

Monday, April 16th, 2012

Our partners, Interhealth, have just published a great article with tips on how to avoid dengue fever.

Mosquito - image by Christian Meyn / freedigitalphoto.net

What is dengue fever? It is is a mosquito-borne viral infection transmitted by the Aedesmosquito that has been reported in over 100 countries.
How do I avoid getting it? At present the most effective way of preventing dengue is by avoiding mosquito bites, especially during daylight hours i.e. around dawn and dusk when these mosquitoes are most active.
Where can I get more information? Download InterHealth’s information and guidance sheet about Dengue Fever
What if I need personal advice about dengue? Use MyHealth Advice Hub: Wherever you are, ‘Ask a Doctor’ for advice about any illness or medical issue.
What would you recommend to prevent mosquito bites? Cover up and use a DEET-based insect repellant – wear clothes that cover your arms and legs and wear a DEET-based insect repellent whenever possible, especially after dawn and before sunset. Spray permethrin or DEET-based insect repellents on clothing. If possible spray permethrin or DEET based repellents on your clothing after every wash as mosquitoes may be able to bite through thin clothing.
Can you identify an Aedes mosquito? You can easily spot them – they have a distinctive black and white striped body. They are often found around stagnant water.
Know if you’ve got it: Dengue usually starts with a fever lasting 1-5 days. Other symptoms are headache, muscle ache, pain and a rash. Most infections clear up on their own within one to two weeks. Although rare in travellers, the more severe dengue haemorrhagic fever can cause high fever, enlarged liver, symptoms of heart failure and flu-like symptoms. If you think you may be infected, visit a doctor as soon as possible.

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Work the World info session at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

Look out, Aberdeen!

Work The World is coming to visit!

Robert gordon uni logo1 Work the World info session at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen

The info session will take place on 26 April 2012.

Robert Gordon University will be hosting an informational session for students interested in expanding their horizons with an overseas placement.

We will be gathering at the School of Health Sciences (at the Garthdee Campus) in Room H405 from 5-7 pm on 26 April, 2012 for a pizza, wine, and information session. We will be giving presentations about overseas placement opportunities and providing some refreshments so come and say hello! There will be plenty of time for asking questions and hopefully we will have some past Work the World students attending to give you a real insight into working in a developing country.

Pop by our FaceBook Event Page to let us know if you’re coming and ask any burning questions you have before the session.

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Mothers day realities – when becoming a mum can kill you.

Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

Mothering Sunday is a day I have always associated with flowers, chocolates and homemade cards… it marks the day I became a mum and is a time for celebration. For many women though, having a baby is not a celebration at all – it’s a death sentence.

Abby 2009 4 150x150 Mothers day realities – when becoming a mum can kill you.

Maternity practices are very different

MSF reported today that Mothering Sunday would have seen 1000 women die of maternal complications, most of which were preventable. They have released a report, Maternal Death: The Avoidable Crisis, which shows that women are continuing to die needlessly because they do not have access to the care that they need. 1000 every single day.

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State of the art midwifery equipment in Portsmouth vs back to basics care on your elective!

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

RCM reported today that the redevelopment at Bournemouth University’s midwifery campus in Portsmouth boasts the latest training equipment and high-tech audio-visual kit. Professor Gail Thomas, midwife and dean of health at the university, commented

New facilities at Bournemouth!

‘The developments at Portsmouth will enhance the experience of our east-based student midwives, providing them with high quality skills laboratories, lecture and seminar rooms and general learning space……the skills room contains a birthing bed, costing over £7000, a birthing couch, a profiling bed and a Resuscitaire, costing about £8500.’

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David evans blog

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Due to low cancer awareness in developing countries, an estimated 80% of all patients with cancer have advanced stage disease at initial presentation. Even if detected at an earlier stage, however, there is inadequate access to treatment to cure or manage pain for cancer patients.

The need for radiotherapy is much greater in developing countries due to late-stage presentations and the types of cancer that predominate. Access to radiotherapy, however, is severely limited:

• While at least 55% of all cancers in Africa have an indication for radiotherapy, facilities are available in only 23 of Africa’s 53 countries, reaching less than 5% of the (total African) population.

• Africa has less than 2% of all radiotherapy cancer centres globally and is home to approximately 15% of the world’s population, demonstrating the dire need to improve the availability of radiotherapy.

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The White Maasai

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

I’ve stayed pretty well connected while I’ve been here. Good phone reception,Internet and even free wifi here and there. That is all about to change though because I am heading to the land of no phone reception, no power, bucket showers and drop toilets and living in a traditional Maasai village for one week – mud hut and all!

Our bus.... we had to stop A LOT!

Imagine your life without television. Imagine no phones, computers or internet. In fact, remove every element of your life that requires a power source. Vacuum cleaners, irons, ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, washing machines, hairdryers. All of it. And then take away your car as well. Your only transport is those two things at the end of your legs. There are no coffee shops in your life anymore, no restaurants, only fields of maize and bananas. If your want to eat something, you either need to grow it or kill it. If you want shelter, you need to build it. You have no real need for money anymore – cows are your currency. Your religion is nature itself. Your life revolves around the seasons and the weather. And life and death is a visible circle – part of everyday life.

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That’s different

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

So far, when anyone from home asks me to describe what it’s like here, I tend to say, ‘it’s just so different from anything else I’ve ever experienced before’. I still haven’t come up with a better description. Things aren’t better or worse here, they are just……different. I wish I could walk around with a video camera to give you a real sense of it but you’ll have to be satisfied with a few snapshots instead. These were just some moments where I thought…’you know what, that’s different’.

For example….