We get hundreds of students coming to us knowing they want to do a clinical placement overseas, but with no idea exactly where they would like to go. If this sounds familiar then maybe our current students will help you decide…..
Prasanga the caterer and the gardener Uncle
Katie and Clare in Sri Lanka have a list too long to post but here are some of our favourites; (more…)
Piled into a daladala
Some of our destinations (such as Arusha) are quite touristy and some (like Mwanza) are a bit more off-the-beaten-track. This week we asked how tourism has affected the destination in which our students work and how do they ensure that they still have an authentic cultural experience?
Emily in Arusha found that “the tourism adds to the variety of people I have met. People travel for many reasons and it’s interesting to hear their stories. I try to eat as much local food, take the daladala and ask as many questions as possible. I have also found that not travelling in a large group leads to more meaningful and interesting interactions.”
My job at Work the World is to talk to students about the opportunities available to them for their electives or work experience placements. Having travelled to Africa to visit our partner hospitals there, I was desperate to see Asia and so planned a condensed trip to Sri Lanka and Nepal to witness our programmes in action.
Negombo beach
The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Sri Lanka was the ease at which I passed through the airport! After my travels to Africa, I was expecting a lot of hassle, taxi drivers grabbing my bags and vying for my custom. Colombo was really very civilised in comparison! It was a breeze, with taxi companies allowing me to approach them for quotes into the city. Sri Lanka is 5.5hrs ahead of the UK and most flights arrive into Sri Lanka at 8.30 in the morning. This means that the first day is normally spent trying to get your head round the time difference and trying not to fall asleep as your body thinks it is in fact 3am!
This week the students in India have been celebrating Onam, the harvest festival in Kerala. It falls during the first month of the Malayalam calendar and marks the homecoming of King Mahabali. Lasting for 10 days, the festival embraces the culture and traditions of Kerala.
Our team in Trivandrum tell us that “All the students have participated in the Onam Celebrations at Kannammoola house. They have actively involved in filling flowers in the design drawn by Revathy, our housekeeper. Later, Rashmi wearing the traditional costume of Kerala inaugurated the celebrations by lighting the lamps. Manjusha the yoga teacher and her family was also part of the celebrations.
The feast!
This week, our guest article has been written by Louise Tillotson, a financial writer for moneysupermarket.com
What every overseas worker should know.
Taking up a work placement in a foreign country can be a daunting experience, but if you take some simple precautions and do a little preparation before you go, it needn’t be a costly or unpleasant one.
The Lifestyle
This week we asked our students what their favourite meal in the Work the World house was.
Vinod prepares the students favourites
The India house really got into the spirit and between them cam up with a top 5. They made the point though that the meals were down to WtW chef Vinod’s way of preparing the food and Jay, our programme representative, agreed. It is because he “prepares it in such a manner that it won’t be very spicy or hot, but is guaranteed TASTY!“
Students enjoy Vinod's feast