First few weeks in NT

I thought I better write another blog so you all know I'm alive and well here in the Northern Territory.

I have been over here now for two weeks and two days and am not sick of Australians as yet.  In fact, I do really like it here.  The culture in the Northern Territory is very laid back and everyone has been so friendly and helpful that it's made the transition really easy.

I spent the first week in Darwin doing all the HR stuff and having a brief induction on what the job I will be doing entails, including learning how to use the Primary Care Information Systems, and also what will be required of me as far as setting up the clinic in Katherine.  Also present at the induction was the nurse employed to do the same job as me but who will be based at the Alice Springs Watch House.  He was a lovely black Zimbabwean man who has lived in Alice with his wife and children for the past 5 years where he worked as an ED nurse.  He spent the week telling me many funny tales of the indigenous population he has encountered in Alice. Oh apparently, the politically correct way to refer to Aboriginal people is as "indigenous" and not as aborigines or definately NOT as 'abos' like many in New Zealanders call them. 

I find the cultural divide very distinct over here compared to NZ.  While the Northern Territory is very multi-cultural, the indigenous people seem to live separately from everyone else and don't much socailise with the white community unless there is a need.  I mentioned this to one of the Australians and they disagreed with me. Saying that there were many indigenous people working in Government jobs and cohabitating.  This might be so, but from what I have seen it is only those indigneous people of mixed race.  I have not seen a dark indigneous person walking down the street with a white person, nor have I seen them sitting at the same table having a coffee or a meal.  It fact, you don't see them in cafes at all. So it's clear that this persons definition of integration is somewhat different to mine.

Anyway, last weekend I drove my new car to Katherine. Yes, I had to buy a car when I arrived as it's essential in order to work shift work in a remote community.  The speed limit here is 130 km though I was too scared to go above 120km.  Especially as I saw dead wallibies (or baby roos) that had been runover on the road as well as lots of pot holes.  My car doesn't have 'roo bars' either, apparently an essential thing to have if your doing a lot of remote driving. When I get back to NZ, I will likely clock up the speeding fines as the town/city limit here is 60kms also.  I got my NT license too this week.  It was just a matter of taking in the NZ one and they did the eye test, took a photo and gave me my NT licence on the spot.  However, you are able to drive on your NZ licence here for up to three months before you're expected to get the NT one. 

I really am liking Katherine.  It is very sunny with a lot less rain than Darwin and a lot less humidity despite only being about a 3 hour drive away.  The heat is around 30 to 35 degrees most days but it's sunny and dry so doesn't feel as awful as the Darwin atmosphere.  Also lets not forget I have air-conditioning everywhere I go which is wonderful.  :)

There are fruit bats everywhere here and when you go outside at night you see them flying through the sky.  It's very weird!!!  They also poo black tar like acidic spots everywhere and have a horrible smell about them.  But mainly they aren't such an issue as they are high in the trees and sleep in the day.  Though Katherine has regular invasions of bats and they become a real health concern, not to mention people get little sleep when there in an invasion.

I have spent this week in Katherine meeting people and various agencies here introducing myself, informing them of this new position that has been created at the Police Watch House and trying to create pathways for referrals etc.  I still have many places to visit but between times have been trying to set up the clinic.  That in itself has been a bigger job than I realised it would be.  I walked into a newly finished clinic last Monday which just had a desk, photocopier and medical couch, so I have had to run around ordering stock, chasing up people to get my oxygen, bio-hazard bins, computer, phone, chair etc and also sweet talk police to get them to help this useless nurse assemble some of the gear and attach soap & paper towel dispensers to walls etc, etc.  I have even managed to get St Johns Ambulance to come in and set up the emergercy bag.  Basically, the clinic needs to be ready to run from this Wednesday night.  So fingers crossed it's all sorted by then!!!

Anyway, I spend most late afternoons skyping the kids back home which means I haven't had much time to really miss them as yet. Though people say it's around the 4th week that it really gets hard...... we will see!!