Fulbright Specialist, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

 It has taken me a while to write this but the internet connection at Wits was too slow to upload pictures and I was very busy during the day with preparations for the workshops. We delivered four - two on leadership and two on mentorship.

Being at Wits as a Fulbright Specialist was an incredible honor and I truly enjoyed the experience. Had the opportunity to meet the Dean of Health Sciences and had dinner at the home of the US Consular General. Also met many surgical oncologists and had dinner out on the town many evenings. And there was also some time for sightseeing to archeological sites and to Pilanesberg for a game safari.

Here are a couple of pictures from the visit.

A bouquet of flowers awaited my arrival in my room. Such a nice touch. My room was complete with a hot plate, microwave and kettle. When asked about food allergies as they stocked the refrigerator, I told them I was allergic to cooking!

 

 

 

 

These adorable figures were atop sign posts on the Education campus.

The sign on the building where I stayed. Matron seems to be such an archaic old English term!

This is the medical school/health sciences building. My building was just across the street from the medical school, making the walk to and from work very easy.

Statue on the medial school campus.

 

 My office was on the third floor of the administrative building - a very nice room.

Had lovely walks on the campus of both the health sciences and the education schools. Did bird watching and took pictures of flowers. Here are a few for you to enjoy.

 

Did you find the bird in the tree?

The hadidas has a very coarse call and wakes us up in the morning. A beautiful, big bird.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a chess board in front off the Education campus library.

  A chapel on the campus of the Chris Hani Baragwathan Hospital in Soweto. I had the opportunity t visit twice.

Assistant Dean Lionel Thompson-Green and Dr. Herbert, a surgical oncologist who built a very impressive breast unit at Bara.

A typical ward at Bara.

The team making rounds with Dr. Herbert.

New trauma bay ready to open any time now. State of the art unit in Bara.

Love the little one being carried on the Mom's back.

There is a wonderful history museum in the lobby if the medical school. I gave a lecture there, an very special opportunity.

OK, this was my favorite bird, not just species but bird. He sat in the tree right next to the medical school and I frequently went to visit him.

The library is a wonderful mix of the old and the new. From very old bound journals to a modern computer lab, the students have every opportunity to be connected to the world.

Two security guards, he helped me identify some local plants used in traditional medicines. She was very nice to pose in her uniform.

Innocent (administrative assistant), left, and Shirra Moch (co-ordinator of faculty development) were very helpful to me. I am grateful to their assistance.

 

 Could not comparing the picture to the winter snows on the south side of Boston. Using a chair to protect your parking spot seems to be universal.

Barbara and Lionel took me touring on a Saturday. We visited the origins of mankind museum, the Sterkfontein caves and enjoyed a celebration with a large community of family and friends. Dancing included!

We all wore hard hats so we could crawl through the tunnels.

Our tour guide. Rub his nose for wealth and his hand for wisdom.

If this doesn't keep you on the walkway, nothing will!

Origins of mankind museum in Morengo.

Dinner with friends and relatives of Lionel and Barbara.

The University of Witwatersrand. A beautiful campus.

Holy Trinity Church. The singing at Mass was in Zulu. Earlier in the day I attended a concert on campus by the student composers and musicians. Then went to a play in Afrikans. A very cultural day.


The rest of the photographs are taken during the leadership and mentorship workshops.

We used a case based approach for a fair component of the workshops. Each breakout group then had a leader to summarize the discussions of the group and the entire class was invited to comment. It worked very well.

This is Leanne, a gastrointestinal surgeon.

 

 

Shirra gave several lectures. She is a natural.

 Lionel also gave a lecture at each of the courses.

Dr. T. Luvhengo, Head of the Department of Surgery, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

08.10.16 refugee status updated with article link

Seven refugees returned to Nepal and the remainder were transferred to Pohnpei, another state in FSM. This story just appeared in Radio New Zealand International. You will recognize the first photo from an earlier blog. I was very fortunate to have been able to visit the men and spend time with them. I do hope that they are safe and in good health.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/310571/life-in-limbo-ends-for-boat-people-on-tiny-micronesian-island

Life in limbo ends for boat people on tiny Micronesian island

 

Sally Round - (sally.round@radionz.co.nz )

A life in limbo on a tiny Micronesian island is over for most of a boatload of Nepalese and Indian men who were likely duped by human traffickers.
The men arrived near-starving on the island state of Yap, north of Papua New Guinea, and spent a year and a half detained on the docks as the authorities worked out what to do with them.
The authorities could not establish where the 34 men were heading but they believe it was probably Hawaii, Guam or Australia.

If we took this lightly and we accepted these individuals into the community I think you would see a flood Clayton Lawrence

For eighteen months the men were not allowed to leave Yap's wharf area and when their boat sank they ended up living in a traditional hut on the docks, on food and other handouts from the government, charities and locals.

Some of the 34 Nepalese and asylum seekers who lived on Yap for 18 months. All but four have been repatriated. Photo: Rosemary Duda

Yap's Assistant Attorney-General Rachelle Bergeron said locals wanted to adopt the men according to their local customs.
But that conflicted with the immigration laws of the Federated States of Micronesia.
"I don't think that the situation was handled very well particularly after there was a restriction on even visitation to the men so there were no sort of checks and balances to ensure whether or not the men were provided with adequate food, what their shelter situation was like, if they needed access to medical care. The fact that they didn't have visitors strongly contributed to a decline in their mental health," said Ms Bergeron.
Ms Bergeron said Yap was constantly having to ask the national government, which had responsibility for the men, for food and other supplies.
She said the men's detention was also a burden on Yap's under resourced police.
She is hoping for changes to FSM immigration law to ensure better care for such people in future.

34 asylum seekers led a life in limbo on Yap for 18 months Photo: Rachelle Bergeron

The UN Refugee Agency, the UNHCR, determined just four of the men to be refugees and the rest were gradually being repatriated to India and Nepal.

Next time we have to make the determination, do we have the resources to support 34 individuals for a year and a half while they are assessed Clayton Lawrence

Clayton Lawrence of the FSM's Department of Justice said the three governments worked together to get the remaining men home.
It was an unusual case for the country, but Mr Lawrence said it was well handled.
"If we took this lightly and we accepted these individuals into the community I think you would see a flood, knowing that they could be integrated into the community and maybe seek whatever they were seeking, whether that's easier access to the United States or other countries or just better economic opportunity in our community," he said.

The 34 asylum seekers lived in a traditional hut on the docks of Yap after their boat sank Photo: Rachelle Bergeron

Mr Lawrence said the Federated States of Micronesia was not party to international refugee conventions but it respected the refugee determination process.
But he said looking after 34 men for eighteen months had been a big burden on the government and this raised questions for the future.
"Next time we have to make the determination, do we have the resources to support 34 individuals for a year and a half while they are assessed or do we right away criminally charge them, put them in court, have them plead their case in court and deport them right away? Those are decisions that we have to make moving forward."
A senator in the Yap state legislature Nicholas Figirlaarwon said the men suffered during their time on Yap and it took a long time to get the issue sorted out.

A campaign was launched to help the asylum seekers after they arrived on Yap in November 2014 Photo: http://www.standbysojourners.com/save-the-green-boat-asylum-seekers-yap

He said local customs around welcoming outsiders meant people were embarrassed over their treatment.
"Yap is very small and limited in many ways. It took them so long, the government and the international community to involve in this situation where they can give these people what they need under the law. They also stopped the community from helping them in whatever they can," said Mr Figirlaarwon.
The final group of seventeen Indians are due to be sent home over the next fortnight while the four Nepalese given refugee status await resettlement.