The last three days we avoided any driving “on the other side of the road” or other exciting events. Linda swam almost every day in the “rock pool” near Wollongong Harbor -- with no surf crashing across the surface of the pool this time. I jumped into the surf at the City Beach (just down the street from our apartment) and got battered about pretty good. The water was warm, but the ocean floor went down, then up, and down again—giving the waves an opportunity to build up pretty good before crashing into the beach—and the swimmers trolling in the water in-between. I got in a couple of good “body surf” runs, but spent most of the time luxuriating in the water.
I enjoyed a couple of interesting days at the Center for Health Initiatives this week. Sandra introduced me to Patrick Crookes, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Behavioral Sciences and Angela Brown, Head of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health, both at Wollongong. We shared a far-ranging discussion about the differences between health care in our respective countries and training in various healthcare professions. Patrick mentioned some links with international exchange training program that could be interesting (and fun) for various programs in Rhode Island. I also met with Heather Yeatman, Assoc. Professor of Health Sciences and a colleague of my cousin, Bernie Marshall at Deakin University (Melbourne). The world doesn’t seem so big after conversations with folks like these and the possibilities for establishing various kinds of joint research and training appear quite possible. Something to
think about for the future…..post retirement (which is now, of course!)
Yours truly made today’s edition of the local newspaper, the Wollongong Mercury. It was something of a “put-up” job but I happened to be the only “older person” in the office when the reporter/photographer arrived to do a shot about a new asthma program. So I sat where I
was told, smiled, and became the up-front face in the photo (see sidebar photos). Not bad for the ‘out-of-town boy” after just a few days. It was a very generous gesture by my host—in
spite of the “older person” focus of the program. (I have already forgiven her…..mostly!) Ha!
I also joined in a couple of discussions with some post-doc people doing some major
projects for the center. Again, I discovered how small the world can be with shared colleagues in England, Scotland and Canada. Tomorrow promises more of the same interesting discussions and sharing among colleagues.
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