Karnevalzeit - Time for Carneval!

Finally getting round to a new post! It's been a busy few months. From November to February I have been working on 'die Notaufnahme', the emergency department for internal medicine - a busy, challenging and learning-rich experience. My last shift was particularly memorable, with the first festivities of Karneval beginning that day. Imagine a drunken warzone with clowns. Shortly after being greeted by a nurse in an orange wig, I began to take a history from a Sumo wrestler. A further 15 minutes was then spent trying to persuade an argumentative Cowboy to give a urine sample for toxicological screening. Highlight of the shift however was when a patient asked me to pray with her. She'd overheard me talking the night before to another patient that I knew from my church. She said that she also trusted in Jesus but was scared about what lay ahead. It was an immensely moving experience and dare I say it provided more peace and reassurance to the patient that the senior ward round that morning.

I'm now preparing to head back to the UK. From April I will be working in internal medicine again in lovely Preston. However, before I head back to the UK, there's just about time for a trip with my friend Dilu to Mainz for Karneval (see photos). 40 days to Easter!

Erntedankfest - Harvest festival

So, autumn is well and truly here. The leaves are falling, the weather is cool and the sun is rising later than my alarm clock.  This Sunday is 'Erntedankfest' (harvest festival) here in Germany.  Today in church we thought about the many thinks that God gives to us (food, materials, abilities, chances to serve) and thanked him for these!  As part of this many people brought things grown in their gardens to share with each other in the church.  A couple at my homegroup brought me a 5L box of freshly pressed apple juice pressed by their family here in the Saarland - it tastes really good!  After hte service cake was also bountiful in it's abundance (gotta love the Omas).  For lunch I cooked Spätlzle (a German noodle dish) for the first time - my Chinese friend Dilu said it was 'lecker', so I guess it worked out!  My flatmate's chilli plants are also now ripening, however after my last tongue searing taste I've decided to go for milder spices!  I also found out today that we have grapes growing in our garden.  The landlord knocked on our door saying we're welcome help ourselves.  Photos of all these things are included beneath.

I'm feeling a little more at home with the day to functioning of the hospital now, however realise there is still a lot for me to learn.  I also need to improve my written German to get my patient discharge letters up to scratch.  From the 1st November I'll be working on the 'Notaufnahme' (Accident and Emergency), so the learning process will continue!  

Over the past week I've been reading the letter to the Ephesians from the Bible.  Whilst there are many material things we can be thankful for, our real thanks to God should be for his rescue plan for the world.  Through Jesus we can be made right with God and brought into a fantastic relationship with him. Fantastic news!  Beneath are two parts of particular encouragement read this week:

Ephesians 1:3-6

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 3:14-19

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

As usual, all comments, thoughts and questions are welcome!

Three weeks into German life!

Three weeks into German life!

Time is a bit short this week.  So, I've put together a brief photo selection from the last few weeks.  Your thoughts and comments very much welcome!

1. The journey here - on an A380!

2. Starting work; the walk to work, the nephrology department, my new uniform and the view from the ward!

3. Settling in at home: the gnome garden, Ikea furniture, my flatmates, a welcome gift from England and a reminder that God is a covenant keeper

 

4. Going shopping: The state 'car boot sale' with Dilu, getting ready for Oktoberfest, the British section at the supermarket, Tyrrell's crisps(!) and gummi bear beer!

 

5. The election campaign.

And of course the Queen of Germany is set to rule for at least another four years.

Arriving in Germany

 Contemplating East --> Moving East...

 

Perhaps fittingly, my 26th Birthday has been first day living in Germany.  I've now been granted my license to practice medicine here and am underway with the remaining paperwork formalities.  Work will start on the 2nd September (God willing)!  More updates to come soon.  In the meanwhile, I thought I'd share a view of the market square here in Homburg-Saar with you.
 

(apparently today was the first rain for two months - made me feel at home!)

Return to Saarland

So, this is it, the return to Saarland.

After a somewhat eventful and prolonged journey; DHL lost my train tickets; my plane was cancelled at short notice; booked online tickets with Eurostar / TGV / Deutsch Bahn whilst on my way to London; telephoned and booked a hotel room in Paris; I can greet you from Germany.  Highlight of the journey was definitely the TGV driver appologising that the train could only manage 280km/h due to the icy weather and then deciding to travel at 310km/h anyway!

I've come back to Saarland (south west Germany) for several reasons.

Firstly, I made some really great friends here back in spring 2011, when I had the opportunity to complete an exchange semester here.  This was a truelly blessed and influential time, and I am extremely grateful for it.  It's been fantastic to be able to catch up with some of these including those from church (instant warm welcome and lunch invitation - love it!), friends from work, and friends from halls ('gudd Gess' has been shared!). 

Secondly, I've had a job interview here.  The interview was for the department of Nephrology (kidney medicine), one of the departments I studied within whilst here on placement.  I sent off an application a few weeks back and they said that they were interested in hearing more - hence my determination to get here!  Thankfully, the interview went really well and I've been accepted!  The head of department was approachable and open, telling me more of what to expect and the challenges and opportunities ahead.  My previous supervisor also came and put in a good word for me (I have retrospectively rewarded him with fine scotish whisky and M+S shortbread).  So, I've got a few formalities to sort out with the administration, however once that's sorted I'll be able to receive the contract.  Unexpectedly, my second year of the UK foundation programme may also count towards my speciality training, shortening the process by a year and letting me enter at a higher pay-grade (score!).

Thirdly, I needed to figure out the German equivalent of the General Medical Council.  This has proven to be the challenge of the trip so far...  They required 13 legal documents, after a lengthy discussion I managed to persuade the administration to accept 2 of the documents I had brought with me.  Turns out I need to become good friends with a notarist in order to legally recognise and translate my certificates, scripts and legal forms into a legislatively acceptable format.  I think there may also have been further miscommuncation during the meeting, as I had to spend several minutes persuading them that I was infact a real practicing doctor inspite of not having an MD.  Definite character building experience!!!  (although nothing that a combination of pray with coffee + german cake can't fix).  I have admin lady's email address and will be in further contact.  I seems possible to get everything together, it'll just involve quite a bit of hassle, time and expense.

So, it's great to be back in Germany.  Job is set and the language skills are coming back.  Sadly, lots of the students are away or in exams at the moment.  Encouragingly my church pastor tells me that quite a few new christian medics have started this year.  A christian medical group has also recently been founded.  Also, incredibly excitingly, I have discovered that a russian speaking congregation have started to meet in the town - Mega Awesomah!!!  Looks like there will be plenty of opportunies for Christian medical fellowship and improving my russian language skills!

In summary - I'm seeing many opportunities as to how I can serve here in Germany.  There will be many opportunities to learn more about people, my strengths and waekness, langauge(s) and cultures.  The present frustrations are useful to me as they will prepare me for what is to come.  It's also a great humbling experience and will allow me to serve others much better and to learn to rely on and work hard to honour God.  Just need to remember this when they say in the administration tells me in their direct manner - Nein, das ist unmoeglich!

Looking backwards, looking forwards, looking east!

The year that was 2012 is slowly drawing to a close.  It's been a busy one.  I've been blessed with many opportunities to head east, visiting quite a few countries for the first time.  This has included: a parisian New Years celebration with old friends (plus oysters & cigars); navigating a crazy interrail route around Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, Austria and Germany (with a tour of Chernobyl powerplant enroute); enlightening medical teaching trips to Ukraine (twice); summer camps with teaching opportunities in Lithuania and Belarus; short stays in Latvia and Estonia; backpacking around Russia having chance to see St Petersburg, Moscow and Kursk (with fantastic guided tour); and giving a week long series of lectures as part of PRIME on 'Whole Person Medicine', 'Stigma in healthcare' and medical communication skills to medical students at the University of Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania (Romania).  I've been made incredibly welcome by those I've met and have some great new friends.  I'm always amazed at how despite different cultures, the gospel (aka good news and promises of Jesus) unites people all around the world.  I have been shown such love, kindness and patience by those I've met and often stayed with over the past year - I cannot be thankful enough!  It's also been the year where I've gone from medical newby panicking about taking bloods to scary SHO on-call, being given even scarier responsibilities.  I've had some really great wards, inspiring supervisors and a fantastically supportive and caring church family, who've helped me keep my perspectives in check.  Furthermore, by grace, Preston now has a Christian Medical Fellowship group.

2013 also looks to be another year of challenge and adventure, with potential trips to Czech rep, Austria, Ukraine and Romania on the horizon.  Latvia is another contender.  God willing, I'm hoping there may also be a trip/holiday to Russia in the pipeline (buh-dum-cha!).  This may even be the long awaited year when I embark on the Trans-Siberian railroad and finally reach Vladivostok, the 'Ruler of the East'.  If the pace of work continues, 2013 should additionally herald the completion of year one of the Global Health masters (PG cert - woop!) and also potentially the dreaded MRCP part 1 (medical speciality exam). Mega Слава Богу if I manage that one!

Most excitingly however... there is a likely change of scenery ahoy.  Whilst adminsitrative formalities are ongoing, I've accepted a clinical position in south-west Germany to start in September 2013 (black dot on map beneath).  I can envisage many opportunities and beneficial challenges in working there; I greatly look forward to embracing these!   

So, what have I learnt in 2012?

1. Trust in God; work hard; things happen.
2. Travel is easy, the mind provides barriers, flexible is key. (Haiku!)
3. Effective time management is never to be underestimated.
4. Necessity is the mother of invention.
5. I have the ability to teach.
6. Stereotypes are limitted in truth, isolation helps reenforce them.
7. Aspirations are not limitted to a particular culture.  Neither is self-interest.
8. The Russian language is an enigma slow to unravel.  The reward of doing so however is bountiful.
9. God is faithful, even when I am not.  Praise be purely to him.

Key
-  Yellow : Countries visited previously
- Orange: Countries visited this year
- . Red  .: Countries on the hit list for 2013
-  Green : Germany, planned new home
-  Black  : Location from Sept 2013