OUT OF Range

We will be out of range till mid-day Fri Thai time at which point we return to Phitsanulok. I then depart on the 3.30 pm fflight for Bangkok for just plain fun. Don't worry about the protestors there, we know the neighborhood to avoid and teh Dean is going the same weekend but not with me or I with her. It's a huge city and she even gave me directions for which bus to board and where to board from my lodgings in BKK in order to get to the elevated train stop seven bus stops from where I stay.

Our own Apha arranged for my travels needs, I paid with credit card-had to go into town to do this and I must ask in the morning if she arranged for transport to the airport Friday. I tried calling for a cab from downstairs in the lobby one time, impossible to accomplish this. Hope I remember to take my   earpiece so I can listen to pocasts-helps me sleep at nite. The students have arranged for my  breakfast on Friday and my meals on Thu-I was even asked my preferences. I will proudly wear the community health nursing jacket/uniform w the Naresuan University patch on it and there will be loads of pics I assure.

I think we are doing home visits along with students though I am not sure. Who would have thought...me and community health nursing in rural Thailand?

OUT OF Range

We will be out of range till mid-day Fri Thai time at which point we return to Phitsanulok. I then depart on the 3.30 pm fflight for Bangkok for just plain fun. Don't worry about the protestors there, we know the neighborhood to avoid and teh Dean is going the same weekend but not with me or I with her. It's a huge city and she even gave me directions for which bus to board and where to board from my lodgings in BKK in order to get to the elevated train stop seven bus stops from where I stay.

Our own Apha arranged for my travels needs, I paid with credit card-had to go into town to do this and I must ask in the morning if she arranged for transport to the airport Friday. I tried calling for a cab from downstairs in the lobby one time, impossible to accomplish this. Hope I remember to take my   earpiece so I can listen to pocasts-helps me sleep at nite. The students have arranged for my  breakfast on Friday and my meals on Thu-I was even asked my preferences. I will proudly wear the community health nursing jacket/uniform w the Naresuan University patch on it and there will be loads of pics I assure.

I think we are doing home visits along with students though I am not sure. Who would have thought...me and community health nursing in rural Thailand?

Wednesday

Today was a challening one for technology. The slides I had made by the virtual assistant had some unforseen problems...type face not dark enough for reproduction here, sigh. Short of typing everything over again myself (these were basically 'images' grabbed from some pdfs, not editble), I resent the three files to the virtual assistant I hastily hired upon departure, she said by email she would have them Wed afternoon (I thold her wed IN THAIland) not wherever she is) and have not heard fro m her.

I spent the evening typing most of the first presenttaion over again at the local internet store (its not the money on that that's the issue, its the time and discomfoort-stiflingly hot in the store and problem solving for English screens is limited though one of the young assistants there was able to help). Suffice to say their keyboard isn't the same as ours and sometimes I cannot find a key or maybe an attachment won't attach. The Xoom has connectivity issues so sometimes the screen icons aren't there/where they are supposed to be. The young IT guys came to the office (again) today and they were amused, as was I, because we learned together-how to reboot the Xoom, not merely turn off! :-). Sometimes you need two computers-one to look up instructions on how to deal with the other don't you see.

My virtual assistant better come through tomorrow on those two files or I am SOL! The program has to be prepared (paper version) and now we have to stop at school to hand paper to secretary so she doesn't get mixed up on the various files sent. I wish I had her eamil address but they didn't want to seem to give it to me, so I am sending files to a faculty who then gives the files (paper only perhaps) to her for reproduction. Trouble is, if I don't have my stuff early tomorrow, it's this same faculty and I who are leaving on an overnite community health road trip out in rural Thailand (3 hours from here). I even tried to call on my own Cell despite the cowst but I didn't buy a data package and the cell phone they gave me doesn't dial out of country though I can't be certain-I can't seem to get that cell to work for anything. Don't know how to computer dial the assistsant, but she would havve to be logged in/near a computer to receive SKyPE or TANGO wouldn't she?

L

Sunday, the post script

So with our riches of fabric we went to the dressmaker in Phitsanulok-the one arranged by Ampha who does all the arranging here at the School. Very sharp, very kind, knows absolutely everyone within reach and is the business manager for the school, studied at BU and very proud of that.

She was the one I was in touch with first about the actual arrangements, plane tickets, etc. Delightful even before I saw her F2F. She arranges for my van and someone, a member of the faculty or whoever, lets me know about drop off and pick up times. She arranged for my maseusse to come to my room, who, incidentally, is the same woman who routes the laundry twice weekly. Ampha arranged for my ticket (I paid of course) to Bangkok this weekend as well as the discounted university rate on a place to stay while there. She also arranged for my new driver/friend "Mr Joe" to pick me up at the smaller airport this weekend and drop off back on Sunday next for return here and she arranged for him to cart me around all-day Saturday to Ayyuthyua, the second original capital city of Thailand. It's an hour outside of Bangkok and Mr. Joe made it known he does "private tours" as so many do in this part of the world. He does a lot of university business through Ampha and it is he who will haul me to hotel and airport on my departure trip-takes care of everything right down to mailing receipts to Ampha for his reimbursement so I do nothing out of pocket on this, nice eh?

Anyway, the dressmaker (and whatever army of sweat team she has behind the curtains) was ready for myself, the Dean, the two faculty on Sunday and she has my second suit all cut out/in process.

It was a great day, I had to do absolutely nothing but get in and out of vans (when you travel with Deans and hospital directors, why should you have to do anything?) and its not something we would dream of at home, to have the business vehicle haul us around. Ah yes, I live well.

I was paid in cash for the extra classes I taught this past weekend; I can blow all that tonite on the facial, hairwash and pedicure arranged at a local establishment..by?...Ampha.

Saturday, The Remainder

Well, never mind all that teaching stuff, when ww were done at the university, we had a road trip.  Sokhothai, the original capital of Thailand, is the Dean's hometown. This journey was originally planned for Sunday but had to swap because I am invited out to dinner with my Sunday teaching partner. I am a pretty busy girl here, much in demand and how easy is it here? I step from my office (usually have help with the bags) out to the curb where the van awaits. I have even been asked to report if the van driver is out of order for my personal safety (he has been known to take a few red lights here and there).

Today, the partyy was the Dean, the Assoc. Dean for International Affairs who goes by "Tick", a junior faculty memeber who goes by "Toy", and two of the Dean's pals from Sukhothai, one of whom is the Chief Nursing Officer of the Province Hospital there. Everyone knows her-we got a discount into the park and she was the key negotiator for ....fabric.

Fabric is the real reason we went there anyway-after being done with a bikeride (two sort of flat tires again) amongst the ancient ruins, the three who remained behind (the Dean and her pals)

Saturday Came

Today I lectured to 1st year MSN students on aspects of quantitative research.  I quickly learned to use the mouse like the bouncing ball over the words on my slides-kind of like the sing along on the old Mitch Miller show,, anyone remember? A few students were brave and shared their idea for the proposal they write. It's hard to present to students when you don't know the curriculum or the placement of courses in it. So if you are travelling for your work soon to foreign places, be sure to lean on those  sponsoring you, the faculty attend the class with me of course, this time, she did not translate. The English skill in the room overall, seemed a bit higher and everybody (absolutely everyone) I meet is highly motivated to practice English. Everone from the van driver to the faculty, the students and shopkeepers really appreciate even just hearing English spoken.

The Dean has plans for her faculty. I am here to asssist the master's-prepared faculty with the their research, so far only one came to see me with an abstract (I have been busy preparing content for a class and I am far from done with the slides for the big workshop coming up at the end of June for which I am the keynote speaker.

 been busy preparing content for a class and I am far from done with the prep for the big workshop coming up at the end of June-I am the keynote speaker.

Friday Came

I completed my first full week at Naresuan and managed to have a bit of leisure too. Haven't really stopped since I got here but the pace is ok, not that frantic level like back at home. My constituents are starting to come to see me about their research which is one key reason I am here.

I was treated to a ceremony which is akin to an Awards Ceremony at home. About 200 students gathered to honor their teachers and when I can post the pics and videos (be patient with me) you will hardly believe what you see/hear. The students regularly bow with hands folded as in prayer when someone "higher" passes by. I was cautioned not to return the bow but I can't help but acknowledge by nonverbals. I notice right off that the other faculty do not, however, basically walking past unphased with no eye contact or a nod acknowledging the student gesture. Very hierarchical, like when we are saluted as we enter in the van each day--a man in some type of uniform standing sentry at the kiosk for the U.

Anyway the ceremony consisted of the opening prayer and chant from the students. Then the incoming students filed  up to the faculty who bestowed upon them a string tied around the wrist symbolizing good luck and good health. It's a gesture of respect for the wisdom and reverence to Buddha who is represented by those more senior in some way, including age or position, with students pretty low on any scale so their "string" comes from faculty (mine came from the Dept Administrator, my new friend named "Ampa", emphasis on second syllable).

The associate Dean represented the school; she bowed three times to Buddha (once for Buddha, second for his teachings, third for his instuments, the Monks). She courtsied to the pic of the King, returning to her seat for the presentation of gifts to faculty. Students lined up with flowers and other gifts rec'd by her, students crawling on their knees approaching her and the faculty with flower baskets in their arms. The gifts were hauled away by two obliging young male students and the whole event ended with the national song. I hope to soon post the pics and YouTube the videos. They are a must see!

More on the actual work later, gotta run. Ampa arranged for the masseuse to come to my hotel room -300 bhat for 2 hours of Thai massage. The lady just knocked on my door, took my laundry and presumably will return shortly. Oh, and I don't have to do anything to help myself at the office. Around 10 am someone comes in with a dish of beans or the multicolored sponge cakes w mango. A faculty member shows me the food trough for lunch and someone brings semi-sweet dumplings around 2. And at least 2 of the 5 nights a group took me to dinner.

Last night was the best Thai-Vietnamese food I ever dreamed of. Gotta go, Meong is back for massage.

Projects

There hasn't been time to talk to the Dean about the tools I wish to adapt while here so I will get serious about that today. I heard that the Dean of the School of Medicine would like to meet me/has my bio and has some business training himself. The President of the University will be at the big seminar for the Nurse Executives at which I am the keynote; he was trained at both Case Western and Berkeley so he and I have CWRU and the UC in common.

I have a dinner invitation with a faculty member in her home on Sunday and my schedule keeps changing now with two weekend commitments. I hope I am able to get to Bangkok the one weekend I have free. There isn't a whole lot to do here as I predcited and I am having hit or miss success on getting my radio podcasts-I learned you need 'doubletwist' through the Droid Marketplace but it seems some of the podcasts aren't in doubletwist format. I have yet to have doubltwist articulate to itunes so I can watch movies. Such are the musings of a new Droid Xoom owner.

Laptops no more!

2nd Full Day

Today I lectured/presented on Nursing Economics to senior undergrads who were so very polite, respectful and positive I was a bit alarmed! There was an audible 'ahhh' when I entered the room and when I was finished,, a class officer made a speech thanking me for coming all this way to do good work for them. Things are much slower with a translator of course and what a pleasure to see the book chapter I wrote translated into Thai!

I  have proof positive that they were able to master some applications of "profit margin" and "the margin" in hospital care. They wore uniforms, school uniforms, not scrubs and at the end of the day they gather downstairs to sing the national song under the picture of the much loved Queen Sirikit.

No

We have a driver-the school has its own van and we have a road trip  planned for next week to present to students out in a rural area who sometimes come to PhiNtsanulok and sometimes have faculty come to them. A very nice young man on faculty may do the driving. He, like the regular driver, is a great driver and I could get used to being driven. Being the visitor, they have me sit in the front and faculty seem very proud of their cars. I am accustomed to driving/being a passenger on the left and overally the driving is relatively calm and the roads are pretty good. I was treated to lunch both days and I have them order for me. Bkfst and lunch covered by the program and I haven't spent any real money yet except convenience store stuff.

Courtesy of the Dean, I am having two dresses made from the fabrics she selected and of course our driver took us into town (15 kms) to the tailor. I go back Monday for the fitting. This is great because I really didn't bring the right outfit for the Nsg Admin seminar in which I am the keynote but my selction on casual clothes (skirts and 3/4 length pants w sandals and no hose) seems just right and I have managed to beat the heat, relatively speaking, for two days in a row.

Sleeping pretty ok from the start, didn't forget anything important, all the hardware working (they are on OUR electricity so my converters/adpaters not necessary after all) and I don't know how to use the Quick Pro app to actually word process so that's  a bit of a disappointment. Remember, the grand back up is  my traditional office at the U where there is computer support and secretarial support better than at home.

J'arrive a Thailand

Today was my first full day at Naruesuan University School of Nursing, Consultant, Research, Informatics and Quality. After a 40 hour journey door-to-door, I arrived without incident with nothing lost or stolen including good humour! At Subvarnhabumi Airport in Thailand, "Mr. Joe" picked me up for transfer to Dun Muong International (the former 'big' airport in Bangkok). The puddle jumper on Nok Air was all arranged and I will be reimbursed for the ground transportation which is great. The flight from the U. S. will be reimbursed (I purchased it in March-that way I get miles) and my room at the residence hotel by the university was arranged, again, no money changed hands which is much better for me. Looks as though breakfast and dinner are included and my new colleagues took me to lunch today, ordered my pad thai and it was fantastic.

Through the generosity of the School of Nursing here, I have a short consulting fee for a month of full-time work which includes coaching/mentoring faculty on everything from their publications (inception to submission), PhD applications (many wish to study in the U. S.), some guest lecturing (health economics and case management) and of course, the 'big stuff', the three substantive presentations on administrative issues for the 80 visiting Nurse Manager/Nurse Executive group on the 27th and July 4th.

I had the royal tour today; I signed documents; I rec'd flowers/had my pic taken at the faculty 'meet and greet' where each faculty memeber expressed their goal for our time together. I reflected back on what I thought we could make happen together and it seemed well-rec'd. I have a lecture on Nursing Economics tomorrow and my chapter in the Dunne and Talor text has been translated to Thai overnight! Hope I can cart a copy home, who would have thought?

I will have a translator and/or a member of the faculty around all the time but most people have pretty good English skills as I anticipated. My power points were translated to Thai for the students also and I will be meeting/presenting to each level of the undergrad and grad programs, once each. The real focus of my work here is the big seminar for the Nurse Leaders coming from all over Thailand and the faculty mentoring.

Some of you know I developed my own late-breaking research agenda (tool development, small qualitative study) which I hope to work on with experts here. Down the road, IRB pending at CSU and IRB not approached yet here, I hope to carry out the interviews through SKYPE and TANGO on The Meaning of Nurse Leadership  in  Thai Hospitals.

I acquired some other duties today, no big deal, and there should be some leisure  time with Sunday and Monday off. Perhaps I could fly back to Bangkok and hang around. I really truly hope to hear from people, there is so much to tell here! For example, every time I turn around, someone is pouring tea, providing a glass of water, to go with my mango sponge cake. I was promoted with fliers and blast emails apparently so I feel like a queen. Big change from home, eh?