One week - Post PULSE assignment

I am still in a state of confusion, time-wise. I am told that it is two days till Christmas by my very excited children but am still unable to comprehend how it has rolled around so quickly! The final week in Romania was a complete whirlwind of good-byes, and best wishes from people I had met throughout my short stay.

Intranet was up and running at exit and I am so happy. The database was glitch free and was being used when I left, also a bonus. I volunteered at my final event, Mojo's Quiz Night and it was one of the most successful ever. There was even a few Aussie trivia questions thrown in as a thank you.

I have to say that I miss Romania already. How could I be so attached to a country and its people so quickly? I understand now how the founder of the Hospices of Hope became so devoted to the future healthcare of Romania and why, 20 years later, he still spends so much of his time and energy championing the cause. One of the biggest issues for me was comprehending how healthcare standards could varying so greatly between individuals depending on circumstance, race, economic background and relationship with the healthcare professional. There is still a lot of corruption in the system and bribery is still considered a standard practice to enable locals to receive adequate healthcare. This simply cannot be seen as acceptable. There needs to be a drive for change. The Hospices of Hope do not accept any payments for their services, and they provide so many. Medical, Psychological, Spiritual, Physical assistance are all a part of helping the palliative care patients and their families. I am proud to say that I will still provide assistance post assignment, on my own time, via electronic means to enable support.

On a personal front, I am feeling the flight overload at the moment. I really enjoyed all the travel, but I have to say, cattle class is not great fun on the long haul flights, the leg cramps, the food, and sleeping upright (which I am now quite proficient at) is not at all fun. I was thankful to the great Aussie hosts on the last flight though, I had chats with them at around 2am, ate all their food and generally annoyed them. I was given a fast past through customs too, so they mustn't have felt too hassled. Now back at home, house bound for the most part, arrived to a sick cat and a broken radiator in my car and a less than healthy bank balance. I am grateful though, two days back in and half the boxes unpacked, and everything seems to be moving back into a general groove of things.

So what's plans next? I am looking forward to Christmas with my family, my eldest daughter is excited about cooking for everyone. Starting back at GSK in early January, a smaller team, a new manager but an enthusiasm to get started and back into the swing of things. On the volunteering front, I hope that once my finances improve to take the girls to either Thailand or Japan this year, closer to home, and both countries needing support in terms of volunteering activities. Watch this Space!!

Merry Christmas Everyone. Blessings and Good Will to you all.

Dani xxx