14th December 2015
I have decided to treat my mum and dad to a weekend at the Balibo fort hotel for our last weekend in Timor-Leste, in part to say thank-you for helping me during my time in Timor-LEste. I would not have been able to make it work as well without their support. I have previously written a little on Balibo but I hadn’t yet had a chance to stay at the fort hotel. We spent a very relaxing and peaceful two days and one night there and it was a magical 4-5 degrees cooler than Dili as its prominent site on the hill ensure thats it catches all the breeze. Watching the sun set over the hills with a drink in hand was spectacular. The rooms at the fort are tasteful done with an enormous comfortable bed which was certainly the most comfortable bed I have slept on in Timor-Leste. The kids enjoyed running around and exploring the gardens in the fort and again climbing all over the old canons. The fort hotel also thoughtfully provides up to date magazine, a range of DVD’s as well as games such as boule for guests. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who has a weekend spare in Dili.
Back in Dili for the remainder of the week and we all have mixed emotions about going home. We have certainly enjoyed Dili’s little charms; our beautiful tropical house and garden, endless games of hide and seek and exploring the markets and backstreets around Taibesse and beyond and our Sunday morning ritual of a run around Horta loop followed by breakfast and coffee on the beach. I have met so many wonderful, interesting and inspiring people in my short six months and my kids have made some wonderful new friends. We will also miss our beautiful housekeeper Lucia who is so gentle and kind and patient! We wish you could come home with us.
From a professional point of view I will miss my work colleagues and in particular working with the registrars on a daily basis. Many of the patients are also unforgettable. Having an eye operation must be such a foreign concept to such a lot of our patients that the level of trust that they place in the medical and other staff is truly incredible. To lie on the operating theatre, have someone stick a large needle around their eye, get a drape placed over their mouth and nose and then lie there why some malae doctor talks while performing surgery on their eye must at times be truly terrifying for many of them. Their stoicism, and in fact, bravery inspires me every day. Doing my fellowship with the East Timor Eye Program is certainly a different path to one that most of my colleagues are doing but I gained so much more than just ophthalmology experience, I hope that this will set in motion a lifelong association with Timor-Leste and that we will be back soon.
My generous farewell from the staff at the National Eye Centre
Reviewing patients in the clinic
Delicious local plums - too easy to eat by the bagful!!
Timorese man, taken in Hatobuilico, 2005
