It’s been a wee bit over a month since I landed on this island in the North Pacific 6000 miles or so from ‘the Mainland’ (as it’s known here)… my son, Demetrius recently asked, so what’s up with your blog?
So here we go!
Where to start as there are so many different angles – work, rest, new activities, new thoughts…
Think I will start with work as that’s what got me here in the first place!
David Borge in Saipan
Work is a challenge to say the least! A challenge in the quality of illness and thank God (dog spelled backwards) not in the quantity.
Quality in the variety and complicated nature of the diseases… quite a bit of cancer, birth defects, high risk pregnancies and common gynecologic disorders which are not treated until the women are sick. Compounded by the lack of medical support which I took for granted in Amerika — minimum of specialists, no transferring of patients to tertiary care centers for care (e.g. patients, if they have to be transferred, have to go to Philippines, 6 hours away, and of course they need correct passport and citizenship proof… a bit of a vetting process). Which is to say, we, here on the island, have to take care of all the patients with the limited resources available!
Variety is another interesting facet to the work – variety in patients nationality. In one day I delivered ladies from Russia, Bangladesh, China and Saipan and have seen patients from Palau, Japan, Singapore and good ol’ USA. So many cultures and religions and ethnicities to wade thru! I am finding, though, that kindness and compassion and competence speaks the same language and lives by the one common denominator of being human. And I found I’m pretty good at this.
The downside to all this variety is immigration rearing its ugly head – we get to be involved (reluctantly) in birth tourism and having to deal with friendly neighborhood ICE folks. Lovely how our administration and the ‘wall’ have found its way even out to this remote island. I’m going to stop there… keep my blood pressure down!
Rest. I generally sleep the night thru, enjoy early morning walks among the myriad of flowers, rich greenery and chirping birds. And no racing back and forth between home and hospital and office thereby decreasing my stress level immensely. So yes, I’m still working but on a much more manageable and healthy level. And am able to meditate regularly and all-in-all happier and content.
And on that same line of thought, invested in a Bluezone cook book and taking advantage of the plethora of food varieties to eat in a way that is healthier and makes me feel better.
Activities. I am just scratching the surface of what’s available but that to not gorge myself on what’s out there. Slowly I’m finding my way into what’s available – just completed my first tai chi class this morning with an incredible teach. Mr. Barry, definitely a fortunate find. I wanted to keep my promise to sister Carol and pursue this ‘sport’, so I imagine she’s in heaven directing things a bit! Go ahead and laff you unbelievers but I like the thought!
500 Sails 
500 Sails
I have also found 500 Sails — an organization that is reviving the proa, which is the traditional ocean going outrigger sailboat. It’s wonderful founders, Emma and Pete Perez, are SF natives who build, sail and teach swimming (a la Dolphins swim club of Bay Area of which my children participated). So I get to do construction, and play with wood and power tools, and sweat and learn to sail and swim in the ocean. Another blessed find!
And of course there are hikes and lovely places to contemplate life while enjoying sunsets, sunrises and full moon vistas.
And places like Banzai cliff and Suicide cliff where many a Japanese family and soldier jumped to there death so as not to be captured by Amerikans— these intense places have some of the best vistas and monuments of remembrance. Go figure cuz I haven’t been able to fully existentially digest.
I have a comfortable condo with the luxuries of a pool, its own generator ( yes electricity is fickle) and reverse osmosis water filtration ( the water is unpleasantly full of minerals, not dirty) and internet with a Chinese cable which gives me the luxury of 2000 movies and 3000 tv series form all over the world.
Oh, and yes, there is a downside. I drive a rental car – a lovely Yaris which isn’t particularly adept at some of the Islands ruffer roads which unfortunately take one to some of the best hikes and beaches.
I am happy, content and doing some good medical work. I miss family and mother but am comforted with regular conversations. I like my decision and will probably settling in here for a while. No expectations just living as fully as I can for the moment.
‘Till next time amigas and amigos….
David's Next Adventure 