My name is Will Hung!

Captain’s log January 2011. I woke up at 1pm on a Monday morning. Oh wait, afternoon. The CNSA conference was over. Did I sleep through it? It felt like a dream with periods of pleasant excerpts and blacked out segments. Its funny how we always remember the great and fun things that happen, but fail to remind ourselves about them when we are feeling low. Hint to self: Save the great memories and put them in the Happy Memories Bank, so it can be used PRN.

Back to the conference. What a blast is was. Even though not a lot of the content of the conference was enjoyed by myself, the energy at the conference was great! The preparation leading up to the conference was mind numbingly boring. And I often had to question myself why I was doing it. But at the conference, it was all clear. I did it for this. Whatever that group of attendees wanted to get from the speakers, workshops, exhibitors; inspiration, path finding, soul searching or networking. Whatever they gained, I was a small part of making that happen. And folks, that feeling is great! Speakers like Tilda Shalof, Kathy Crowe, Dr. Jean Watson, Dr. Judy Boychuck-D and Dr. Kirsten Culver made the conference an amazing experience for the 862 attendees this year. Shout out to the NCPC members who are infamous: http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/nursing/home_story37.shtml

A shout out to the awesome volunteers who were a great deal of help: Michal K(The Mount), Fraser M, Shane I, Laura Z, Laura V, Sarah V, Alix N, Ayeza C.

NCPC

BOD

Awesome Volunteers!

RE: Dear Nursing Students.

To the nursing students I have interacted with, during the past week, Jesse, Emily, Hannah, and for the rest of you, who are interested in doing something different up north. I will do my best to prepare you mentally through this blog. I did not realize that people actually read this blog, and am extremely honoured and flattered that you take time from your busy lives to do so.

So, to begin with, everything you read in your International Health course, is true. Again, reading is not as believing as when you see it. The affects of the previous school system had is very much entrenched into the community. A lot of the issues are sometimes not even labeled as issues in the community. So, be prepared to put your judjement and self-righteousness away, because there won’t be any room for it. And if you’re not ready to do that, you won’t survive up here. 

People

One thing I really really appreciate is the people. Every encounter or interaction, I cherish it, savour it, and with it would go on. I don’t know why or where that feeling is coming from, but I just love every chance I get to interact with people. I don’t know what that ‘high’ feeling is, but its definintely there. I get excited just seeing people bustling around their busy schedules, I get even more excited when people actually take time to get to know me and I will reciprocate the favour. Just talking with some of the nursing students I see, I feel like I want them all the experience what I have in the past 3 months. The amount of perception, history, health, emotional well being I gained, has just been unreal. It was only the moment I talk about my experience with peers, that I really appreciate the experience I had.

Being up north, I have changed as a person. I almost want to say, completely. I pay more attention to persons, as opposed to, trying to please or entertain a group of people that I know nothing about at all. Personal interactions one on one are so much more valuable than grinding up a stranger’s ass at a dance floor. It really helps me love and appreciate friends so much more. Good friends are so hard to find, great friends who can level with you, are few and far in between. Katy is one of those people. Katy thought that I was just all about the ‘deep’ talking with people. I don’t know if it will be this way with me forever, but I am sure I will get moulded again into something else later down my career.