NationStates Jolt Archive

As part of the nursing course I am starting in September there comes an option to work anywhere in the world for three months. Wikipedia is failing to help me pick a country to go to so, on the basis of the points below where would you say is the best place for me to go.

1) Bearing in mind the difference between working somewhere and going on holiday somewhere. Places can be wonderful places to holiday in but crappy places to live

2) As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has reasonably clean hospitals and a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple. (obviously I know nowhere is completely safe from infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, but Im looking to minimise my chances of it)

3) Somewhere with reasonably cheap accommodation (Im paying for myself and do not, I think, get paid for working in the hospital)

4) Whilst an English-speaking country would be cool, I am reasonably competent in German and Spanish and am willing to learn the language of the country I am going to be working in.

So with all these in mind where would you suggest would be the best place for me to go?

And just so I dont fall foul of the mods, where would you like to live, if only to be able to say you tried it for a little while?

Thanks for any help I get! I'm finding it difficult to research this on my own as tourist boards dont tend to discuss the cleanliness of their hospitals on their websites.

As part of the nursing course I am starting in September there comes an option to work anywhere in the world for three months. Wikipedia is failing to help me pick a country to go to so, on the basis of the points below where would you say is the best place for me to go.

1) Bearing in mind the difference between working somewhere and going on holiday somewhere. Places can be wonderful places to holiday in but crappy places to live

2) As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has reasonably clean hospitals and a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple. (obviously I know nowhere is completely safe from infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, but Im looking to minimise my chances of it)

3) Somewhere with reasonably cheap accommodation (Im paying for myself and do not, I think, get paid for working in the hospital)

4) Whilst an English-speaking country would be cool, I am reasonably competent in German and Spanish and am willing to learn the language of the country I am going to be working in.

So with all these in mind where would you suggest would be the best place for me to go?

And just so I dont fall foul of the mods, where would you like to live, if only to be able to say you tried it for a little while?

Thanks for any help I get! I'm finding it difficult to research this on my own as tourist boards dont tend to discuss the cleanliness of their hospitals on their websites.

I'd go to Spain, Oviedo to be specific for reasons that will be obvious to some...

Spain is lovely I'll admit. And it would be easy - cheapish, easily accessible, probably clean and with a high percentage of english-speakers (second-language). Its definitely a possibility, thanks, the only downside is the heat! I do not function well in hot places lol

Spain is lovely I'll admit. And it would be easy - cheapish, easily accessible, probably clean and with a high percentage of english-speakers (second-language). Its definitely a possibility, thanks, the only downside is the heat! I do not function well in hot places lol

I don't know I'm liking the fact that it is currently 11.0°C in Oviedo, as opposed to it being -1.1°C where I am.

Thailand. Five of my freinds went there on vacation, came home, packed, and moved forever. They all speak English, the food is wonderful, you can live like a king on $5/day, it's an amazing country.

Thailand. Five of my freinds went there on vacation, came home, packed, and moved forever. They all speak English, the food is wonderful, you can live like a king on $5/day, it's an amazing country.

Hmmm, that does sound like a great place but what are the hospitals like? (sorrym you'll find that all of my questions etc will come back round to medical questions as I'm going to be spending most of my time in that environment!)

You should consider Australia. Its hot, but you get english speakers with fun accents, modern medicine and plenty of things to do and explore on your off time. Its also a nice staging point for Asia if you get any vacation you can check out China or Japan which would be first on my list. I understand nursing is usually a very full time occupation but those are some things to consider.

As part of the nursing course I am starting in September there comes an option to work anywhere in the world for three months. Wikipedia is failing to help me pick a country to go to so, on the basis of the points below where would you say is the best place for me to go.
As a poster from an entirely different country, of course, I'd try to recommend my country to you. Let's see if Manila can work out for you:

1) Bearing in mind the difference between working somewhere and going on holiday somewhere. Places can be wonderful places to holiday in but crappy places to live
I'm going to be bluntly honest with you, as my country is a somewhat crappy but fun place to live. We have lots of beaches, hot springs, mountains you can climb (but we don't have ski places), and tropical wildlife. Don't know if those would appeal to you, but yes, those are the better places we have.

2) As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has reasonably clean hospitals and a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple. (obviously I know nowhere is completely safe from infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, but Im looking to minimise my chances of it)
The hospital where I am in isn't that squeaky clean, but tolerable (but hey, what can you expect from a public hospital in a developing country); we do have very nice hospitals, but those are private hospitals. But if you like very exotic diseases (well, exotic for you; very common here) such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and tuberculosis, well we have them here - things you don't see in more developed countries. And oh, the Philippines has only a few thousand cases of HIV, so it ain't so much of a problem, even if I am in a tertiary hospital.

3) Somewhere with reasonably cheap accommodation (Im paying for myself and do not, I think, get paid for working in the hospital)
We are the second-cheapest city to live in in the world.

4) Whilst an English-speaking country would be cool, I am reasonably competent in German and Spanish and am willing to learn the language of the country I am going to be working in.
Yup, many people know English, I'm sure the locals can help you out. After all, English is our other official language. Your German, sadly, won't be used; but you can learn our local language(s). So if you are fond of Austronesian languages, well, you can study ours...

Anywhere in the world? Sweet deal.

Try Scandanavia. Or France.

Most English people seem to worship Australia. So there, or maybe New Zealand.

As part of the nursing course I am starting in September there comes an option to work anywhere in the world for three months. Wikipedia is failing to help me pick a country to go to so, on the basis of the points below where would you say is the best place for me to go.

1) Bearing in mind the difference between working somewhere and going on holiday somewhere. Places can be wonderful places to holiday in but crappy places to live

2) As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has reasonably clean hospitals and a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple. (obviously I know nowhere is completely safe from infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, but Im looking to minimise my chances of it)

3) Somewhere with reasonably cheap accommodation (Im paying for myself and do not, I think, get paid for working in the hospital)

4) Whilst an English-speaking country would be cool, I am reasonably competent in German and Spanish and am willing to learn the language of the country I am going to be working in.

So with all these in mind where would you suggest would be the best place for me to go?

And just so I dont fall foul of the mods, where would you like to live, if only to be able to say you tried it for a little while?

Thanks for any help I get! I'm finding it difficult to research this on my own as tourist boards dont tend to discuss the cleanliness of their hospitals on their websites.

The first place that comes to my mind is Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The reason I say that is that I have a friend who lives there, he is a professor. But I say that because he is also a cancer patient and describes the medical system there as advanced enough that he is happy with his team of doctors and care he receives there.

Anyway just my 2cents worth. I wish you the very best, it sounds exciting.:)

As part of the nursing course I am starting in September there comes an option to work anywhere in the world for three months. Wikipedia is failing to help me pick a country to go to so, on the basis of the points below where would you say is the best place for me to go.

1) Bearing in mind the difference between working somewhere and going on holiday somewhere. Places can be wonderful places to holiday in but crappy places to live

2) As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has reasonably clean hospitals and a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple. (obviously I know nowhere is completely safe from infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, but Im looking to minimise my chances of it)

3) Somewhere with reasonably cheap accommodation (Im paying for myself and do not, I think, get paid for working in the hospital)

4) Whilst an English-speaking country would be cool, I am reasonably competent in German and Spanish and am willing to learn the language of the country I am going to be working in.

So with all these in mind where would you suggest would be the best place for me to go?

And just so I dont fall foul of the mods, where would you like to live, if only to be able to say you tried it for a little while?

Thanks for any help I get! I'm finding it difficult to research this on my own as tourist boards dont tend to discuss the cleanliness of their hospitals on their websites.

I'm partial to Colorado Springs. We have mountains, skiing, Air Force Cadets, clean air and palatable water. There are several good hospitals and one nursing school. The cost of living is reasonable and the climate is great. Or you could go to Denver. The cost of living is a bit higher, but a small apartment in LoDo wouldn't be out of line. There is also a lot to do - museums, sports, theater, pubs and bars.

If you want adventure, however, go to L.A. The cost of living is obnoxious and the smog is murderous, the water tastes like shit (literally), but you would be speaking Spanish (or, really, Spanglish), Vietnamese, Arabic, Mandarin, Cantonese and any number of languages. There are a number of hospitals, some of which are even moderately adequate.

Hmmm, that does sound like a great place but what are the hospitals like? (sorrym you'll find that all of my questions etc will come back round to medical questions as I'm going to be spending most of my time in that environment!)

I'm not sure. Thailand is pretty modern. If you have some specific questions, TG me and I'll try to get you an answer.

Most English people seem to worship Australia.
Lies.

If I was you, I'd go to Ibiza. Speak yer English, speak some German, speak a wee bit of Spanish. And then party. Good times.

As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple. (obviously I know nowhere is completely safe from infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, but Im looking to minimise my chances of it)

A nurse who feels fatally grossed out by infectious diseases and is completely adverse to the idea of working in a hospital where they have the chance to professionally explore diseases they won't have the chance to encounter 'at home' and displays no discernible wish whatsoever to go and help in places where they might be most needed? Doesn't sound good to me. IMHO, if you want to be a nurse you ought to be resistant to the grossed-out factor to a large degree, and you should display at least a certain amount of professional curiosity towards uncommon diseases.

That said, I cannot put into words how much I envy you for the chance to "go and work wherever in the world you choose". I hope you choose wisely, and may I recommend you maybe consult the place that offered you this in the first place for information / suggestions on where to find information that could be helpful? If they offer this program regularly, they will probably have sources on their hands that will at least be a good starting point for you. Maybe they can even give you contact details for people who've been abroad with that program already and can share their experience with you?

I'd go to Europe. France or England most likely.

your #1 choice should be new zealand. english speaking, modern and not-britain without being a big culture shock.

you could consider aruba. i think it has only one hospital but it seems modern enough (i havent been in it). its cheap, its dutch and many people speak english. some people get sick of the constant trade winds and constant warmth but the people are great.

Spain is lovely I'll admit. And it would be easy - cheapish, easily accessible, probably clean and with a high percentage of english-speakers (second-language). Its definitely a possibility, thanks, the only downside is the heat! I do not function well in hot places lol

That´s only if you go the South. But the heat isn´t unbereable. As for the high percentage of English-speakers, let me tell you, you´re sorely mistaken. Only a 15% of the population in Spain handles English, and not totally. I speak English because of my line of work, but that can´t be said about a lot of people in my country. It would be easier for you to communicate in French or Italian, or, of course, learn one of the regional dialects than trying to communicate in English.

Where would I go? Hm... Ireland sounds good, as always, or Argentina. I would also love to go to Japan, for obvious reasons, so desu ka?:D And both Romania and Bulgaria sound awsome to me.

I'd go to Spain, Oviedo to be specific for reasons that will be obvious to some...

:D
Dyakovo wants to come to Asturias! Cool! It´s kinda cold, I´ll admit, but it´s lovely nonetheless. And I bet your hometown´s colder right now. Plus, Muniellos, a national park and forest reserve, is close by and at this time of year, it´s just gorgeous.

A nurse who feels fatally grossed out by infectious diseases and is completely adverse to the idea of working in a hospital where they have the chance to professionally explore diseases they won't have the chance to encounter 'at home' and displays no discernible wish whatsoever to go and help in places where they might be most needed? Doesn't sound good to me. IMHO, if you want to be a nurse you ought to be resistant to the grossed-out factor to a large degree, and you should display at least a certain amount of professional curiosity towards uncommon diseases.

That said, I cannot put into words how much I envy you for the chance to "go and work wherever in the world you choose". I hope you choose wisely, and may I recommend you maybe consult the place that offered you this in the first place for information / suggestions on where to find information that could be helpful? If they offer this program regularly, they will probably have sources on their hands that will at least be a good starting point for you. Maybe they can even give you contact details for people who've been abroad with that program already and can share their experience with you?


Oh sorry didnt see this reply for ages! lol

When I said that I didnt mean 'I only want to deal with colds' what I meant was I just dont want to expose myself to unnecessary risk. I have no problem dealing with unusual and dangerous diseases but if I had to expose myself to them, I would rather do it in a clean hospital where the doctors speak english well enough for me to explain to them what symptoms I get so I can recieve treatment for this yucky disease I contracted! Its not a question of me being grossed out or anything, I would rather just return with memories, a few tacky souvenirs from the gift shop, and nothing else. That being said I would like to go off the 'beaten track' but Im just not the type of person who goes in for wild risks and danger. I'm boring, I know lol!

And as for the rest of your post, thank you for that good advice! When the time comes I will take your advice and ask around lol. Im just getting an idea of where I would want to go to give me time to properly research and start taking language lessons if necessary!

:D
Dyakovo wants to come to Asturias! Cool! It´s kinda cold, I´ll admit, but it´s lovely nonetheless. And I bet your hometown´s colder right now. Plus, Muniellos, a national park and forest reserve, is close by and at this time of year, it´s just gorgeous.

When I posted earlier the temperature difference was about 12 C, so yes, a bit warmer.

Lies.


It is a SCIENTIFIC FACT that if you ask someone who is moaning about living in England to name a place better than England, "Australia" will one of the first three words out of his or her mouth.

Can't argue with science.

Based on weather/culture/economy/etc., my backup places (in case Dubya starts a nuclear war or somethign) are (1) southern Ontario, Canada and (2) Dunedin suburbs, New Zealand. I recommend considering them.

Based on weather/culture/economy/etc., my backup places (in case Dubya starts a nuclear war or somethign) are (1) southern Ontario, Canada and (2) Dunedin suburbs, New Zealand. I recommend considering them.

I can kind of understand those choices based on the economy criteria.

But on weather and culture?

I would go to Japan. Its got modern everything, and very good health care. While not too many people speak English, everyone there is EXTREMELY helpful and overly polite.

All you have to do is ask someone there a question, and they will try their best to help you out.

Because of the fact that Japan is one of the most westernized eastern countries, i would assume that doctors in the hospital speak English.

Also if you're a guy, getting laid in Japan is easy. there are only 100,000 white people in the city of Tokyo, and maybe 100 in Osaka. if you end up hooking up with a Japanese girl there, you'll probably be the only white guy they hook up with in their life. Think about it.

Also, if you're into this sort of thing, Japan has a huge sex industry with brothels catering to pretty much anything you want.

Yes im a perv

atm Im currently looking at

Spain
Canada
Denmark
Luxembourg
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Manila
Thailand
Austria


and thats about it atm. I considered Australia and New Zealand but tbh theyre both a bit too far away and too hot lol. I really really hate heat! lol

The ones above seem to be the best in terms of distance, language and hospital facilities. But I can be wooed lol

Dunedin temperature is fairly stable -- it doesn 't get too hot in the summer, and doesn't get too cold in the winter.

As for culture, that's probably not the proper word. I am referring to popular opinion on politics, religion, etc.

and thats about it atm. I considered Australia and New Zealand but tbh theyre both a bit too far away and too hot lol. I really really hate heat! lol

The ones above seem to be the best in terms of distance, language and hospital facilities. But I can be wooed lol

Don't like heat? Dear lord, take THAILAND off your list. And the Philippines.

Australia is beautiful, of course, but don't let them fool you: It isn't actually an English speaking nation. In fact, the Aussies invent new words all the time just to confuse the rest of the Anglosphere. It's a national sport, and they look at it as a sort of just revenge for getting stuck down there.

It's like this:

"Hey, Mate, Botcha-dinksaloo!"

"What? Huh? OOOWWW"

"Oh, sorry, Mate, didn't know yer a Yank, that's how we say 'Look Out For That Falling Brick' around here!"

"What? Since when?"

"Since about an hour ago."

Also, in Australia its considered bad ettiquette to complain about any injury as long its reasonably non-life threatening. Even if it is fatal, maintaining a "no worries" attitude is considered good manners. This helps keep the stress on their health care system low.

It is a SCIENTIFIC FACT that if you ask someone who is moaning about living in England to name a place better than England, "Australia" will one of the first three words out of his or her mouth.

Can't argue with science.
Oh please. That's not even Bad Science. Not even SIUNS! Come on, man :p

When I posted earlier the temperature difference was about 12 C, so yes, a bit warmer.

:D

As part of the nursing course I am starting in September there comes an option to work anywhere in the world for three months. Wikipedia is failing to help me pick a country to go to so, on the basis of the points below where would you say is the best place for me to go.

1) Bearing in mind the difference between working somewhere and going on holiday somewhere. Places can be wonderful places to holiday in but crappy places to live

2) As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has reasonably clean hospitals and a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple. (obviously I know nowhere is completely safe from infectious diseases, like hepatitis and HIV, but Im looking to minimise my chances of it)

3) Somewhere with reasonably cheap accommodation (Im paying for myself and do not, I think, get paid for working in the hospital)

4) Whilst an English-speaking country would be cool, I am reasonably competent in German and Spanish and am willing to learn the language of the country I am going to be working in.

So with all these in mind where would you suggest would be the best place for me to go?

And just so I dont fall foul of the mods, where would you like to live, if only to be able to say you tried it for a little while?

Thanks for any help I get! I'm finding it difficult to research this on my own as tourist boards dont tend to discuss the cleanliness of their hospitals on their websites.

Seriously speaking?
Iraq.

Hands down, you'll get more experiance in Iraq in three months then anywhere else, and I think it should instantly raise your starting pay rate working anywhere else by virtue of your experiance.

And I'd go to Iraq, but for purely religious reasons.

Which is funny because I'm sure someone here will read that above sentence and assume I'm a Muslim radical.

:D

Of course, the high for the day is only a difference of 2°C, so not a significant difference...

Of course, the high for the day is only a difference of 2°C, so not a significant difference...

Yeah, but the only bad thing about the weather here is just how rainy it gets. And it´s kinda gloomy right now, what with Easter starting tomorrow and all.:(

Yeah, but the only bad thing about the weather here is just how rainy it gets. And it´s kinda gloomy right now, what with Easter starting tomorrow and all.:(

Rather than the snow we've been getting for the past couple of weeks? I think I'd take it...

Rather than the snow we've been getting for the past couple of weeks? I think I'd take it...

Vale, pero después no digas que no te lo advertí.;)

Vale, pero después no digas que no te lo advertí.;)

So I'd be wet, I can live with that, at least you don't have to shovel water...
;)

So I'd be wet, I can live with that, at least you don't have to shovel water...
;)

True, but the mud´s hellish.:p

Go to Canada.

Almost no one goes to Canada on holiday (except the Japanese), so you might be the only person you know who's spent any time there. The culture's very similar to yours, the standard of care is equivalent, and it has fewer infectious diseases because of the dolder climate (thought the greater traffic from Asia does bring stuff like SARS).

Johor-Baru in Malaysia. Just across the bridge from Singapore, but less expensive, and I've been told their healthcare is good.

Scotland, I´ve been to Ireland but never to Scotland. Perhaps visit the Shetlands and the Orkneys. I´ve heard those islands off the Scottish coast are a paradise.:)

Dunedin's highest average high is a balmy 66 F (18.9C) in january and feburary and their lowest average low is 37 F (3 C) in July -- that's pretty comparablte to NYC, but with a lesser range in temperature.

Scotland, I´ve been to Ireland but never to Scotland. Perhaps visit the Shetlands and the Orkneys. I´ve heard those islands off the Scottish coast are a paradise.:)

But....but.....thats where I live now!! :(

Oh well, free accommodation! :p

But....but.....thats where I live now!! :(

Oh well, free accommodation! :p

Woohoo! Free accomodation!!:D

As I would be working in a hospital as a nurse I am looking for somewhere that has reasonably clean hospitals and a minimum of patients coming in with funky diseases which turn my boobs purple.

I don't know, the idea of a chick with purple tits kind of appeals to me. Of course, if it were the symptom of some horrible disease, that's completely different.


Somewhere with reasonably cheap accommodation (Im paying for myself and do not, I think, get paid for working in the hospital)

Why would you do it if you're not getting paid for it? Doing things for free is almost as bad as volunteering.

I'd try the South Pacific if I were you. on your days off there'd be nothing but sun, sand, beaches, and drinks with umbrellas.

Why would you do it if you're not getting paid for it? Doing things for free is almost as bad as volunteering.


I know, damn volunteers, willing to help out and better a community simply out of the goodness of their hearts:rolleyes:


Go to Spain or Germany. In fact, Id go to Germany. Simply for the beer.

I know, damn volunteers, willing to help out and better a community simply out of the goodness of their hearts

Volunteering for things only leads to trouble, I learned that early on. The call goes out 'Hey anybody here like good food', you step foward, and BAM! next thing you know you're on KP or some other unholy duty.

I still say the South Pacific is your best bet. They could probably use nurses in Bora-Bora(if that's a real place)or Samoa. You know those boys have to have some heart problems, big as they tend to run.

lol well I'm teetotal and violently allergic to sun and sand so that rules out the South Pacific really!

Canada. Clean Hospitals, good scenery, strict Gun laws.

Of the handful of countries outside of the US I've been to, I'd probably go to Italy or Spain: great weather, wonderful culture, beautiful cities and countryside and friendly people. In Spain your Spanish would come in handy, and in my experience Italian is really easy to pick up if you know Spanish.

In North America my two favorite cities would have to be my hometown, New York, and Vancouver. Both are wonderful but very expensive. If you don't mind cold weather, you could look at some of the cities in the Midwest that are cheaper to live in-Chicago would be my top pick among those.

lol well I'm teetotal and violently allergic to sun and sand so that rules out the South Pacific really!

Allergic to the sun? Are you a vampire? That's really why you want to work in medicine isn't it, so you can raid the blood freezer(or wherever it is that they keep the blood) ;)

As for being teetotal, you can get virgin drinks with little umbrellas in.