RAW ’10: Experience of a Recently Graduated SHARPie Alexander Wetten 5.00AM. Alarm goes off. Damn. Another workday. Wait! Eyes fall upon the recently stuffed backpack by the door. No work today! Get dressed. Breakfast. Last-­‐minute packing and out the door. Now at Uni. Ah, a few familiar faces and of course, the perpetually energised and action-­‐seeking KK waiting by the bus. “Hurry up!” She cries at the few late SHARPies dawdling in, wiping tired eyes. Nothing compared to how many of us will be returning to the Gong three days later. After a seven-­‐hour bustrip, involving a tortuous detour through the Upper Hunter and periodic consultation of a map, our bus finally made its way to the Nott Family Property, Oakfield, a few km outside of Dunedoo. We were quickly armed with a bag stuffed with rural health paraphernalia and then herded to our respective camping areas, where a few 1st time campers learnt the intricacies of tent erection. Many SHARPies choose to stay in the provided army-­‐style tents, while others attempted to hew at the unforgiving rock lying beneath sadly-­‐bent tent pegs. We were then joined by the other Rural Health Clubs, whose members proved to be a lively and interesting bunch. Arriving at the local Golf Club, we were provided with strips of jerky-­‐like chicken immersed in gravox and a few withered vegetables. But no one seemed to mind as conversations began to flow and new friendships were forged. The Mayor welcomed us to Dunedoo and Shannon Nott gave us a rundown of upcoming events. And the chef was almost forgiven when those delicious Pavlovas arrived. The next two days were replete with activities and demonstrations of the types of duties undertaken in the farm environment, as well as some team building exercises and events fostering cultural awareness. A big highlight for me included the farm tour, with the Nott family proudly exhibiting the property to all RHC delegates. The crops were doing well, sheep and cattle had plenty of natural feed, various water bodies were evident around the property and there were no signs of the drought that had recently affected the land so drastically. It was also brilliant to see the Kelpie dogs in action tirelessly herding up cattle and sheep. Many of us were traumatised however, when Shannon Nott seized a poor young bull, and – with surgical proficiency – sliced and squeezed out the testes, leaving several onlooking males extremely grey in the face. We were subsequently treated to the skills of a seasoned shearer, who explained and demonstrated the art of sheep-­‐shearing, as well as a snake handler, who provided a well-­‐scripted discourse on the venomous characteristics of Aussie snakes. Another highlight was the wonderful food prepared by Laurie the Vegan, who expertly catered for herbivore and carnivore alike. The pigs cooked on-­‐a-­‐spit were simply superb, and the pity felt for the poor spring lambs was conveniently forgotten as their succulent flesh was feasted upon. It was also wonderful to have the chance to appreciate the natural environment at the farm. This included morning swims in the chilly dam, watching the large bonfires (and attempting to face the 1000°C flames to roast the occasional marshmellow with a verrrryyyy long stick) and gazing at the black, starry night sky, which I feel can really only be appreciated in the country. The team building exercises provided many laughs and challenged us in different ways. Activities included: -­‐Getting our group over an ‘electric fence’, which demanded acrobatics, creativity and considerable quantities of luck! -­‐Developing our skills in sheep mustering -­‐ though I pitied the poor livestock that were subjected to our amateurish herding efforts. -­‐A discussion of the ongoing care required by different HP’s for a complex patient, which really got us thinking. -­‐Watching everyone participate in a Welcome to Country dance, led by some Wiradjuri People, which must have provided some entertaining footage for the ABC crew filming at the event. There was also a party on the Saturday night, with photographic evidence the following morning of debauchery and shedding of clothes. I think I’d chosen the wrong night to turn it in early. And although Sunday provided plenty of wind and rain, one highlight that must be mentioned was watching the Dragon’s defeat the Roosters, to the cheers of many, on the big screen. Kay had also constructed signs to declare our allegiance and wave at opportune moments (and I won’t mention the icy-­‐crisp beer). After an action-­‐packed few days, many of us attempted to catch some Zz’s on the bus-­‐ride home. However, screams emitted from a B-­‐grade horror flick at full volume quickly roused us if we happened to drift off. This experience allowed me to become involved in and appreciate: -­‐The generosity of the Nott family in sharing their property with others and educating us on the practicalities of living and working on a farm. -­‐Rural central NSW Australia, allowing us to appreciate the beauty of the landscape when drought has not imparted such devastating consequences. -­‐Meeting other RHC delegates, many of whom I shared a common philosophy and formed friendships. -­‐The knowledge and experience of health professionals working in a rural context. In particular, I appreciated the insights provided by the one of the speakers, who provided a valuable overview of the difficult task of managing the needs of complex patients living in rural areas. In all, it was an enjoyable and enriching weekend that deepened my appreciation of rural life and the work carried out by Health Professionals in such settings.