Michelle Green says farewell to Dundee
Michelle Green completes her Dundee Dental Training
Edited report and photos from Dundee University
Michelle Green arrived at Dundee University Dental School in Scotland in November 2016 and at the end of her trip in March 2017 she reflected on her time in Dundee.
Michelle at the entrance to Dundee University Dental School
Tristan has strong links with the University of Dundee already, with Dental graduates, accompanying dental nurses and technicians providing care for the islanders since 1995. In fact, their current dentist, Penelope Grainger, who has been making the annual trip to Tristan for the last 5 years, is a Dundee alumna. Michelle made the trip to Dundee because she will be the island's Dental Nurse and came to learn everything she could about dentistry.
"When I first came, all I could do is observe. I had been worried about being thrown in at the deep end, but the team were brilliant and very accepting of me and helped when I was struggling. Now that I've managed to improve my skills it's quite exciting and I'll be able to return to Tristan being able to mix alginate and other materials." Michelle explains.
She's also enjoyed teaching her fellow Dental School teammates about life on Tristan. "One girl asked me how we get our meat and she was horrified when I told her we farm it ourselves and even slaughter it. Crayfish is our biggest food source, which we catch and barbecue. Pretty much all of the islanders love it… but unfortunately I'm allergic."
Michelle working in the Dental School
Michelle has fallen in love with the city and is finding it hard to leave. "I'm sort of in between wanting to go back home and staying here. Back home we have a lot of freedom. Children get to stay out till 9 o'clock at night without their parents having to worry about them. But Dundee has some really cool bookstores."
When she's not in the Dental School, Michelle can be found walking throughout the city. "I love going up the Law Hill. The views are amazing and different from everywhere you look, unlike back home where all you can see is the sea." She's also been overwhelmed by the Dundonian kindness. "I've got lost a couple of times, and every time I've asked for help they've always been lovely and keen to help me out. Dundee feels like home."
Michelle is now planning her next trip back to Dundee – and the university can't wait to welcome her back.
Michelle returned to Tristan da Cunha on the maiden voyage of the MV Geo-Searcher to put her training into practice. The old Camogli Hospital is to close soon and Michelle will join her colleagues who will move into the new Camogli Healthcare Centre planned to open in June 2017.