- Unfortunately, there are no doctors permanently in Upernavik, explains Helene. Most doctors are there from one to three months at a time. - I was moved by the fact that you cannot travel when you want to, or evaluate a really sick patient due to the weather, or technical problems with the helicopter. I acquired a renewed awareness that it is weather and nature that dictate our actions. I feel we are very privileged to have our health system and short distances in Denmark. Wonderful culture - Greenland has been an enriching experience. It has expanded my horizon to meet the people in Greenland and it has made my world a little bigger. - I have definitely become wiser in many ways – also with regard to people. - It is the entire culture I feel that really has enriched me. The way people accepted me was unique. They were very accommodating, despite the constant flow of new temporary workers. 54
greenland today
29 2017
- People helped each other. If a mother was in hospital, the family and friends helped to take care of the children. There was generally a great deal of friendliness, hospitality and nice people everywhere. I was e.g. invited to kaffemiks held by my colleagues and on boat trips. - I found it odd that people believed in spirits. This is something that must be respected, because it is a part of the historic culture and people take it very seriously. For example, it prevented some of my colleagues from fetching things in the hospital’s basement at night. - It was also interesting to see the cemetery in Upernavik, compared to a Danish cemetery. Concrete is poured around the coffins, because they cannot be buried in the ground due to the bedrock and permafrost. The cement protects against polar bears, foxes and ravens. There were plastic flowers on top of many of the graves and they were covered with netting so they did not get blown away – very practical in a place with freezing weather and storms.
- In addition, Greenlandic is such a fascinating language. I went to church several times to hear the Greenlandic hymns which were sung so beautifully with organ music and everything. It was very evocative. Plenty of fish - It meant a lot to people that I ate their food. For me, it was the obvious thing to do because I am very curious and I tried many different things, but I preferred halibut to narwhal mattak (the outer layer of whale skin/fat). - When the supply ship came, it was exciting to see whether it brought potatoes or bananas. But actually I ate only fish, even though they had all sorts of things in »Pilersuisoq«, the shop. - One day the ambulance people came with a parcel from my husband and our children. Getting a parcel with special treats from home was better than Christmas. - You cannot really spend money on anything in Upernavik, so my private finances were very simple: expenses for rent, internet and food,
which mostly consisted of fish. Recommendation Helene recommends others to take temporary jobs in Greenland – as long as they can manage by themselves, both professionally and privately. - You must not whine and you must be prepared to handle all manner of things, says Helene seriously. - Now I have experienced flying with a helicopter over icebergs and the ice sheet out to settlements and that was a wonderful experience. I am pleased my dream of working in Greenland came true. - It is probably very different in the bigger places compared to the small place where I was. But regardless, you have to be open to different cultures and be humble before the Greenlandic colleagues who have a better understanding of many things. - Do not go to Greenland as a nurse to play tourist. You need to realize that you are there to work. It is crucial