Guest Report

[Jonny Hart]

I spent 4 and a half weeks of my medical elective, from July to August 2019, in Tobago working at Scarborough General Hospital. During this time, I stayed with other medical students at Shirma's apartments. Put shortly, she was a wonderful host, and I could not have asked for anything more throughout our stay. The flats were modern, clean and extremely comfortable. The location was fantastic for getting about the island quickly; close to the hospital (and with lifts every morning), but also close to Scarborough and a stone's throw from the Windward road running up the coast to Speyside and Charlottesville. The cost was very reasonable, and both before, during and after my stay Shirma was brilliant in responding quickly to any enquiries I had. However, the best thing about our time at Shirma's (even more than the brilliant, affordable flats and the excellent professionalism) was Shirma herself, and her family. They were very kind, and went to huge lengths to make us feel welcome and at home; meeting us at the station with a hug and a big laugh, cooking us a huge and delicious lunch every Sunday, taking us to the shops every Monday, and just generally always being around for a friendly chat about what we've been up to and how we're doing. It would be impossible to feel isolated or miserable at Shirma's, and seeing as medical electives can be challenging at time as well as fun-filled, this is an invaluable quality.