I'd just made the 20 minute flight from Darwin across to the Tiwi Islands where I'm a fly in fly out (FIFO) Support worker for the elderly indigenous.
I was prepared for my 10 day stint. Plenty of workout gear, plenty of books. After all, there's not much to do on this island around your shifts but read and workout.
No complaints from me, I'm an avid reader and I love working out! My only gripe is that all of my colleagues are from Nepal. That's not the gripe of course! But with the language barrier, they just prefer to keep themselves to themselves.
I've grown used to it these days and just hope that I'm away from the main house where I don't have to be surrounded by young girls speaking another language, feeling awkward. I can just be me, in my little donga.
The bus that I was on that picks me up from the airport dropped me off at the facility. I signed in, taking my temperature and was doing the rounds saying hello to the residents that were having morning tea and little nods at the staff.
I spied a woman around my age, sat having a cuppa and laughing with the men. She had an Australian accent. She must be an agency nurse as sometimes they can be Australian. I popped over to say hello.
"Oh hey there! You must be Bella, I've heard you were coming back today, how are you?"
I beamed at the unexpected compliment "Ooooooh I hope nice things were said! I am Bella and I am well! How are you?"
"Yeah, great! I'm Anna, by the way, looks like you're in the separate donga," she looked worried "that okay with you?"
I mimed wiping sweat off my forehead. "Oh that's more than okay with me! I better go and settle in then, and I'll be out for the arvo shift." I said bye to them all, headed to the laundry to get bedding and made my way to the donga.
I already felt good about having Anna around. She seemed like a nice girl that could be a bit of a laugh, and I am always up for a laugh!
I settled in, got my work clothes on and headed down for the afternoon shift. The shift was pretty nondescript, and I found out that Anna was an agency nurse as I thought, so she was in and out doing medications and we had idle chit chat here and there.
Towards the end of the shift, I was just filling paperwork out, as she came out of the office, locking it behind her. "Goodness me, that's a late one for you isn't it? Considering you've been on all day?" I asked her.
"Ah yeah, but it's not too bad, I'm just generally pottering around, in and out every so often, not like you lot, on your feet constantly in this ridiculous heat!" She took a sip of her water bottle.
"Anyway today is Monday and tomorrow I'm on the morning shift. I assume you know what I'm referring to?"
I grinned, kindred spirits that we appeared to be. "Tuesday, club day!"
The island has a clubhouse that is open 4 days a week. It has strict rules around drinking. When you get there you can buy up to 6 drinking tokens. If you are caught attempting to get more, there are pretty heavy consequences from the Police.
Anna beamed back at me "Yeah it is! Meet you down here at 17.00 tomorrow?"
"Wouldn't miss it!" I said and she winked at me and bid me goodnight before she headed to her donga.
Once I finished paperwork and gave handover to the night staff, I headed to my donga to get my shower things. The only bad thing about it is that the bathroom facilities are still in the main house. Not super fun when you're busting to pee at 3am, but it is what it is.
I went to the toilet first and then realised rather unexpectedly that I had come on my period.
Although now I think about it, with how delicate my mood was on my 4 days off back in Darwin, I should have realised. You would think after 20 years of periods, I'd be used to it now, but it still surprises me every time. After, I showered and got ready for bed.
The next morning, I got ready and headed to my shift which finished at 15.00. That giving me 2 hours to workout, shower and meet Anna.
My period was unexpectedly heavier than usual, so I decided to skip the run and just use the spin bike and weights, before meeting Anna and heading off to the clubhouse.
We had a great evening. Anna is really good fun to be around and a great laugh. We had our 6 beers and were making our way back to the facility, her arm looped in mine which was unexpected but nice.
"Ohhhhhh Bella, 6 beers never seems enough does it?" Anna complained, "by then you've got a taste for it and then you've gotta stop!"
"I do agree with you," I said "but no hangover the next day which is always a win!"
"Yeaaaaaah that's true I guess." Anna ageed "Although.....what shift you on tomorrow?"
"Night shift.....why?" I asked
"So you could be hungover then?" She asked mischievously.
