Author Archives: valporose

As some of you know, but maybe a lot of you do not, the British Virgin Islands are situated right next to the USVI. …28.65 km to be exact. Tortola does have an airport but since we are on St John we are taking a sailboat trip there to celebrate Michelle‘s birthday to experience whatContinue reading “Tortola, British Virgin Island”

As a person who was born in Canada and lived in the Midwest, winter always meant cold and snowy. So experiencing the holidays on a warm, tropical island was very unusual. It took a bit to realize it was December, let alone Christmas time. Very few people decorate with Christmas lights since electricity rates inContinue reading “Christmas and New Years Eve…island style”

After my mission trip to Haiti (and two more mission trips in 2012, 2013), and let’s just say, the year of 2014 was one of the worst years ever for me …..I had to make some life changes. At first, my plan was to take as many trips to St. John as possible in theContinue reading “Back on St. John🌴”

As the days go by, we start to get a good rhythm going. I re-organized the supply cabinet and found some new dental hygiene instruments… a little too late. On our last clinic day, I am finally able to use them and it goes much better. We work until 7 PM to see as manyContinue reading “End of Haiti mission trip 2011”

Our work day begins at 8am yet patients had already started lining up outside the gate as early as 5am because it is a first come-first served basis. I am told many walk several miles in hope they will be seen. They will wait hours in the sun and heat with no guarantee of beingContinue reading “Haiti (…continued)”

June 2013- This would be my third trip to Haiti on a dental mission with Dr. Scott VanSlambrouck, my friend and previous co-worker/doc at Healthlinc in Indiana. (We had been on two previous mission trips together, 2011 and 2012, so I will glean from memories of my first arrival in Haiti and the subsequent trips)Continue reading “Haiti Mission Trip”

So, today is my last day before I have to head back to the states and we saved one of the best beaches for last. Cinnamon Bay. It’s one of the largest beaches on the island and the cool thing is they have a campground, bathroom facilities, showers (cold water showers …hey, this IS camping),Continue reading “Last day on St. John (2013)”

Since we are on the east end of the island, we decide to check out the Annaberg Ruins. When the Danish government took control of St John in the early 1700s, they enslaved the natives to grow cotton and sugar cane. A mill was built and Annaberg became one of the highest producers of sugarContinue reading “Annaberg Ruins, Leinster Bay and Maho”