So here are the pictures:
But time for an update from the team "Geek":
On Sunday I was introduced to my hosts in Medicine Hat, Bob and Theresa Arthur, who have made me completely welcome and part of the family. I cant thank them enough for their hospitality, especially Bobs enlightening and uplifting chats outside under the veranda in the afternoon sun!
Monday was the first of our vocational days, and my first port of call was City Hall and a meeting with Harold Otterdyckswho is in charge of network services within the IT Department there. It was an interesting meeting where I was shocked at how leniant they are with Security compared to the NHS. He did however give me a few good ideas which we could use however because of the difference in size of organisations I'm not sure how practical they would be.
From there we moved on to a meeting with the Mayor, Norm Boucher, which was incredibly informative as he told us all about Medicine Hat and its population.
We then had lunch at Medicine Hat College, which I was very impressed with! It almost made me want to go back to college...especially when I found out that 65% of the student population are female! I then found Bob who is an IT lecturer at the College and he took me to visit a couple of local IT businesses which he supports. First was Josh Sehn who supports a number of local businesses with their IT infrastructure, and then Josh Hudson at Memory Lane Computers who provide retail, sales and support to local businesses.
It was then a short break in the sun at Bob and Theresa's house before the Rotary Meeting and our first presentation. Every Rotary member was very welcoming and I must thank all three Medicine Hat clubs for their hospitality. The presentation was well accepted, and I managed to slow my speed down enough to be understood!!
And onto Tuesday where I was recruited by Uwe Krickhahn to give him some computer advice for his website before he took myself and Wallace on a sight-seeing tour of the town. I must admit my thoughts were with Nicola who has been working like a trojan the past two days in the hospital, having been there since 7am both mornings...which I am sure she will blog about herself!
We then had lunch at Connaught Golf Club before going back to the College where I met with John Gutfreund the Manager of Client Support Services for the college to discuss how they impliment their IT Security strategy. In all honesty the college seem to face the same problems as NHS Ayrshire and Arran so it was a great discussion, and confirmed that I think we are heading in the right direction.
Wallace and I then met up with Bob again who took us for a quick beer...well Wallace had one...at the closest thing we could get to a british pub. Then it was home again for a lovely dinner cooked by Theresa again! We then managed a brisk walk on one of the many trails around Medicine Hat on the edge of the Coulee, which is basically a gorge which has been forged into the ground by the river over the years.
At this point I, as we prepare to move to Lethbridge tomorrow, that I must thank everyone in Medicine Hat again, but particulary Bob and Theresa for their friendship and hospitality and for welcoming me into their home. I have also been amazed at the weather, I packed lots of hatgs, gloves and scarves, and for the past 3 days the weather has been around 15 degrees without a cloud in the sky!
As Jimmy has been quoted in the paper as saying: "Medicine Hat is our first stop and I'll tell you, everybody else has got alot to beat...this has been awesome"
Thank you Medicine Hat!
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