2012 Round-up

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne.
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne. 

I’m a little late this year with the annual Travel Nurse Round-up.  It’s been a very busy and exciting year! I’m very excited about my ‘new’ project The Gypsy Nurse. I want to thank everyone that has been involved and supported my efforts in this. It’s become my little ‘pet’ project and although it’s a ton of work, it has been a lot of fun. I’ve ‘met’ so many new friends and nurses through this effort and hope that 2013 brings many more!

Enough blabber…let’s get to the Round Up!  I only managed one Travel Nurse assignment location in 2012! This is down from 3 assignment locations in 2011.  I visited 15 cities in 5 Foreign Countries (and passed through one more).  In the USA, I was in 8 different states and a total of 13 separate cities.  Hosted 11 Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greets. To say the least….it’s been a busy year!

Contract Locations
Chicago, IL (this was also my last contract in 2011)

• Average nurse patient ratio’s 1:5-6
• 20 something bed unit
• Traveler friendly: 5/10
• Moderately busy but not overwhelming

Places that I’ve traveled
2012 was an exciting travel year for me!  I’ve been on the road most of the year with a few moments of reprieve at home visiting family.  I think the easiest way to do the travel Round-up is to list it out by dates:

Jan 1 – Feb 3, 2012  Chicago IL

• I spent New Year 2012 with my Nephew and Daughter in Chicago.  This was a wonderful time.  I truly enjoyed sharing Chicago with them.  Especially my nephew (9 yrs old) because of the joy he had in experiencing ‘travel’ for the first time with me.
• My son and grand-daughter also visited my while I was on the last leg of my contract in Chicago.  A fabulous time exploring the city and playing with the grand.

Feb 3 – 10, 2012 Ft Wayne IN

• Home to Indiana to visit family.

Feb 12 – 29, 2012  South America
I traveled through part of South America with a great friend and another Gypsy Nurse!  We had a wonderful adventure!

• LaPaz Bolivia 
• Potosi Bolivia
• Uyuni Bolivia 
• Bolivian Salt Flats!
• Sucre Bolivia
• Oruro Bolivia
• Copacabana Bolivia
• Cusco Peru
• Machu Picchu Peru
• The Peruvian Amazon! 
• The Peruvian Cloud Forest! and the Equator
• Peurto Lopez Equador 
• Otavalo Equador
• Quito Equador 

Feb 28 – March 3, 2012  Cancun Mexico

• I flew into Cancun to attend a very good Friends wedding.  Spent a week drinking, celebrating and lounging poolside with good friends.
• I was also able to share a Mexican Market experience with a ‘novice’ traveler.  It’s fun to see the period of acclimation in someone.

March 5 – March 20, 2012   Antigua Guatemala

• Semana Santa!  This was an amazing experience.
• Met Johnny Vagabond!  (Travel Blogger Extraordinar!)
• Made some wonderful friends.
• Took a very unsuccessful Spanish class…I’m just no good with languages.

March 21 – April 22 2012  San Cristobal de las Casas

• Fell in Love (with my neighborhood)
• Learned about the Mayan traditions 
• Visited San Juan de Chamula

April 23 – August 28, 2012  Indiana

• Bounced back and forth in IN between my family and friends.
• Experienced the pride in seeing my youngest child Graduate High School
• Fought through a tough Transition
• Decided to give birth to THE GYPSY NURSE !!
• Learned even more how to live on a Budget
• Held the FIRST EVER Gypsy Meet & Greet in Louisville KY

August 24 – August 27, 2012  Chicago IL

• Attended WordCamp 2012 to help give me a jump start with The Gypsy Nurse.
• Learned a ton
• Made some new friends
• Visited with old friends.

August 28 – 30, 2012  Minneapolis MN

• Experienced my First Couch-surfing adventure.
• Was delighted with Minneapolis…exceeded my expectations!

August 30 – October 14, 2012  Minot ND

• Spent some wonderful time with a great friend and Gypsy
• Continued learning and development of The Gypsy Nurse
• Realized that I NEVER want to live in North Dakota!

October 15 – October 17, 2012 Minneapolis MN

• Another trip back through Minneapolis
• Attended Meet, Plan Go! (like I need any travel inspiration?)

October 17 – October 23, 2012 Las Vegas NV

• Attended the Travelers Conference!!
• Met some wonderful travel Nurses, re-acquainted with old friends and made many new friends
• Held Las Vegas Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet

October 24 – October 26, 2012 Minneapolis MN….yet again!

• Held Minneapolis Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet
• Met up with old friends

October 27 – November 26, 2012  Back home in Indiana!

November 27 – December 14, 2012  TEXAS ROADTRIP

• Nashville, TN
  • Visit with another Gypsy Nurse!
  • Held Nashville Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet
• Memphis, TN
  • Met some wonderful locals.
  • Ate the most delicious BBQ
  • Rode the street-car.
  • Held Memphis Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet
• Dallas, TX
  • Wasn’t impressed…sorry Dallas, maybe next time?
  • Held Dallas Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet
• Houston, TX
  • Met more great friends!
  • Held Houston Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet
• San Antonio, TX
  • Discovered the best French Toast EVER at Dream Cafe!
  • Met some lovely Jazz musicians
  • Held San Antonio Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet
• Austin, TX
  • Re-visited old friends and made several new friends!
  • Held Austin Gypsy Nurse Meet & Greet
  • Ate the best falafal sandwich I’ve ever had!

December 14 – End of 2012  Indiana

• Home to spend the holiday and end of year with family and friends.

2012 has been a year of growth, challenges, change, memories and excitement. I hope that your year was filled with wonderful things.  Take a moment to reflect on those things that make you smile in memory and hold to them dearly…in the end our memories and the impact that we made on others lives are the things that really matter.