Author Description

"Barbara Nnaemeka had no idea what was in store for her when she set out from her home in Barbados in 1966 to study nursing in England. An idealistic teenager straight out of school, accustomed to warm, sunny days spent in a secure family environment, she was shocked to find herself in a cold, rain-soaked city, working harder than seemed humanly possible in an alien environment, crushed by homesickness, and the target of thoughtless racist attitudes. The real England was nothing like the England she had been taught about back home in the West Indies - and it was a world away from her island home. How would she cope? This positive and heart-warming biography charts Barbara's determined progress as she takes strength from her adoptive 'sisters', learns to manage in her new surroundings and discovers an ambition to be the best possible nurse, midwife and teacher. Looking back on a successful career, she reflects on attitudes to immigrant workers and the dramatic changes in the British health care system over recent decades, offering a pragmatic yet inspiring view of a profession that promises both highs and lows but also a huge sense of personal satisfaction."--Publisher's description.