A New Path

I definitely feel like I have made the right decision in my life. To return to school, that is. I have found a wonderful part-time job at a company that promotes Family Planning, Contraceptives, and Interventions and Trials for HIV/AIDS and some other infectious diseases. I am also immensely enjoying my MPH program in the Public Health Leadership Program at UNC. There is a very small group of in-residents students, and each one of them are wonderful people with very unique perspectives. All wanting to make a contribution to the world, outside of themselves. Each one cares about the health and well being of people in general. I can actually make that statement for most of the people i have met in my classes overall - not just my Public Health Leadership program. The people in the School of Public Health are all very passionate about making a difference in the world. I am happy to be surrounded by individuals who have similar views as mine. Also, it is nice to be surrounded by people who understand the desire to go to a third world country to work with a non-profit or health organization, and in the process live under a bed net, without A/C for months, and possibly without plumbing... knowing that each day, hopefully the work that you do is saving a life or adding a healthier life to someone. Of course, this all depends on the city one is working in ... but I think you get my point. Yes, there are some sort of selfish motivations... but I guess it may also be paraphrased as altruism. I've heard that term used negatively by people before. In the U.S. people don't want others to act altruistic towards them. In the U.S., for the most part, people don't want to ask for help because it means they are weak. So, that word altruism is tainted. But... without altruism, without the good Samaritan, where would some of us end up? I know I need lots of help. I am not perfect. And I am interested in helping others in order to fulfill some internal urge that nudges me. Maybe that is selfish in and of itself because I am doing something that makes me feel good, something that fulfills myself.... but I don't think that has to be wrong.

I feel as if I am babbling now. What this message boils down to is that I feel like for the first time in a long time that I am on the right track in life. I feel like quitting corporate America was the right thing to do at this point in my life. I am passionate, surrounded by passionate people, and am encouraged by these same people.

I am excited to see what opportunities open up for my life. I know one thing by now... not to expect something normal. Just as an end note... I have an internship lined up in Rwanda this summer for about three months. Then I am applying to a program, that hopefully will allow me to carry out a research project in Uganda, that incorporates teaching documentary photography as a form of data collection to be used in public health studies on HIV/AIDS. If I don't get this program... then I'll hang onto the idea anyway for a possible dissertation/Master's paper research topic.