Today it is fitting to post this video. The last time I saw it was last summer in Burundi at a very unexpected place...in the home of a local Ministry of Health official in rural Kibuye put in the VCR by his 12 year old son. RIP MJ.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Happy Father's Day
I just listened to Paul Farmer speak at the Global Health Alliance online. He always inspires me and validates my work. Again, he stressed that poverty and access to care are critical to the health outcomes of a given population. This interview made me think of my father too (Happy Father's Day, Dad!)because he was a surgeon that worked across all levels of medicine to meet the need of the patient (including the smallpox eradication that Paul Farmer talks about). I remember hearing if Dad didn't know what to do, he would look it up in his medical books and move forward. Another great example for me!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Perpetua's Visit
The Project Director for our partner project in Mozambique came to visit our headquarters this week. It's been a busy whirlwind of meetings and greetings. My favorite part of the week was going with my supervisor, her husband, and Perpetua to the Washington Park Rose Garden for an evening picnic. We started our own laughing club and made the decision then and there to grow roses in Mozambique.
Another important feature of this week was Perpetua's understanding of why I want to go back to Africa. She said,"But of course, your placenta is buried in Africa." The only problem is that my parents did not plant a tree above it. I think Perpetua and I will take a roadtrip through Burundi with that mission in mind. She has an adventurous and warm spirit which suits me well.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Bean Town aka Boston
Please pinch me. I think I've fallen into a dream and can't wake up. I love my new job, except for one painful day when I felt like I took 10 steps backward rather than any steps forward. Overall I am learning and contributing to work that I always wanted to do!
Most recently, I traveled for a week of Monitoring & Evaluation training in Boston with the renowned John Snow Inc. This is all because the project I'm working on for Mozambique is a New Partners Initiative project with the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and they want to make sure we're well trained.
Not only was it a great week of training, it was a wonderful week to meet new colleagues also involved in similar work and to have some fun exploring one of the most beautiful American cities. Here's a peek at our week:
We got the doorman to get in a picture with us at our swanky hotel. We definitely enjoyed the jacuzzi and yoga at 6:30 am, but room service was a bit much.
Boston is famous for the midnight ride of Paul Revere. I walked the Freedom Trail and got to see his home near this statue. I also visited the Old North Church where he established a lantern signal to warn of the Red Coats approach, "One if by land, Two if by Sea." I had to call my dad to ask him to remind me of the significance of that church. It's funny how you forget American history, but it can come alive hundreds of years later.
Guess how we got to the airport from our hotel? We took a water taxi through Boston Harbor. Here's a picture looking back at our hotel and Boston's skyline. Lovely.
Most recently, I traveled for a week of Monitoring & Evaluation training in Boston with the renowned John Snow Inc. This is all because the project I'm working on for Mozambique is a New Partners Initiative project with the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and they want to make sure we're well trained.
Not only was it a great week of training, it was a wonderful week to meet new colleagues also involved in similar work and to have some fun exploring one of the most beautiful American cities. Here's a peek at our week:
We got the doorman to get in a picture with us at our swanky hotel. We definitely enjoyed the jacuzzi and yoga at 6:30 am, but room service was a bit much.
Boston is famous for the midnight ride of Paul Revere. I walked the Freedom Trail and got to see his home near this statue. I also visited the Old North Church where he established a lantern signal to warn of the Red Coats approach, "One if by land, Two if by Sea." I had to call my dad to ask him to remind me of the significance of that church. It's funny how you forget American history, but it can come alive hundreds of years later.
Guess how we got to the airport from our hotel? We took a water taxi through Boston Harbor. Here's a picture looking back at our hotel and Boston's skyline. Lovely.
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