It's been a long haul of getting a Masters
degree, a diploma in Tropical Nursing, Wilderness first aid certification,
courses in International development, volunteering, and endless wondering if I
am pursuing the right course of working overseas in the Global South once
again.
Rejections and silence from numerous
applications for the past year. In some cases, my 3 degrees and year in Kenya
noted as "not enough" or my lack of french skills disqualifying from
working in non-french speaking countries.
I've been confused more often than not. Has all
this work and effort been in vain? Have I been following my own singular and
selfish path?
Recently though, a glimmer of hope. After
emails back and forth and communication delays, I have finally received an
offer! Someone is nuts enough to take me on!
I have been offered a 6 month opportunity in
Tabora, Tanzania with CARE Canada. They have been working to improve access to
maternal health in the community and rural areas for some time and recently had
a request from the director of the Regional hospital in Tabora for some help to
assess and plan for their maternal and reproductive health in the hospital.
They were seeking someone who could come along side people at the hospital to:
• assess the Tabora
Regional Referral Hospital maternal and child health services and practices
including management, administrative practices, quality and health
information;
• Develop plan in
conjunction with CARE and Kitete Hospital staff to strengthen the maternity
ward, outreach program, referral system, and,
• To build
management, administrative and patient-care capacity in the maternity ward of
the Kitete Hospital
And as per Murphy's law, as soon as I accepted
the position, I had 2 more interview requests for jobs I had applied for months
ago! But I trust that this experience will be a great opportunity to build my
experience for more future work overseas.
I am simultaneously really excited and really
terrified! While I know it has been a 6 year journey to get to this point, I
will always have some nervous anxiety about what I am doing! I know when I get
there I'll have some private breakdowns of crying and wondering why I have put
myself in a position of knowing nothing and no one! But after a week or two,
I'll start settling in, once again getting used to people yelling
"mzungu" at me, or trying to touch my hair or skin.
Thanks to everyone who has listened to me
endlessly talk about my desire of moving overseas (okay, it's always about
sanitation).
So, if you know anyone who wants to sublet my
place (just blocks from Kits beach!) for 6 months, let me know! I’ll be leaving
about mid-October!
