It's Been a While
Well, hello there. I know, it's been a while. The last few years have felt very un-adventurous, and I haven't had much inspiration to write about the daily routines of working from home, sitting in endless Zoom meetings, running errands on weekends, and so on. But I've finally got a new adventure to share and something exciting to write about.
Last summer I applied to a CDC program called the International Experience and Technical Assistance program. The program "is designed to offer HHS employees (the Department of Health and Human Services, of which CDC is one and so is my agency, the NIH) the opportunity to gain global public health experience while providing technical assistance to CDC country offices and partners". The core tenets of the program are leadership, diplomacy, cross-cultural humility, and technical expertise and the application process is quite competitive. This year, only 18% of applicants were accepted into the program, and I'm proud to say I am one of them.
Soon I will be leaving the U.S. to work for the CDC's office in Lusaka, Zambia, for 3-4 months. I will be supporting management and operations and working with several locally employed staff as well as a team of international public health professionals. I will be living in Lusaka and finding my way through a new culture, new workplace, and new community. I am incredibly grateful to have this opportunity and hope to be able to share some of the experiences with you through posts and photos here on my blog. I don't have any real plans yet other than to show up and be ready to learn and grow, but I do hope to have some time to travel around the region during my time there. Victoria Falls, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, is on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the spectacular Okavango Delta is in nearby Botswana. Zambia itself has 20 national parks. There are also 7 official languages in Zambia!
One thing I've learned over the last few years is that adventures come in all different forms. Some are physical, like climbing the Grand Teton, and others are less tangible, lived experiences. So as I head off on my new great adventure - tionana ("see you later" in Nyanja).
