Fate Intervenes

This week has flown by and been so productive at work. I might venture to say that it was a blessing that the trip was delayed. A lot of people have asked why I didn’t go to Kenya as scheduled and I will comment that everything is fine – the powers that be just needed me in Chapel Hill to work this week and this has been such a great thing in preparing for our assessment. Here are some details.

My colleagues and I have spent the entire week reworking our assessment tools. We have been focusing on the 8 or so tools we are using to collect data for the Kenya health worker training assessment. There are some tools we are using this summer to collect more data on Phase I of the assessment, which happened last year. That phase looked more at service delivery. We still need to capture some data on nutritionists and community health workers but I have not been as involved in this piece of the assessment – yet. It might sound uninteresting that I have been working to put together questionnaires for students and faculty of schools but I have been doing more than that – much more! Along with the Chapel Hill team, Leigh and Cathy (they need to be introduced by now), we have been taking a hard look at what we are asking and how the data will be used in making recommendations after the assessment. The Monitoring and Evaluation team, Michael and Josh, are helping us look at how we collect the data and ensuring it can be easily evaluated. Our data will be quantitative and qualitative.

You still may find this work a bit meticulous and boring by reading this blog but I have to say I have been so stimulated and motivated by what I have been doing this week. I love the team in Chapel Hill and based on our Skype calls and great collaboration via email, I know I will love the team in Kenya. I am reminded once again how fantastic my IntraHealth colleagues are to work with on a daily basis. I really feel like part of the team and a trusted contributor to this work. My voice is being heard and I feel respected and valued. Making the great leap to doing this kind of technical work was so intimidating in the beginning and, though I know I still have so much to learn, I feel comfortable and once again at home in my public health world. I just want so badly for the work we are doing to help make sustainable improvements and I really think we will. It is more than just my learning experience on a summer assignment – so much more.

This week I have been working hard but I have been enjoying my after-five hours as well! A lot! Though I’ve spent a lot of time pondering what the end of Lost really was about (thank you Laura and Kate for the clarifying emails), I’ve been having endless fun with my mom and my friends. I didn’t know how satisfying sitting in the yard with my mom and dogs could be but I have laughed and relaxed since I “moved home” on the nights I have been in Oxford. Obviously you see the sweet doggie pictures I posted. Not quite the same as the exotic animals of Kenya but much sweeter! Anyway, I love my evenings at home with my mom and the dogs. Dare I say I miss my childhood home just a little?

I know I miss Christina. She, Greg and Lilly were wonderful hosts to me mid-week so I wouldn’t have to commute from Oxford to Chapel Hill every day. It felt like camp but only the really fun activities. Christina and I laughed endlessly and relished not having to come home and study. (You can laugh like we did if you YouTube Christopher Walkin and Lady Gaga) We also talked about “work” and how we really enjoy what we are doing this summer so far in our respective internships. It doesn’t feel like “work” yet because we are each learning so much each day. Boy my mom was right in saying that I would meet some of my closest friends in grad school and my lovely host Christina sure makes the cut! Thanks so much girl for perfect Swiss hospitality! I hope you are reading this!

This weekend I get one more treat that I wouldn’t have gotten if I had gone to Kenya as originally planned – Sex and the City 2! Mom and I are going to get Carried away on Saturday! Can’t wait!

Ta ta for now!