Wednesday, November 11, 2009

I heart TB

Alright, I'm feeling good. I just sent my CV to two organizations advertising jobs. One of them is for an unpaid internship that would involve me doing secretarial work (eh), but the other is an advocacy job related to TB. I'd really like to hear back about that one, although they want the position to start December 7. How about January 7th? I'm also starting an application for...the Peace Corps. I know Mama was worried back when I was 18 that I was gonna run off and join the Peace Corps, but ten years on, I'm still a bit hesitant. I don't know why. I know I want to work in the developing world but I have no experience so can't get jobs. The Peace Corps is the perfect solution. I just need to friggin' apply.

Have I mentioned lately that I love TB? Cuz I do. It's my pet disease. It's so fascinating. Did you know it kills more people annually than any other infectious disease? (Yes, even more than HIV/AIDS.) Yet it's 100% curable with drugs that we've had available for 60 years. In those 60 years, rather than see a decline in incidence, we've seen a rapid, unchecked increase to the point that WHO declared TB a public health emergency a couple years ago. Granted, this is mainly because of the rise of HIV/AIDS, but still. It's curable, if the systems are in place to provide adequate treatment (which they aren't).

Anyway, speaking of December and January, I still haven't bought plane tickets home for Christmas. I did spend a while online today, though, figuring out when is best to fly and how much it'll be. I'm basically just waiting on Alex to see if she'll be home in Atlanta in January so I can visit her. Either way, I'll be in Seattle for the same amount of time.

2 comments:

  1. Since then, you've gone to Germany, France, Ireland, England and Africa. And a few places I can't remember. I can handle the Peace Corp now, I think.

    I think.

    Actually, you possibly going to Atlanta scares me more...

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  2. Oh KAREN! I am SO HAPPY!!! We should all run away and join the Peace Corps together!!!!;)

    I will cross my fingers for your T.B. advocacy job, but I know what you mean about the 'no one will take a chance on me since i haven't lived in the third world' problem in the job quest. (As a side note, job questing seems to be more of a life-style than a temporary predicament these days...sigh.) Anyways, I have the same issue finding a job in the international legal field :( And I have come to the same conclusion, the Peace Corps, though the idea is a bit intimidating, is the perfect solution! Besides, you know a thing is worth doing if it scares the (redacted expletive) out of you, right!?!;)

    So Ben and I just had our Peace Corps interview yesterday, and it went really well. They hinted they might send us to eastern Africa late next fall, which is perfect since that's about when my clerkship ends and seriously, what's not to love about eastern Africa!!!???!!! :) (the wonderful people more than make up for the bugs!;)

    The application process for couples takes longer than for single people like you. If you go at the same time, maybe we can visit each other!:) I can tell already that this work day is lost - I will spend it dreaming about our various, & imminent, post-Peace Corps adventures together! (& maybe Emily will be there too!)

    P.S. I can be your 'friend recommender' for your application if you like.

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