As time begins to grow short here in Ethiopia there have been a lot of conversations regarding what is next. The overall consensus is that nobody knows what they want to do once our service is over and instead of leading us to the next step this experience has only opened more doors than we ever even knew existed. Like my fellow volunteers I also don't have any immediate plans and the near future is unknown, but in answering the question as to what I want to do I always say that my end goal is to start and own a residential hospice in New England. I have a good idea of where I want to end up, but as to how to get there, I haven't quite figured it out yet. Which is okay. One particular conversation I had with a close friend I discussed this hospice dream and called it my eventual life's work. He then asked me if I thought it was important to have a life's work. His thought is that there are a lot of things he would like to accomplish in his time, all of which are disconnected, and therefore couldn't be called
a life's work. From that conversation I began to think what it is that I am passionate about and what things I would like to accomplish in my professional life. The common thread is that in everything I do I aim to help people live healthier and happier lives. I want people from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe to be able to enjoy the right to medical care. Whether it is increasing access to essential medicines and vaccinations in developing countries or allowing terminally ill patients to receive palliative care to make their departure from this world peaceful and painless, I want to dedicate my life to decreasing the suffering of people in some way. This, I hope, will be my life's work. While it may not be for everyone, for me personally, it is important to have this commonality throughout everything I do. It gives my life a purpose and some sort of direction. My experience in the Peace Corps, with the ample amount of free time to really think about my life and what my role in this world in, has brought me to this conclusion. I didn't have a whole lot of direction before coming to Ethiopia, just crazy dreams. As I think about the future I begin to realize how amazing this opportunity has been and how much I've grown as a person from the experience. I want to take a moment and thank the US Peace Corps, Masha and all the PCVs I've served with over the past year and a half. I haven't worked out
my entire life plan yet, and I feel like I have more options than ever, but I have a much better grasp on what I want out of life and what I want to give to the world as my life's work and contribution. My hope is that in these last 7 months or so I can work out what my next step is.
I apologize that this entry reads a bit like a journal entry. I have a lot of stories to tell since it has been so long since my last entry. I've been quite busy traveling and working outside of Masha and therefore have new adventures to log in. I just have to sort out what's interesting enough to publish. Check back soon for more anecdotes and commentary on Ethiopia. But not too soon. Masha is without power for 6 months. My internet access will be limited this summer!
a life's work. From that conversation I began to think what it is that I am passionate about and what things I would like to accomplish in my professional life. The common thread is that in everything I do I aim to help people live healthier and happier lives. I want people from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe to be able to enjoy the right to medical care. Whether it is increasing access to essential medicines and vaccinations in developing countries or allowing terminally ill patients to receive palliative care to make their departure from this world peaceful and painless, I want to dedicate my life to decreasing the suffering of people in some way. This, I hope, will be my life's work. While it may not be for everyone, for me personally, it is important to have this commonality throughout everything I do. It gives my life a purpose and some sort of direction. My experience in the Peace Corps, with the ample amount of free time to really think about my life and what my role in this world in, has brought me to this conclusion. I didn't have a whole lot of direction before coming to Ethiopia, just crazy dreams. As I think about the future I begin to realize how amazing this opportunity has been and how much I've grown as a person from the experience. I want to take a moment and thank the US Peace Corps, Masha and all the PCVs I've served with over the past year and a half. I haven't worked out
my entire life plan yet, and I feel like I have more options than ever, but I have a much better grasp on what I want out of life and what I want to give to the world as my life's work and contribution. My hope is that in these last 7 months or so I can work out what my next step is.
I apologize that this entry reads a bit like a journal entry. I have a lot of stories to tell since it has been so long since my last entry. I've been quite busy traveling and working outside of Masha and therefore have new adventures to log in. I just have to sort out what's interesting enough to publish. Check back soon for more anecdotes and commentary on Ethiopia. But not too soon. Masha is without power for 6 months. My internet access will be limited this summer!
