Home away from home

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Hi everyone!
I cannot believe it has been two years since I last began this blog but the time has come to dust off the cobwebs and write again because...I am going back!

I have rather been quiet about this trip as I begin to understand and fully appreciate again what it was like last time I went. I felt on top of the world, able to achieve everything and ever so fortunate to be selected to travel to Africa. This time around I chose to go back. I chose to because I love my job, I find passion in it every day, and I chose to because Africa is frequently in my thoughts and makes my heart pang with heart break. I also chose to go back regardless of the terrible, lonesome time I had for about 6 months after I got back last time.

Mental health is still a stigmatized issue in our society but I will be the first to "own up to" the struggles I had not just with reverse culture shock when I returned 2 years ago but with the depressive episodes I was facing. I challenged my partner and my coordinator for Nutrition to let me drop out of the program, I felt so lost. Bless their hearts they told me to "buck up" in their own special ways and I thank them for that! Their belief in me (and let's face it Dustin's zero bullshit attitude) got me where I am today!

So where exactly am I today? Well, I am the program coordinator for the QES scholarship - the exact scholarship that took me originally to Africa - for the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition. I am a part of the team that selected, trained, and organized the 10 health care students currently going through the same program I did 2 years ago. Most of my job is the admin work of communicating between our team and our partner institutions in Uganda and answering those early morning texts from our students asking for guidance. Starting in 2 days I am so very grateful to be traveling to Uganga to check in on our students, set up some more partner institutions in Mbarara, and help forge bonds in a new area (Gulu's Lacor Hospital).

My time will be a whirlwind, intense, rewarding and always eye-opening but I hope to share my 12 day journey with you! Feel free to check in or delete your subscription, it is all the same to me.

Sending love from Saskatchewan, for now.

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