It has been a little over a year since I’ve written here, and a lot has changed! As you can see from my blog title and picture, I am no longer in Micronesia, but I AM continuing my travels in the Pacific. I’m not there yet, but if all goes according to plan, I will be leaving for Sydney, Australia on January 31.
It was hard to me to look back on this blog for a while. Pretty much directly after returning home last December, I received news that the dog I had written about as my parting post had been stolen – exactly the very thing I had feared. It was difficult to see pictures of him and to read my hopes that he would be looked after and cared for (anyone that’s an animal lover or even has just owned a dog will hopefully understand these sentiments). It still upsets me to think back on it now since I’m the last person who would ever abandon an animal – but I had to do it twice to ones I fostered in Micronesia – and I just have to accept it as a reality of the place I was inhabiting at the time.
Partially in response to the guilt I felt over this, I began volunteering for the Dutchess ASPCA while I was unemployed last winter. I only worked with the cats because I have always been more of a cat person and because even the “small dogs” at the shelter were terrifying and vicious (not that I blame them). I love dogs, but don’t have much experience caring for them, and cats have always seemed more therapeutic. This turned out to be sometimes true, and sometimes not so true as some of the cats were not that friendly either. After a few weeks of volunteerism, I was asked if I would like to be a foster parent for some baby animals. Pretty much nothing in the world would have pleased me more, and I agreed without asking anyone else in my house if it would be ok. About three days later, they called me stating they had four kittens up for fostering and asked if I would do it.
It definitely took a house full of people to care for them, but since I had the time on my hands, fostering four baby kittens was a lot of fun. We ended up keeping two of them (I wanted to keep all four, but that didn’t go over very well).
I had to stop volunteering, and basically all other activities, after getting a job last summer in Saugerties. For about six months I worked at the Boys and Girls Club as the Program Director which was an even more difficult job than teaching at Xavier, something I never thought would be possible. I had been promised that working in Chuuk would be the most trying thing I ever did, but someone was lying. Non profit work is harder. The specifics are unimportant, but I definitely feel like a stronger individual for sticking with that position as long as I did. I have to admire the people that make that a career. I do miss the kids I was working with, just like I miss the kids at Xavier. It’s always hard to create impact and then leave as quickly as you came.
In late fall I was admitted to Sydney University’s Medical School to undertake a Masters in International Public Health, which was part of the reason I left BGCA. I made the decision to go back to school pretty fast, and wanted to spend the last few months I had at home with my family and preparing to leave. And there are lots of preparations! Loan applications, visas, medical exams for visas, trying to get people to give you money to pay for your visas… the list is endless. Whicchhh pretty much brings this blog up to date in the quickest way possible! I’m leaving at the end of the month, and will (likely) return next December, hopefully with a Masters!
The uni system works differently in Australia. I’m doing a Masters by Coursework and it’s a year-long program, which surprises everyone because it seems so short. I’m unsure if I’ll pursue doctoral work or just try to get a job or travel or whatever afterwards… I have to see where this degree takes me. I’m really interested in the classes it offers (besides epidemiology and biostats). It focuses on public health in developing countries, which is sort of what I did working for Chuuk Women’s Council. I’m a little nervous about the work, but excited about living in a new place. I’m lucky that I have a support system there already, which wasn’t really the case when I first arrived in Chuuk.
Anyway, this is just a catch-up post – for now, I am still home in New York finishing up some last minute things and tackling the impossible task of figuring out which clothes to pack. I am unsure what my new address and phone number will be, but I’ll be sure to send them out to friends and family when I know them.
Thanks for reading!
Peace,
Lydia
