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Summary of the weekend: Work and free food, Weaver Street Market + AGRADU discussions, Triangle Dance Festival for AIDS (Ahgo! Ahmay!), East End w/ the guys, Baby Blue, Shiki Sushi quadruple date, UNC game at Champ's and Rockfish - final four, George's Garage + Buttery Nipple shots, late night B-ski's, Bamboo Garden panfried chili paneer double date.
Today has been all things AIDS.
This week has been all things e-mail. (Mozilla Thunderbird is a godsend).
...This April will be all things preparation.
In the past few weeks, my life has been colored in with an arresting shade of proactiveness. I think I can attribute my recently acquired "go" attitude to the fact that The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey was the only book of substantial worth next to the john at home over Spring Break. I'm glad it fell into my hands to prepare me for the coming months.
And so...it's official. I received the GlobeMed HIV/TB summer fellowship for Uganda. Still unbelievable that I'm leaving in just one month! I spoke on the phone yesterday with the coordinator to find out that GlobeMed is graciously taking care of getting me an apartment in Gulu, not to mention their much appreciated funding for the bulk of my trip (including the flight). I thought I would be placed with a homestay - correction: I will be living in my very own apartment. No roommates. It's funny to think that the first time I am going to have my own place is going to be in Africa. Now, my mom's fear and faltering faith in me surviving in Chapel Hill on my own is amusingly dwarfed by my future living situation in Gulu, Uganda. While in Gulu, I will be working with an HIV/AIDS organization, NAFOPHANU (National Forum of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda). This will not be a study abroad program. Everything will be independent initiative, based around interviewing PHA's, identifying gaps in HIV/TB healthcare, and developing a partnership between UNC's GlobeMed and NAFOPHANU.
Aside from preparing for my trip to Uganda, things have been a whirlwind of e-mail correspondence and phone conferences while organizing Public Health Awareness Week (Coming Soon to UNC: April 7 - 13!). Some topics include Climate Change and Health, General Wellness, Mental Health, and HIV/AIDS. I contacted a woman from RTI today and am close to securing 100 free female condoms! I'm thinking of taping them to frisbees (of course w/ GlobeMed's logo) and just throwing them out in the pit, despite creeping fears that some people may find it mildly offensive. What do you think? A partnership between CFAR and GlobeMed is in the making, and I walked out of my hour long meeting with Vanessa from Community Outreach feeling enlightened and highly optimistic. From there it was straight to NeuroAIDS, though I ran out early to take full advantage of the sunshine that was sorely missed this winter. Tonight: Global Village w/ Trudy, meeting in the Union, and the UNC game!
Things to look forward to in the coming week:
Sunday Meeting - Getting set up to work on the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Documentary
Monday - Radiologic Science Orientation
Tuesday - GlobeMed Exec Meeting
Wednesday - International Travel Clinic Consultation/Immunizations
Thursday - Sunday - Going to Chicago for the GlobeMed Summit
On an end note: Spring is playing peek-a-boo. Most of the trees are playing hard-to-get, stubbornly refusing to bloom until conditions are optimal. 75 degree weather relieved by welcomed breezes is so easy to enjoy on the quad with the canoodling couples, frisbee-throwers, tight-rope walkers, engaged conversationists, and impromptu a capella groups. Carolina is beautiful. Life is good.
Triangle Dance Festival. 8PM. Memorial Hall. Tomorrow, Friday - March 28. Come see me at the health gala w/ the GM table and enjoy the jazz reception after! www.triangledancefestival.org
Creds for the Old Well Header picture
