mental (health) day

my mom taught me well.... when the going gets tough, the tough take a morning off of work and try and get their life back in order. alas, i find myself in a mental health morning (couldn't manage the whole day off) trying to catch up on life. trying to re-establish myself with friends and family - i am even neglecting my malawi friends. oh, and pay bills.



but other than the super long hours - more days than not working past 10pm. more days than not coming to the office before 6am - i am a super satisfied. my work is challenging, stimulating and productive (no small feat for africa!). several of my "projects" are charging forward. i have facilitated the debut of our electronic data system for use in HIV treatment clinics, an activity 2 years in the making. and it didn't implode, even though i waited a little late to develop the materials (i refuse to publicly admit how late) because was consumed by something else. it was exciting, and i was proud to have a hand in it.

at the same time, our drug resistance monitoring projects move along. though i will say, i am AMAZED by the "politics" that can surround something so straight forward. and this is on all sides - malawi, US, geneva. but, blinders on, we are moving, and at the end of the day, getting both excellent results and excellent feedback.


and there is this and there is that, including a two week trip for a conference in rwanda, and its good. but we are also in a strange transition here. my closest work colleagues are both leaving between now and when i leave (which is only about 3 months away), which will result in CDC malawi loosing half of its technical staff (and all of its strategic info/surveillance/m&e/data pushing/nerdy staff). as last to go, i feel like my work scope will change a lot over the next bit.

anyways, i should keep this short, because at the same time as i post this, i am also posting a request for money. i am SOOOOO tacky. but i do it because i know yall tolerate me, tackiness and all.

love,
b