mama, mama je vien a la maison

So I don't think that's the exact translation, but in the famous words of Ozzy Osbourne, "mama, mama I'm comin' home." That's right! Travel is booked :) If you'll notice in my calendar, I've added a nice green strip representing my 1 week stay in NYC (4 Oct - 12 Oct), directly following my 10 or so days in Mexicoooo - very exciting.



I'll be staying someplace downtown (not quite a hotel, but not quite an apartment. Jose described it to me as a hotel without room service), and working from The Union's NYC office! I'll also have Yom Kippur off. Great - the week I'm in town with all my favorite food, I have to spend 15% of it fasting. hmph.

Anyway, Paris has been great so far since my return from Thailand! The apartment search is in full swing, but I don't know how many scammers and how many legit people I have exchanged emails with... I'm gonna try to see 1 or 2 places this weekend, but if my bank account winds up empty, at least I'll KNOW its cause I gave out my account # and pin to a 'land lord!' (JUST KIDDING MOM, I would never.) I've been using the free McWifi on the weekends, and working diligently from my desk during the week (staying past 7 most nights to attempt to work on med school application and scour Craig's list for an apt). The weather here is sunny and cool with a slight breeze, REALLY nice contrast to the heat, humidity, storms and dirty streets of Bangkok.

Sunday night, one of my coworkers was kind enough to invite me over for dinner AND did my laundry, including ironing a few shirts!! What a treat. I would have had to go to work naked the next day, so she is really a lifesaver. Thanks Selma!

Anyway, back to work - just wanted to give a quick update - see you all soon!!

a bientot,

je travail

i work.

Bonjour! I thought I'd take a brief (I always plan my posts to be brief...) moment to talk about my work, maybe address the blog layout and some changes I'm planning (believe me, they're small.), and maybe talk about my first encounter with a ham and cheese sandwich (they were out of brisket and matzah ball soup, sorry Rabbi).

To begin. You may have noticed that I posted an interactive calendar with my travel schedule on it (thanks Google Calendar, you rock!) front and center beneath the main picture and title. After debating with my blog adviser, we decided that it's totally inconvenient to put there. I have since moved it to the tippy bottom of the page, but here too it is inconvenient. Henceforth, it shall be moved once and for all! To right here (subject to change):



You may think, "but jd(enparis), this post is gonna disappear from the homepage in 6 days when August is over," to which I'd reply, "yeah Seth, mom, and dad, but I've also labeled this post 'Calendar,' and will add a 'labels' section someplace easy to find. With this method, one can click the 'Calendar' link, which will pull up this post, and thus the calendar as well." So you see, the calendar will only take up space a little while longer (until August expires), and henceforth will be accessible via a 'Calendar' link.

To clarify why it is that I have a travel schedule in the first place, I'll tell you about my job! I am (get ready - take a deep breath) THE Technical Assistant to the Director of Finance and Development for The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. The Union is an 80+ year old scientific organization operating in many low- and middle-income countries to help fight the TB epidemics there. Contrary to what you may believe (Matt), such an effort requires a tremendous amount of resources and coordination, hence The Union's 80+ years of operation.

My specific work as I understand it thus far will be in association with the Management Development Courses offered by The Union. These courses teach health care professionals in the various countries the skills necessary to implement, operate, and manage national tuberculosis programs (programmes, as they say here). The courses are offered several times each year in various countries throughout Asia, Africa, and Central America.

Inspired by The Union's coordination and success with Tuberculosis, The Union has been charged by philanthropist and New York City's mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, to co-manage the Bloomberg Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Accordingly, The Union now offers courses in tobacco management parallel to those directed towards TB.

So I'll be working ON SITE (hence the travel) with these courses and their coordinators. Sweet. I'm really excited. As you can see, I leave for my first course THIS FRIDAY, Aug 29. I'll be spending 2 weeks in Bangkok (Scott you gotta give me some restaurants and stuff). (Hopefully things will settle down there before this weekend. Don't worry mom, I'm told our site is far from the gov't. compound) As the course is offered in English, I'll get to be a participant :) so watch out, cause I'll prob be an awesome manager after that - and although my new knowledge may be directed towards TB control, I'm sure management is a transferable skill (add THAT to your resume' ms. chiu, premed advisor).



It seems I've let my words get the best of me again! Anyway, the reason I haven't updated pics in some time is that I haven't been able to get WiFi on my mac. Quel domage. As soon as I do (this may be in Bangkok), I've got a bunch of stuff to share!! (ps. i moved the archive up front so you know if you missed a post, ken! all formatting is subject, and likely, to change)

A bientot,