Now that I finally have a day to catch up on life, I have realized that it has been forever since I've had any sort of update. My biggest failure has been not posting an update upon my return from Russia.
So, it only seems appropriate to do a brief rundown of my trip to Russia. I traveled to Rostov-on-Don, Russia in May in order to study their healthcare system. Prior to departure, we were required to take a six week class about healthcare systems, primarily focusing on the comparison between the U.S. and Russian systems. Our trip was only ten short days but it was an amazing, eye-opening ten days! Our days were crammed packed with activities ranging from healthcare facility visits, to Russian language class to a number of cultural activities to include a trip to the circus and a Russian ballet! I had no idea what to expect upon arrival in Russia aside from what I had heard from word of mouth but it was completely different than I had expect in a great way! Everyone that we met was so friendly and eager to spend time with the Americans both for the cultural aspect as well as the chance to practice their English. The whole trip went so smooth and I was able to take away an amazing experience! I look forward to another chance at visiting Russia sometime in the future.
Our group visiting a regional hospital just outside of Rostov-on-Don
Not long after I returned, life took off at full speed when not long after beginning my internship working with Camp Atterbury I was also offered an additional research position working for our Veteran Services on campus. It wasn't that I needed the two jobs on top of my job already working at the horse farm (although it will help with traveling in the future to have the spare money) but it was more the work that I would be doing that would be the more rewarding factor. As I mentioned the internship is working with Camp Atterbury where I am working as a research assistant to help develop materials for civilians and military personnel that will soon be deploying out of Camp Atterbury. IU was awarded a grant recently from the Indiana National Guard to work as a support entity for developing these reports. The second job with the Veterans Services is working to improve the veteran friendliness of IU's campus. Essentially both jobs are linking me up with the military world and providing the opportunity to continue to work in the field as a civilian.
Whenever I am not working I have been luck enough to find a few free weekends to travel the east coast. There has been three separate occasions beginning with the Schultz and Kofskey Family Reunion in Gettysburg, PA (which also included a quick visit to Mt. Airy, MD and also Lewes, Delaware), followed by a celebration of the 4th of July in our nation's capital (highly recommended for the fireworks!), and most recently a trip to New York City, Boston, and Niagara Falls over the course of four days. I have been blessed enough to spend time with friends and family in all of these locations instead of the norm of me traveling alone. Check out my Flickr site for all of the fun photos!
Already this update has managed to become longer than I had hoped, but hopefully this will provide a brief rundown of what I have been up to since you last heard from me. Now that I am beginning to get into more of a routine, hopefully I will be able to do more frequent updates before my final year of graduate school begins at the end of August!
Enjoying yummy blue crabs with the family. Oh how I love the east coast!
This is how crazy D.C. was on the 4th! This was still about two hours before the fireworks!
Sunset in beautiful Delaware
Mom and dad met up with Will and I to do the Sam Adams Brewery tour!!
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