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Author: Melissa Nondorf

Melissa is from Houston, Texas. She received her Bachelor's in Geography and Russian Language from The University of Texas at Austin. While there, she studied abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia, and earned a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In 2008, she moved to Boston and enrolled in the Master of Public Health program at Boston University where she worked in Kenya on an evaluation of the government's Trachoma Integrated Project as part of her degree. Since completing her studies in 2011, she has worked at a small startup company that is developing a nutrition-focused smart phone app. She has also volunteered with the Vaccine Team at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, assisting on various projects. After gaining some professional experience, Melissa plans to return to school to further pursue her passion for geography and health by earning an advanced degree in GIS mapping, which she will use to combine her two professional interests. She has lived in Boston for four years and enjoys tennis, salsa dancing, and exploring her city.

“I would visit you in Africa, but it requires too many shots.”

Someone from home recently said this to me during a Skype conversation. Putting aside the fact that Africa is a continent and not a country, the statement really struck me. I have first-hand knowledge of exactly how many vaccinations are required to safely travel abroad and realize that it’s an expensive and time-consuming process. It […]

It’s All About Perspective: Negative Isn’t Necessarily “Bad”

This fellowship is as much about learning as it is about making an impact. For those of us struggling with the prospect of walking away from our year making less of an impact or having fewer deliverables than we expected, it is important to keep in mind those immense lessons we are learning. Even if […]

“Give” and Take

It’s so easy to fall into the habit of interacting with only expats and missing the real life that is happening around you when you live as a minority in a country. About a month into the fellowship, I had the privilege of being invited to a Malawian wedding reception. One of my coworkers was […]