I always dreamed of working in health and the Global Health Corps fellowship was the perfect starting point. I can’t even begin to describe the joy I felt when I found out I had been selected for the 2014-2015 class. What I didn’t realize at the time was just how much more there was to the fellowship.
What they don’t tell you about the fellow community
You’re told that the fellowship brings together a vibrant and diverse group of young people from all over the world to work on building the movement for health equity. What I did not expect was for these individuals to open up my eyes to the world around me. Through the eyes of my fellow fellows I have come to see my country and the world as I have never seen it before. I am now aware of all the beauty I took for granted. Watching the fellows want to discover and take in as much of the country around them as possible has spoken to the tourist buried within me, to want to reach past the confines of my familiar environment and see the world beyond what I had read in books or seen on TV. I have learned of little nooks and crannies in Zambia that I had no idea existed, like a beautiful little place called Tiffany’s canyon or the Ethiopian and Nigerian restaurants hidden in plain sight that serve up yummy and exotic delicacies. I have made lifelong friendships with people I wouldn’t have ordinarily met had I not become a GHC fellow. My co-fellow Nicole isn’t just my colleague, she is a friend and a sister to me. The GHC community has become a second family to me. Our relationship doesn’t simply end at the great work that we are doing to advance the cause of health equity. We work together, we laugh together and we play together. I have never met a group of people more enthusiastic about health and fitness. They have motivated me to take a more active approach to life. Goodbye sedentary existence!! Hello fit and healthy me!!
What they don’t tell you about Still Harbor
What else surprised me about the fellowship? Still Harbor! What an alien concept this was to me. I won’t lie, initially it was hard for me; I struggled with the self-care and introspective exercises. It was a bit too much to deal with. Digging deep within and having to face truths about yourself that you had long forgotten, ignored or buried. I am glad to say, however, that with time I have come to learn the value of those sessions and really appreciate the important role that Still Harbor plays not only for the fellowship role but for personal growth. Half way through the fellowship, at our mid-year retreat, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I no longer had a hard time answering the questions that were asked of me during the sessions. I was in fact actively looking forward to Still Harbor!!
What they don’t tell you about the readings
If you are not much of a reader, brace yourself! As a fellow you are expected to be well read on several topics. And read you shall. You are provided with several readings at the beginning of and throughout the fellowship. I can personally say the readings have proved to be a tremendous wealth of knowledge and information. I find that I am able to have more informed opinions and diverse conversations thanks to all the readings. Trust me, even if you do not like reading, you will definitely come to value the greater impact it has as you navigate through different networks.
What they don’t tell you about the placement
The fellowship positions are not a hand holding, spoon feeding student style gig. In as much as GHC does not require its fellows to have past experience, you are expected to know your stuff, to be ready to put into practice what you have learned and have long been preparing for. The role of change maker has no room for self-doubt and experimentation.
I wish I could say it is all roses, but it isn’t – sometimes the beginning doesn’t go smoothly. In-house communication may not be perfect, roles may change, or you may actually find yourself having no defined role. The one thing all fellows have in common? A resilience like no other. They are able to rise above the challenges of any situation, to – as one fellow put it – “Do a lot with a little”. I remember being asked during my interview for the fellowship what I would do if I was picked for a position only to find myself with no supervisor and no role to play. How would I handle that situation? Flash forward to midyear of the fellowship: I’m reading through the case study reports of different fellows and I am both proud and overwhelmed by the strides that fellows have taken to address and overcome the challenges they have faced during their fellowship, all for the cause of health equity.
Each day and each experience of the fellowship is an opportunity to grow and learn something new. It is up to you to make the most of this remarkable and dynamic opportunity to change the world.
