This e-mail message is to confirm that you submitted MPH Capstone Course Capstone Final Papers at 8:12 AM on May 4, 2012.
I think this might be one of the best emails I have ever received. Perhaps even better than the one telling me that I got accepted into the MPH program about a year ago. Time does fly and for a moment (actually, there were many, many..many moments) I thought I wasn't going to make it. This year (and final project) has been by far the most challenging in my life; both in positive and less positive ways.
So how to celebrate final submission of the MPH capstone project (för er där hemma, typ samma sak som exjobb)? Well, I went home and cleaned our apartment for 3 hours. It is now shining and I just yelled at Gus for leaving a dirty spoon in our sink. For some reason, I just had to get the Capstone 'dirt' out of the house and make room for new, clean, nice energy. Now sitting on my couch, drinking coffee and gazing and thinking something like "now what...?".
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| Anna; now what??? |
Actually, I have a few updates concerning the 'now what'.
Update #1: somewhere along the way... I ended up applying to the PhD program here at Hopkins with the intention of not maybe getting accepted but if so, without a cent of funding (här i amerikat betalar man för att doktorera, annat än den anställning man får där hemma...). And then, somewhere along the way, I got accepted...with full funding and a nice research assistant scholarship. So here I am, a soon-to-be-ex-MPH-candidate and prospective PhD candidate.
It is a weird twist. A few reasons why:
- I intentionally applied to Hopkins because of the 11 month program that would allow me to return to work faster while having gained excellent skills.
- I have, in many ways been miserable this year - why would I torture myself by staying?
- Gus and I aren't exactly loving Baltimore's outdoor life... and continuously dream about going home...
- I never thought I would become an academic.
So, whyyyyy? Easy explanation:
- Despite the psychological stress and pain brought along with going back to school,
somewhere along the way I discovered a small nerd in myself. I kind of
like research. Actually, I really like it. And I enjoy exploring things
that I know can make a difference and learn ways of making a difference through new findings.
- The department (Population, Family and Reproductive Health) where I got accepeted is the department when it comes to working with adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Given the project I have been involved in during this year, I cannot imagine what the future holds. And, the fact that I can account my MPH year into the PhD = finish faster, helps. Lastly, Gus has managed to get an amazing job so the fact that he really wants to stay is... just...really good.
- We're getting a car = hello exploring hiking along the east coast. We'll move somewhere with a garden = hello being able to be outside.
- You live and you learn. Not sure I will ever be a real academic though. Too much of a practitioner at heart.
Update #2: somewhere along the way... we ended up booking a trip to Costa Rica. We were actually looking for flights to places like Iowa, Minnesota and California but ended up in San José. Slightly delayed hönneymoon, here we come.
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| Coming soon... |
PS #1: As a PhD student, I promise to improve my blogging significantly.
PS # 2: For those of you interested, my graduation ceremony is May 23rd. I will finally get to wear one of these amazing hats.
(I already tried it on: nope, not very beautiful).
