Hannah Robbins - Reporting for PSF Duty
by Hannah Robbins on December 14, 2009
Sitting around the campfire at the National Office Spring Retreat last year Victor and Jon presented us with a masterful plan: 60 chapters in 3 years. I remember getting goosebumps from the sound of it. Sixty chapters. New universities, new places, new faces and the creativity, energy and dedication that hundreds of new students would bring to the GlobeMed network. I was already excited just from the idea of it.
Now, six months later, I can't believe I get to be part of the plan. The opportunity to spend almost a year (there has been a ton of prep work, mind you) helping fill the demand for GlobeMed is incredible. I already find myself talking about GlobeMed and all of the accouterments of being part of GlobeMed (for those of you who know me well: why it is that if we split the bill we're working toward gender equity, or why carrying a glass bottle for an extra hour to find a recycling bin is worth it, or even why it matters what words we choose to use like "undocumented" vs. "illegal" immigrant or "woman" vs. "female"). But the chance to do GlobeMed full time seems kind of unfair--I thought "work" wasn't supposed to be this enjoyable.
The amount of excitement and interest in what Rachel and I are doing has given me an incredible amount of confidence in PSFP. Like Rachel said, I'm nervous, but mostly excited. From key players at the National Office who helped out with the creation of this program to the project coordinators, NGO directors or friends of friends I've spoken to in preparation for the journey, the sense of solidarity I've felt is tremendous. Speaking to strangers, thousands of miles away, who tell me (without provocation) that "health is a human right" and offer me a space to rest my head in their home is an unbelievable feeling.
The movement is out there, it's real and it's happening. I can't wait to take all of the things I've learned from being a part of GlobeMed the past few years to new places and new people, to learn from their perspectives and experiences and to see what incredible collaborations will come about. Hopefully those collaborations will look something like a neatly wrapped package of 15 new partner organizations for 15 new GlobeMed chapters...but with a ton of excitement, growth and insight around the edges. T-minus 25 days and counting!
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