From Wish List To Passport Stamp_#NurseDTakesZambia

Martin Luther King had a dream, and so did ‘Striving Novice’ have a dream of her own; and both dreams generated myself a day off work.

It was on my very first list; and just like getting a job,finding a hobby, starting grad school, and paying off student loans; traveling on a nurse mission was a dream of mine from the moment #NurseD wrote its way into my list of hashtags and nicknames.  

Today that bullet on my dream ‘to do/wish’ list has metamorphosed into my travel itinerary. Today, two of my life's passions, traveling and nursing collide in my personal reality.

As an ambitious new grad, I strategized the use of my vacation days before I was employed. I even wrote it down. I had my  nurse mission planned down to the financial costs and possible fundraising methods. I shared my dream nurse travel mission proposal with a UN NGO representative and friend. Her name was Deva, and as we worked our proposal for grant for the mission, we named it the Devo & Deva Dream. But life did its thing. It laughed in my face; but just long enough for a quick snicker. While the Devo & Deva dream continues to nap in my detailed proposal packed away in a Google docs folder, a different more tangible dream ensued.

After a few failed travel attempts, and various life’s laughs, my big mouth and loud dreams stumbled on the right ears and today # AuntyRunnerNurseD  can add traveler to her ever lengthening hashtag.

#AuntyRunnerNurseDTakesZambia.

After ingesting  and injecting a vast amount of drugs/vaccinations, and convincing myself and my family that I won’t bring home Ebola as a travel souvenir, my travel mission became more real. As I maintain my status as the little nurse with big glasses and oversized bag, packed mostly with with medical equipment, energy bars, a just in case emergency kit and few items of non green, scrubbed clothing, I begin the  journey.

#NurseD has abandoned her green scrubs, some glasses and ID badge for a few days, as she embarks on her first nurse travel mission; Zambia Africa. Some dreams don’t walk away with the ring of an alarm clock; follow StrivingNovice.blogspot.com for the happenings of #AuntyRunnerNurseD and her Zambia dream.

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Devorah Goldberg BS, RN