It's been close to 3 months since my return from Honduras, and in 5 weeks I will be headed back to Haiti. Time to remind you that I'm still here! :) I try to find a balance with this blog, of keeping you informed of my trips and musings, without pestering you. There is always a cluster of thoughts in my brain, and you have all been way too supportive to torture you with all of them. I am about to end my second contract as a traveler, so my nomadic inclinations will soon be rewarded again. After years of trying to calm my restless nature, my decision to feed the beast has been quite gratifying, and I love being a traveler. In December, I buckled down, studied for and passed my Breast Registry Board exam. Not only will this increase my marketability as a traveler, but the opportunity to work at accredited Breast Centers will increase my knowledge and skills, which I will be able to pass on to the people I train on my Medical Missions. I am a goal oriented person. I don't make New Year's Resolutions, but only because I usually have larger goals that I am working on. Passing my Board exam in December was the completion of a 5 Year Plan that I made in 2012, when I graduated from Ultrasound School. I wanted to find a job at a large, busy hospital, that challenged me and gave me the opportunity for cross training in multiple specialties. And I was willing to move to Montana to do it. I wanted to be registered in multiple registries and I am now registered in 4 specialties. I wanted to volunteer on a Medical Mission, and in classic over-achiever fashion, Haiti will be my 5th trip, and I will return to Honduras in October. I wanted to be closer to my family, and traveling has allowed me to do that. I am a perfect example of how you can accomplish quite a lot by working your butt off, and having a monumentally fantastic support system! My mentor/lab professor in Ultrasound school, my incredible boss in Montana, my family and friends...cheerleaders in the best sense of the word. I am astonished, and delighted, and fulfilled...and restless. Now what? So, new goals are being formulated, as we speak. Monday, I had a fantastic meeting with my coordinators at Medical Team International. I have been at a crossroads with my mission trips, regarding the fundraising, and I have been contemplating starting my own nonprofit. The advantage would be that I would have the opportunity to fundraise all year, the disadvantage is that it would take up a lot of my time, when I could be working on training modules and resources for future trips. In the past, my fundraising site with MTI has only been available for a limited time before and after each trip, which greatly limits my opportunity to raise money. After discussing my concerns with my new MTI coordination team, they were so supportive and are looking into a solution. We also discussed potential locations for upcoming trips, which is always exciting. So, in the mean time, I'm getting organized and ready for my trip to Haiti. MTI is not sending Medical Volunteers to Haiti at this time, so I am going to Haiti as a direct volunteer with HFH (Haiti Foundation of Hope). I will be giving a lecture at the Medical Conference in Terre Blanche, and continuing Ultrasound training with Madame Bluette, the Midwife. It's been 2 years since I have been to Terre Blanche, I am excited to see everyone and anxious to see how they are doing after the hurricane. Most of the crops were destroyed in TB, and there was concern about the water being contaminated. If you are interested in donating to this trip, the link is posted below, just allocate funds for Jo Clancy, March Team. This trip will cost $2500.00, with $500 going directly to the purchase of rice and beans for the children in TB, and any funds raised over the $2500 will also be used for the purchase of rice and beans. I will check in before I leave, and as usual, thanks for your support and thanks for listening! Much love, be good humans. ox

Donation link:
https://secure-q.net/Donations/Haitihope/3891