As I mentioned a while back DH has got a job in Seattle, so we’ll be moving
in the Autumn, this means that the way things are it will likely for me to
be difficult to work because I would need to get a visa in my own right, so
I’m wondering about at some point doing some studying, a student visa is
much easier to obtain than a H1b and the visa I will be on may allow me to
study anyway.
My background is Maths (degree level) and Computer Science (research and
teaching at degree level), but deep down I’ve always wanted to be in
healthcare, but I’ve never been sure exactly where because I don’t think I
want to be a doctor.
This year any plans I had have been thrown up in the air by the damage done
in late pregnancy and birth, I can’t guarantee I’m going to be well enough
physically for a long time do be a doula or midwife (both things I had
previously considered, I had hoped to start midwife training this
September).
I’m wondering about how I can move my skills in maths and computer science
over into the health care area, but I know not the first thing about how
things work in American universities, whether they would consider my
qualifications good or bad even. In England there is something called the
Open University where you can do bits and bobs towards a degree almost
entirely working from home. This winter I did a short course as an
experiment and it went very well, is there such an institution in the US,
such that I could start building some basic things that people would
recognise?
My other interest is pregnancy and breastfeeding in deprived communities, I
have no training and have not been able to get along side the women
officially, but I’ve been on the planning side this year. Is anyone aware of
local or national charities that do such things in the US? In the UK the
starting point would be SureStart which is national in deprived areas, but
then in each area there are local things too.
Basically I’m looking for any information that might help me get involved in
this kind of thing on a voluntary/student/permenant basis. Names of
charities would be helpful. Buzzwords about qualifications. Really,
anything, I just don’t know how to translate myself for a totally different
place. I don’t know if it’s relevant, but I’m a Christian (Baptist – dunno
if it is revelant) so any charities with that starting point are relevant,
though whilst I want to share my faith, I much more wanting to help, support
etc in just the same way that any other charity/organisation would, I just
included it for completeness as I know there are a few charities here where
there aim is the same but you have to be a christian to volunteer.
I think I’d definitely want to get some training as a breastfeeding helper,
so pointers to US organisations would be great, but I think this is
something I would wish to use in a wider context than as a primary role.
Thanks in advance for any ideas you can give me, I’m quite keen to make
contact with people ASAP either before or directly after the move as I don’t
want to get stuck in a rut, I want to be outwardly focussed from the start.
Cheers
Anne