Q: Introduce yourself! (Name, where are you from, any fun facts!)
A: My name is Emily FitzGerald, and I am from a small Island on the East Coast of Canada called Prince Edward Island.
Q: Where did you go to college?/What did you major in?
A: I went to Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I double majored in Biology and Sustainability.
Q: What exactly do you do?
A: My job is to help plan and prepare all brigades in Nicaragua working closely with volunteers and programming. Personally, I work closely with the Medical/Dental Programs, specifically the Community Health Worker, and Patient Referral Programs.
Q: What brought you to Global Brigades?
A: I was first introduced to Global Brigades at my University. I participated in a brigade to Honduras in 2015 where we implemented a mobile medical and dental clinic, and also participated on a water project. The following year I was the Campus Outreach Officer at Dalhousie working to recruit volunteers for the brigade. Upon graduating I was looking to enter the work field and heard of the job opening in Global Brigades and applied!
Q: What’s your favorite part about your job?
A: My favorite part of the job is hearing the impact statements at the end of a season or year. All of the hard work from volunteers and community members are understood and celebrated!
Q: What’s one of the most memorable moments you’ve had within your career?
A: This job produces very memorable moments. Some that come to mind include working with a specific community, Los Encuentros de San Gabriel. We have been working with this community over multiple seasons for our Public Health Brigades. Each new season and or group brings new opportunities to visit past friends and families and also to work with new. One of my favorite memories is working with a specific mason, Juan Pablo. I met, Juan Pablo while he working as the mason on his own concrete floor, in the community of Los Encuentros de San Gabriel. I quickly became good friends with him. While attending brigade with a group later in the month of March, I found out Juan Pablo was the mason working on the family’s hygiene station. I had the opportunity to work closely again with Juan Pablo and grow our friendship. He chooses to call me ‘Emmy’ as it is simpler to pronounce, which I find funny. Every time I go back to the community I look to see him!
Q: What do you plan to do in the future with or outside of Global Brigades?
A: In the future, I hope to go back to school. When starting this job, I had been planning to attend a master’s program in Global Health. Since being here, I have been thinking of other possible options such as Law School. This job really opens your mind to disparities amongst systems both local and globally. This is peaked my interest to possibly pursue a law degree.