Getting these experiences in before having a family was the key. As much as I love global health, I have a 3 1/2 month old now and I can't bear to be away from him for a several-week-trip (let alone make my wife do all the work). But again, I realized very early on (in high school, actually, when I studied abroad in Spain) that one has very limited opportunities in life to travel the world. And so I've molded my education and career around this.

The one thing I'll say about Harvard is that my formal higher education (counting from college onwards) was 15 years long, of which I spent 3 years at Harvard Med and Children's Hospital as a fellow in Infectious Diseases. I did not spend my entire education there -- and I'm glad. It's a phenomenal place, and it was an unforgettable experience. I knew many people there, however, who had never trained anywhere else. And I actually felt bad for them -- because no institution is perfect, and nothing helps you grow as much as transitions.

Clinical work isn't for everyone. But it's a small world, and you don't need to look far to see a way that ANY field can bring you overseas!

I'd love to do a guided climb to the top.

Been there -- don't miss it, it's spectacular. When I was 17 my family and I took the VIA Rail from Toronto to Jasper, then spent ~ 2 weeks in Jasper, Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay, then went down to Glacier National Park in Montana (also incredible).

Sounds amazing.

There's nothing in the world like the Amazon. Russia is in both Europe and Asia -- the European part is west of the Ural mountains and north of the Caucasus mountains. I was in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, which are in Europe.

No prob I'm 33.

Heh, as many places as I've been there are many more I'd like to see.

Sounds great. We've got a ways to go -- he's 3 1/2 months!

I didn't interact with the philosophy department there. My primary academic appointment was at the medical school, primary clinical appointment at Children's Hospital Boston, and my research appointment was at the school of public health. All of these are in Boston, whereas most of the university is across the river in Cambridge. I of course trained under MANY very famous people, but in my field.

I have A Ph.D. in philosophy and a D.D. (in Buddhism) and years of experience and had to move to Thailand (not that I'm complaining I'm quite content) my best friend that graduated with me works at the University of Vera Cruz in Mexico... so, that's my experience.

Congrats on the getting your B.A . Sweet that you have a Ph.D. in philosophy Chris.