betsy pitlick team march 2016

I am an Emergency Department nurse in Seattle, Washington. Nursing and healthcare is a relatively new career for me. I was previously an Assistant Vice President at a large bank, managing web content for the Commercial Group and Home Loans intranet sites. Deciding I needed a change, I quit my job and spent several months backpacking alone through Southern and Eastern Africa. Upon returning, I decided I wanted to be a nurse. It was something that combined my love of people and helping others. I was an Emergency Department Technician for four years and have been a nurse for almost a year and a half.

I love to travel and explore, meet new people and experience new cultures. I also love cooking and all things food-related. So far, I have traveled to 23 countries, with many more hopefully to come. This will be my second trip back to Vietnam, with my first trip being a month long solo trip in 2006. I fell in love with the country, visiting Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Hue, Hoi An, Kon Tum, Ho Chi Minh City and then traveling through the Mekong Delta to Rach Gia and then Phu Quoc Island. I regret not learning Vietnamese after my last trip so I can communicate more effectively (I am terrible at foreign languages), but look forward to revisiting some of the same areas, meet more wonderful people and see new areas. I will be joining the Spring 2016 mission before heading off on a 5 day hiking excursion into Son Doong, the world's largest cave, located in Central Vietnam.

While I have lived in Seattle for about 18 years now, I grew up on the East Coast in Maryland. I was actually born in Vietnam and was left on the stairs of a hospital in Saigon before being adopted as a baby to my wonderful parents in the United States. Part of my career switch to nursing was with the eventual goal  of volunteering on medical missions to give back to some of the countries I have previously visited and fallen in love with.These are a few of the main reasons that this COPI medical mission really appealed to me. I am extremely excited to be part of this team and this trip!