Where I was and where I’m going

Blog 1

6/6/2018

Litany Esguerra

Title: Where I was and where I’m going

It is surreal to think of the events in my life that led me here, to D.C. The month of May was exhausting: going through finals week, ending two part time jobs, graduating, traveling to Amsterdam, moving out of my apartment of three years, and hosting a big graduation party the day before I left for D.C. I knew what to expect before all of this happened, but I did not think I would have been as worn out as I was from all of the changes that occurred so suddenly. 

But now, it is weird being on the other side of it all. Everything was leading up to my anticipation for the EYA program and internship and now... I’m here. I have been grateful that amidst all of the change, I was able to have the security in knowing what I would be doing this summer. I have a place to live, a community, food, and an internship with the National Disability Rights Network (thanks, GBCS!).

I think part of this seems odd because many of my close friends stayed back in Chicago. Some of them are going on to graduate school, are already in school, or about to start working. They are on amazing career paths, laid out before them in a progressive, measurable way that is different than my path. I loved being with them as a student in the city, and it is admittedly hard to leave their company and my life that I established over the last four years. However, I chose a different path than them, one that entails more freedom and uncertainty towards my overall goal to become a public health researcher. 

This is what makes me so excited to embark on this path in D.C. at this particular stage in my life. I am a recent graduate, starting my gap year before I attend graduate school (hopefully in London), and eventually, onto a PhD program. When one of my EYA roommates asked me why I was not able to start the program earlier in my undergraduate career, I had to pause a bit to answer this question. Then, it occurred to me that now is truly the time for me to be here. The last few summers, I was still trying to figure things out. I was either taking summer school, doing research, studying for the GRE, and still on the pre-physical therapy track. 

It wasn’t until the beginning of my senior year that I finally realized that my work and experience needed to go to a place like D.C. Much of the work I intend to do relates to the work of many nonprofit organizations and policy. I am not sure what really prompted me to look into the EYA program (I did already know about it from an alum), but it surely has been a good decision thus far.

Luckily, these last few days, I have settled in to my apartment, my internship, and from the chaos of May.

My first two days at the National Disability Rights Network have already been great. I feel comfortable in the environment and eager to take on bigger tasks that I will soon be working on. Sitting in on a conference call the other day, I heard so many terms that I recognized that made me realize how relevant my education has been in preparing me to have some understanding of these terms. I know I will be doing good work with this organization as I continue on this summer.

I am also thankful for my 2018 EYA cohort and roommates. Within the first day or two, we already got along pretty quickly. I think we all initially recognized that we needed each other as a source of support (especially since we would be living with each other/spending a lot of time together) that it was easy to transition from strangers to friends within a short timeframe.

I know that the next two months will be a transformative time, one in my personal and professional journey, and one with my cohort. I cannot say for sure where things will lead me this summer or even in the next year, but I do know that where I have come from has led me here.