Blog 6: EYA (Isaiah)
It was week one, day one of the EYA program. Upon landing, I was absolutely burnt out from my flights. I left Seattle at six in the morning, and after going through a NY layover, I had finally arrived in the East coast around six at night local time. I think what gave me energy during the flight was seeing all of the DC landmarks, in person, outside my airplane window. I was in awe seeing areas like the National Mall, and in my head I was filling those open areas with all of those people during the MLK dream speech. But all that energy died again when I left the airplane and I was greeted by the thick, humid, hot air of DC. I checked the weather and was disheartened to learn that a normal day here was thirty degrees more than where I lived. The other interns know I don't shut up about the weather, but this was a really big deal for me.
After I got out off the plane, the butterflies in my stomach kept growing and growing. The airport itself was completely different from SeaTac, and just finding my Uber was challenging because of my sudden culture shock panic due difference of the East Coast versus the West Coast. I looked like a disgusting lost child, clutching dearly to my two heavy suitcases, sweating in clothes meant for a temperature thirty degrees cooler. At long last, when I found my Uber, I was able drove by the national sites again, this time from the ground. While my driver was giving me a "tour" of all of the landmarks, I couldn't stop thinking that about the reality of my next eight weeks. Those weeks of counting down the calendar, preparing my suitcases, reading up on any materials, saying my goodbyes, doing anything that would help me prep for this moment were all realized when our wheels touched the ground. Finally, I was here.
I didn't know how the environment around me would be like, even more so the people. I would be living with other ethnic young people of color, from all over the world, carrying the same mission of the UMC. I was in doubt at myself a lot in how if I was really ready to face the outside world, and perhaps how I would hold my professional, "Communications-study", speech and composure with the other interns. I'm always more timid in a new environment, so I was wondering how fiercely vocal or strong other social-justice focused other UMC young adults could be. The elevator ride to meet the other interns, for the first time, was nerve-wracking and almost scary.
Fast forward to EIGHT weeks later. Now I think it's crazy that there used to be days at a time when the group chat would be silent. Especially in these last few days, the group has been to cram a schedule packed with museum visits, baseball games, speaker opportunities, live events, etc. We're always looking for an excuse to find time together. Weekend or not, even (and more like ESPECIALLY) after a tiring work day, I'll immediately jump at the opportunity to share for a post-work dinner with the others. And recently, on one particular night of being together out of nowhere, we put aside our games and had an open heart to heart. It was a pure and genuine conversation about our dreams and aspirations for both ourselves and others. We talked until very very late in the morning about everything; from our school dynamics, our previous religious backgrounds, to even our personal relationships. And I think it was kind of magical in a way; that we just wanted to cherish each other's company, without any distractions.
We had grown up and established an EYA identity filled with experiences of confusion, but learning. Diversity, but an identity. Difficulty, but mutual achievement.
Isaiah (Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington)
After I got out off the plane, the butterflies in my stomach kept growing and growing. The airport itself was completely different from SeaTac, and just finding my Uber was challenging because of my sudden culture shock panic due difference of the East Coast versus the West Coast. I looked like a disgusting lost child, clutching dearly to my two heavy suitcases, sweating in clothes meant for a temperature thirty degrees cooler. At long last, when I found my Uber, I was able drove by the national sites again, this time from the ground. While my driver was giving me a "tour" of all of the landmarks, I couldn't stop thinking that about the reality of my next eight weeks. Those weeks of counting down the calendar, preparing my suitcases, reading up on any materials, saying my goodbyes, doing anything that would help me prep for this moment were all realized when our wheels touched the ground. Finally, I was here.
I didn't know how the environment around me would be like, even more so the people. I would be living with other ethnic young people of color, from all over the world, carrying the same mission of the UMC. I was in doubt at myself a lot in how if I was really ready to face the outside world, and perhaps how I would hold my professional, "Communications-study", speech and composure with the other interns. I'm always more timid in a new environment, so I was wondering how fiercely vocal or strong other social-justice focused other UMC young adults could be. The elevator ride to meet the other interns, for the first time, was nerve-wracking and almost scary.
Fast forward to EIGHT weeks later. Now I think it's crazy that there used to be days at a time when the group chat would be silent. Especially in these last few days, the group has been to cram a schedule packed with museum visits, baseball games, speaker opportunities, live events, etc. We're always looking for an excuse to find time together. Weekend or not, even (and more like ESPECIALLY) after a tiring work day, I'll immediately jump at the opportunity to share for a post-work dinner with the others. And recently, on one particular night of being together out of nowhere, we put aside our games and had an open heart to heart. It was a pure and genuine conversation about our dreams and aspirations for both ourselves and others. We talked until very very late in the morning about everything; from our school dynamics, our previous religious backgrounds, to even our personal relationships. And I think it was kind of magical in a way; that we just wanted to cherish each other's company, without any distractions.
We had grown up and established an EYA identity filled with experiences of confusion, but learning. Diversity, but an identity. Difficulty, but mutual achievement.
Differences, but community.
I may not see any of them again. Whether it was through suffering under the sun, or squeezing together under a thin billboard canopy, I don't want to take any of our next few days for granted. It's surreal to compare my first week of apprehension to my last week of "comforting confidence". I'm approaching this last week slowly, wide awake to every interaction and reaction where ever I go. I want to savor my last few moments in DC, with my work, with my friends. And if I can carry with me wherever I go even a little piece of my EYA community, I can make the world a better place.Isaiah (Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington)
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