In our orientation training for Global Health Corps, many speakers presented us with analogies or metaphors for how to view the fellowship year. For some, it was a ladder: a series of rungs to climb up, each step taking you further than the one before it. For others, it was a web: a constantly-expanding network of knowledge and community, comprised of alumni and mentors and new experiences (or, if you are former senator Ted Stevens, a series of tubes). Apt as these are, I’ve realized there is one object in particular that symbolizes my experience so far in this GHC fellowship year:
An air mattress.
One particular air mattress, to be exact – the one currently folded behind the couch in our apartment. When we move in to our placements, GHC makes a point of making sure that our living space has some sort of accommodations for guests, particularly those who are part of the GHC ‘family’. I was struck by the way this small detail was so representative of the ethic of our community – the fellowship is so centered on us connecting with other current and past fellows that they have ensured that this extends as far as being able to offer them a place to sleep if needed.
So far in the first few months in New York City, I’ve already seen this principle come to action on multiple occasions.
We’ve hosted an alum, who showed us around to his favorite cafe spots and played us in a rousing game of scrabble. We’ve hosted current fellows various times as they came through New York for conferences, events, or just to visit. Even, I’m told, one of our supervisors at work stayed over on a previous year when their team had been up so late working on a grant that the sun had risen.
Each guest brings with them new stories, animated conversations, and for me, a chance to reframe my fellowship year as something bigger than myself. As easy as it is to get bogged down in task-driven work environments, it is just as easy to take a step back. When I do, I remind myself that one of my favorite parts of this program is the chance to tap into a community of passionate and intelligent individuals who epitomize the collaboration-based work that is the foundation of GHC’s mission.
And, silly as it sounds, if I ever forget this, all I need to do is go into my living room and pull out our air mattress.