Konnect Magazine - Asian American news, features, opinions, and other miscellaneous ramblings
Asian American news, features, opinions, and other miscellaneous ramblings
Relatively speaking, I’ve suffered very little in my life. But with the suffering I have experienced, I’ve learned something of my heart, and I believe it’s probably true for most.
I’ve wrestled with the paralyzing fear that comes with waiting for certain diagnoses. I’ve also tasted a bit of chronic illness. And my life has on occasion been crippled by the anxiety and depression that hammers away relentlessly at the hearts and minds of those who struggle with illness or the possibility of it. When the imagination is left to its own devices during these times, it becomes a vicious tormentor that I would say is unparalleled in the human experience.
So as I’ve been in NYC for close to three months, I’ve come to an existential crisis. Haha, okay I only half kid. I’ve met many new, neat, cool folks but there is a dread in meeting new people in NYC because the conversation, without fail, always goes to…
Person A: “Where are you from?”
Me: I’m from Philly (Good conversation starter since “Fresh Prince of Belair” is often brought up. Sometimes people just start singing the song, “in West Philadelphia born and raised…” It stops there b/c they don’t know the rest of the words, haha – it’s okay, neither do I.)
Person A: “What do you do?”
Me: (Here is where my heart dreads the question) – I am an intern at a church.
Person A: “Oh…that’s awesome!” (The last part is to cover up the initial “oh,” haha).
Person A: “Part-time or full-time intern?”
Me: Part-time
Person A: “Oh.” (No “that’s awesome,” haha)
