22. You saw that coming. I am 22, so of course I am feeling 22. But I think T-Swift did 22 differently, or I'm not doing 22 right. I never realized just how weird your early twenties are until I moved away. I still feel like a kid, as if I should be doing everything with my parents, but I am not one.
This past week I have met some amazing people, explored the area, and joined the choir at the church that my "host family" attends. (SIDE NOTE: I will refer to them as my host family because I can't think of a better term. And, I am so confused by Kansas/Missouri life that I might as well be a foreign exchange student). The choir I joined is wonderful and everyone is so nice. The director is putting me on the cantoring schedule and is hoping to get me in for a few weddings while I'm here. That is nice for 2 reasons; one, I love singing at church and weddings, and two, I need money (care packages accepted). But as I am meeting all of these new people, I find myself answering the same questions;
1. What's your name? (Elisabeth, yours?)
2. Did you go to church here before? (No, I actually just moved here a week ago!)
3. Why did you move here? (I am doing an internship at Children's Mercy Hospital)
4. Oh, what is your degree in? (Oh I majored in Music Therapy)
5. Is this a paid internship? (...no.....)
Some way or another, those who are most interested get on the topic on what Music Therapy is (time to get my advocating hat on!), and eventually ask about why I have to do an internship, certifications, and my inevitable degree. It is in those moments that I remember this small, very very sad fact - Even though I walked in May, I do not have any type of Bachelors degree yet.
I think this is what makes me feel so awkward in my early twenties. I still feel like a student, which I still take full advantage of in some ways. For example, the KC Symphony has student season passes for a very reasonable price - so yes, KC Symphony, I AM a student. But no, University of Evansville music department faculty, I WILL NOT do a jury or take finals this year. Sorry. The funny thing is, I seem to remember refering to this transition in my internship interviews. They would ask "what do you think will be your weaknesses at the start of internship?" And I would answer "Transitioning from student to intern may be difficult, because I am used to having more supervision and less independence in school" (or something like that - underclassmen, take notes). That answer has never been more true, and I haven't even started my internship yet!
Aside from meeting new people in the choir, I also had a chance to get lunch with my internship partner, Holly, on Friday. Holly is coming here from Texas, so I'm sure she is cold all of the time. We got lunch, talked about how we thought the internship would be, and explored around the hospital area (with the main intention being finding our parking lot). I am really happy to have another intern by my side, I could not imagine these 6 months without someone who knows what I am going through.
I also spent some time with my mom's friend Mary and her family. They are hilarious and have told me, repeatedly, that I am invited over ANY time (they said it so much that I believe them). I am also spending time with Dr. Uthe, an old voice teacher from UE, tonight while my host family is at church. So basically, I feel like I have 3 families here in KC, and that is an amazing feeling.
I am a lot more comfortable here than I was a week ago, and tomorrow I start my internship! I just have one request from everyone reading this - Pray to whatever God you believe in that I wake up on time this week....
No comments:
Post a Comment