Coffee Talk

Whenever I visit NIU, or run into people I went to school with, it's inevitable that they'll ask me the very question I try to dodge every now and then..."So, what are you doing now?"

Usually, the conversation wouldn't last long because of the mere fact that I would respond to such a general question with a general answer like: "Oh, you know. Work." And they'd ask: "Where do you work?" And I would say: "For this health center in Chicago as a nutritionist." And that would be the end to that poor attempt to try to "catch up" with someone you never planned to catch up with to begin with. Yes, it's one of those. And I feel bad admitting it, but it is what it is.

But here's the thing. I do so much more than that. I love my job. I have so many stories it would take hours for me to accurately describe what it is exactly I do for a living. I'm not one of those people who wake up, go to work, work, and go back home. It's become a part of me. I live and breathe it.

I wake up. I talk to my clients. I take it to a personal level. I refer them to any other services. I provide nutrition services. I make a difference in their lives. I look forward to their next visit. I remember names, and faces, and stories. I share those stories with my friends and family. And I drive home, completely satisfied with my day.

So what is it exactly that I do in "grownup" terms? I am a nutritionist (also known as a Certified Health Professional) for a program called WIC which stands for Women, Infants and Children. A program that provides nutrition services for pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women and their children. I interview them, assign risk factors and food packages and provide nutrition counseling. About 95% of my clients only speak and understand Spanish and I see about 15 clients a day. Kind of a huge deal, considering the fact that I haven't taken/spoken Spanish since my junior year of high school. Kind of a huge deal that I had to be trained in Spanish, the majority of the time. I must've cried the first few weeks of training. But I guess, that's normal, being new to the real world and all.

Now in "coffee talk" terms? It's simple. I help others. And sometimes? Even if you have no idea what you want to do with your life? Just knowing that I wanted to help those who needed the help and make a difference in their lives was all I needed to fall madly in love with this job. Just believing that it's possible got me a long way. It's a lot like love. Even if you've never fallen in love, believing that exists is all it takes.

Pictured right: Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace (because I find it relevant)

In conclusion, I've decided, that the next time someone asks me what I'm doing now, I will simply respond by asking them: "How much time do you have?" and go from there.