Much-Needed Vacation or Mom Guilt?
Wadad Itani
1st Year MPH Health Behavior Health Education Student
As I am getting ready to leave my kids for the first time, I have a range of emotions. I am hoping that it will be a welcome vacation where I don’t have to think of drop-offs, snacks, and laundry for a week—a week where I get to be just a student on a work trip.
Taking a much-needed break where I get to be myself and focus on my needs and work will be fun. I look forward to trying the yummy food in Texas and enjoying the sun. My assignment involves asset mapping, windshield tours, and cruising around neighborhoods to identify needs, strengths, and weaknesses. So yes, it is work, but it sounds like a vacation. What better way to explore a new place than to go around the neighborhoods and meet the people there? Moreover, staying long nights with friends to work on our assignment also gives me time to bond and strengthen my relationship with my cohort, which I miss. How different will Texas be from Michigan? As an immigrant, I think of the United States as one place and it would be interesting to get to explore a new state.
I don’t think a mother’s brain stops working just by being in a different geographical area. I can see myself going through their checklist every night before I sleep, and I have a gut feeling that some mom guilt may be involved. However, I am very excited to get a break from my regular schedule. I can’t wait to get public health experience and interact with the community in Texas.