Learning to Navigate the City: My Unexpected NHC Commuter Experience

Hello everyone! My name is Lilian, and I use She/Her pronouns. I am currently serving as the Value-Based Care Coordinator, focusing on immunization. I grew up in Fremont, California, and have lived in the Bay Area. I earned my undergraduate degree in Bioengineering from UC Santa Cruz and subsequently worked as a research associate at Stanford University.

While at Stanford, I discovered my passion for medicine, which led me to enroll in a post-baccalaureate program at CSU East Bay. My experiences with loved ones facing challenges related to food and healthcare accessibility inspired me to volunteer at a community farm in the Bayview Hunters Point known as the Florence Fang Community Farm and at a free clinic in the Mission District called Clinic by the Bay. While volunteering at Clinic by the Bay, previous NHC AmeriCorps members shared their positive experiences serving at NHC SF, which inspired me to apply. My role with the San Francisco Department of Public Health - Value-Based Care Team, primarily based out of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, aligned perfectly with my goals of better serving the under-served communities of San Francisco and becoming more actively involved in preventive health initiatives, including outreach and vaccination efforts.

Since I began my position, I've been commuting from Fremont, and one unexpected aspect of my NHC experience has been the commute itself. Growing up in a suburban neighborhood, navigating an urban environment for the first time has been eye-opening. Initially, I was captivated by my opportunity to serve under-served communities. However, I have become equally captivated by the journey to my host site. Having familiarized myself with the BART system through public transportation schedules and occasional delays, I have found pleasure in the journey. Riding BART has allowed me to find peace of mind bypassing the usual commuter stress of dealing with rush hour. This experience has also deepened my appreciation for the privilege and convenience of having a vehicle to drive in addition to the comfort of public transportation. The hour-long ride offers a moment of reflection and grounding in reality, particularly as I travel through the tunnels where phone service is unavailable. 

Self-care has been vital for maintaining my mental health, and exercise has become an important outlet for reducing stress. While I regularly lift weights at the gym, I often find including cardio in my routine challenging. However, the 25-minute one-way walk to ZSFG allows me to incorporate more walking into my routine to boost my step count and increase my cardiovascular activity. From the 24th Mission BART station to ZSFG, these morning walks have become essential to my daily self-care routine as I take in the sights—rushing past the smell of pan dulce from the local bakeries and the vendors bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to the local grocery markets. As I hurry to my service site, I often overlook how much lighter I feel mentally and how uplifted I am when I arrive at my destination. My NHC service has not only provided a wonderful opportunity to serve the underserved but also a powerful reminder of the importance of self-care and taking the time to be present in the moment.