I’m Going Home.

The time has come. In 21 days, I’m going home. I already have a list full of things I’m going to do to pamper myself with my ATL faves once I touch down. You may be wondering how I’m able to move home with three months still left to go for residency. Well, I saved up most of my elective time for the end of the year. I am doing my elective in Atlanta so I can work at a site I really love, refrain from renewing my NYC apartment lease (!!!!), and go home early. I will be back to NYC for graduation. One of my co-residents, after hearing my plan, asked me, “Who thinks like that?” Me, babes. ME. Chess, not checkers, m’kay?! Survival, m’kay?! Residents, put yourselves first and do what must be done to survive and thrive with your training experience.

I’m just so elated and beyond proud of myself for sticking it out. I have never been more uncomfortable than my past three years living in NYC. I’ve dealt with the rats, the roaches, the dog feces all over the streets, the landlord who does not care, geriatric medicine, inpatient medicine. I have been stretched. I have been tried. I came out true. I am ret to go!

Above all, I am so excited about where I’m actually going. I’m not just going back to the ATL. I’m going home to a job that allows me to do what I love—a job for which I worked tooth and nail to train and prepare, a job for which I proudly negotiated my butt off. And y’all, in a few months I will be moving into my dream home. That’s right. My dream home is currently being built and I plan to move in this summer. My realtor showed me this home almost two years ago. I could not afford it at the time. I had to wait until I got my attending job to show proof of adequate income. I knew I’d have to have faith it would stay on the market. And y’all, it did. For almost two whole years it did after both my realtor and the building realtor said it would not. I prayed Deuteronomy 6:11 over that home every chance I got: “When God, your God, ushers you into the land he promised through your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you, you’re going to walk into large, bustling cities you didn’t build, well-furnished houses you didn’t buy, come upon wells you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive orchards you didn’t plant. When you take it all in and settle down, pleased and content, make sure you don’t forget how you got there—God brought you out of slavery in Egypt.” I would drive past the home and pray every time I visited Atlanta. I would envision myself living in the home and say out loud it was mine. And after two years, it stayed on the market just in time for me to get it. There are five townomes on the block and I literally secured the second to last one left. Thank you, Lord. My realtor told me she’s incredibly proud of me for sticking with what I wanted. She said she’s typically able to steer buyers in another direction and assist them in getting a great second option. Not me though. I see it. I want it. I GOT IT!!!

This home has been a long time coming; a literal childhood dream come true. Nine-year-old Anya had lofty goals, y’all. To be here now, buying a house on the hill in Atlanta proper with equity that is going to eventually be out of this world and a rooftop?! The housing market may look crazy right now with interest rates that are sky high, but people are coming to Atlanta with cash and literally buying up our houses. New Yorkers and Californians know what’s up. Mmmmhmmmm. But MY house?! Oh you can’t have my house. I thank God for the ability to refinance lol! I didn’t compromise on what I really wanted. I had patience. I had faith. And I’m so glad I did.

Everything happened so quickly right around the time I went to Kenya. I put in an offer just 2 days before hopping on that 14 hour flight. Y’all, I was signing home documents in a literal tent at 11pm Kenyan time with very slow off and on wifi. It took me almost 2 hours to sign one document I had just enough time to review and notate right before leaving for the airport. Because I’ve always wanted to purchase my own home before settling down with someone, this was only the second time I wished I could have a partner to help me with all this…a gorgeous Black man of God on the homefront (with wifi) who could sign our new home agreement. Maybe next time. But this time? This House? Me and my Jesus got it done.

I really really look forward to bringing you all along on this homeownership journey with me as I share home buying tips for doctors, house upkeep, and, baby, my fabulous home décor! It’s coming y’all!

While NYC tried the hell out of me, I am leaving some amazing people, places, and things behind. I’ll miss and cherish them forever, but I know they’re only a plane ride away. 20-year-old Anya would be proud of me for doing this. She wanted so badly to live it up in the Big Apple. I did it. I am leaving with what I came for: my education. I’m glad I lived here so I can never say, “what if?” No regrets. NYC stretched me and it also gifted me. I have been met with self-discovery, self-advocacy, new favorite restaurants, beautiful culture, the love of Harlem, a love for my patients, and so much more. I’m so grateful. 

It’s April 1^st. In just three weeks, I’ll be HOME.

xx, 

Photos by Sweetie Mensah