IN MY SPACE GIRL ERA - NEWSLETTER 06

The one thing I have surprised myself with this month is how I have come back in time to create a post for our 6th Newsletter. If you caught a glimpse of how chaotic June has been for me and how I haven't even had much time to follow through with my personal life you will understand my opening statement. But then I have promised to write to you every month hence my statutory need to uphold my end of the deal and send a letter monthly. It has now occurred to me that we are 6 letters away from the end of the year and I already feel nostalgic remembering how January was just a few days ago. June is coming to a fast end and I am rudely reminded that we have almost gone through half of the year without paying so much attention. I can easily say I have worked hardest this month which is why I almost didn't notice half of the year has gone past. How have you been holding up? Are you as shocked that January to May has become a blur? Are you excited for July and generally is the summer summering? 

Now to the beautiful part of this month, training and working with the most beautiful minds in America stressed but albeit super grateful for the opportunity: I entered my space era and have loved every part of it. I wasn't selected in my final round for my dream job this summer and I was so bummed, sad and altogether just considered spending the entire summer working on my research and putting all my free time into my thesis work. I had just lost the opportunity of a lifetime or so I thought to work with a renowned Fortune 500 company, in my field of study and get industry experience for after grad school. Just a few people got that far and I was positive the job was mine until it wasn't. I had this other offer that delayed all my paperwork and onboarding and since patience isn't my strongest suit I didn't follow up and was just content with doing nothing the entire period. I had shelved this offer as well because it wasn’t as catchy and wasn’t directly related to my field of study until the last minute when I got the nudge to email the recruiter and follow through in hopes that my school would approve the training. Everything was so last minute and I still had doubts even on the plane to my new city but I remember just having so much peace and not spending a dime since it was an all-expense paid job. A little back story to last year when I attended an engineering conference and spoke to someone who casually mentioned NASA, the space center and the famous quote by Swigert and Lovell "Houston we have a problem" when we were talking about different opportunities for career driven women in STEM.

Somehow a year later unbeknownst to me I have found my way to NASA and have worked on mini-projects with the best teams. The last few weeks have solidified this notion 'Dream God can fund it' and has thought me patience, humility, happiness, hard work and fulfilment. Moreso it has enunciated the fact that all good things are not wrapped in nice gift bags ergo don't keep looking for beautiful gift wraps because what you really want might come in ordinary paper bags. My mum always said this but being the girl with an eye for big things I always fail to remember how really true this is. I have gone from being an ordinary grad school student to coaching and training in the space center just for the fun of it because even though going to space looks fun I literally have no interest in that part. I have worked on experiments and channelled my electrical engineering knowledge to solve space problems and have not backed down from thoroughly enjoying every moment. I have met America's greatest astronauts, worked with some of the brilliant minds behind space programs, become fondly attached to aviation and have developed an odd attraction to planes. I might just sign up and take flying lessons seriously before the end of the year who knows.

Kevin Zhang said, "I have always felt most fulfilled when I have contributed some part - major or minor - in helping others achieve their goals". 

The most amazing thing about my job here is the chance to have been responsible for kids who weirdly have fallen in love with me and looked up to me as a role model. I remember being terrified when I realized that my training was as much for these kids as it was for me but looking back now, my heart is so full of love and respect for them considering that in a very ugly world, there is indeed hope for our future generation. My fulfilment comes from a place of utter sacrifice and giving. I mean the work is really hard and I had no idea what I was getting into but the challenge is conquering every day and just being happy. Even though the pangs of regret are visible on some days when I remember how I missed my dream job, I am happy that this other long path I winded down on is as much satisfying. Most days I just say to myself and anyone who will hear that your dreams are so valid! look at me who was very sure of spending summer broke and alone waking up every morning with a better purpose and the best support system. I have had people ask if I was suddenly interested in aerospace and aviation and another person was confused about what exactly my career path and this sweet thing Bill Gates said came to mind "Your life isn't a one-act play, what you do tomorrow or for the next ten years does not have to be what you do forever". So what if I have just realized I love to fly planes or my degree in engineering can be used to build shuttles? Heck someone I work with said I could work on renewable fuels for space exploration and went on and om listing all the things my degree could be put to use in. I think in the end, what matters is the joy that radiates from your life that is reflected on others because you found what you love and you stuck with it. But you should know, everything about Space is utterly fascinating and in this lifetime you should meet an astronaut or three. Scratch the last part, I just know these explorations are beautiful and rocket science is not as hard as we all think. Don't get me wrong, in this path, your hard work and grit is tested in resilience, weird experiments, time away from earth and your loved ones, ridiculous trainings and tiny meals but every space exploration success is such a big win. It is a constant reminder to these people that their dreams are valid and so real.

Enough about space and a better plan for the next half of the year: for Q3 and Q4 it is okay to challenge yourself to reach your goals but it is more important to rest and remain happy in the face of the harsh realities of life. You will find that most days, the joy in your life is the fuel you will need to get on by to pursue your big dreams so don't give anyone or anything the chance to dim your light. I am super excited for all the beautiful things we are set to achieve in this second half and even more so the happiness we will get from doing them. Until I dispatch our 7th letter keep dreaming, God can and will fund it.

P.S- Let me know if I should attach a google drive link of all the cool things I’m working on, pictures, rockets and sites in NASA.

Your favorite Intergalactic Girl

Helen Damilola 💜