Egla Chooses to be the Change in the South Bend-Elkhart Region

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “change is the only constant in life.” I didn’t think much of it at first, but those words perfectly describe my life over the past few years.

After finishing my Master of Social Work in Italy, I had a job offer to work as a therapist in Rome. That was my dream job in the city I love the most, and a only two-hour flight from my home country, Albania.

Perfect, right?

Instead, I decided to go more than 4,000 miles away and come to the U.S. to gain a new experience. Although I had to say no to my dream job, I was excited to find a similar occupation in a place I had not been before.

It has been quite a journey, and honestly, not an easy one. Learning the language, getting familiar with the culture, and experiencing a new way of living life is fun– but it also has its challenges. There have been some tears, and I’ve had to learn that it is okay to feel overwhelmed—even with the choices you know are the right ones for you.

After moving countries, I took a job as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) supervisor. I supervised over 20 volunteers and helped create family plans with volunteers and other professionals, in the best interest of the children.

Once I got used to things, my life changed even more. I took a risk by resigning from CASA to pursue a Master of Science in Management at the University of Notre Dame. I wanted to be more prepared for business management, and learn more about the business world.

So, I went for it!

My curiosity and willingness to learn new things took me on a new adventure.

My major in Management was different than my current undergraduate and master degree, and the approach was different than the institution I attended in Italy. The first semester was an intense and painful one, but on graduation day I was proud.

I was proud because it was a challenge for me, and I did it again. I was able to pivot my way of approaching the university, and I gained new skills that would help me succeed in the future.

Now, I am choosing to work for enFocus because it allows me to constantly take on new challenges and grow. I could have stayed in Rome and continued with my life there, but I would have never experienced the payoff of confronting change and the great things I have learned while I have been in the U.S.

The enFocus founders stayed in South Bend to dive into new challenges. I am sure they could have easily found a job in a larger city with an established company.
Instead, they decided to take risks, face challenges, and be the change the South Bend-Elkhart region needs.

Like the enFocus founders, I am making another change in my life by joining the enFocus team. I am taking another step in my life I to feel challenged–to move forward and grow.

As we know, “Change is the only constant in life.” So this time, my approach has changed.

This time, I decided to stay!