Getting to DC/First week

When I got dropped off at the airport and hugged my parents goodbye for the summer, everything began to hit me. For the first time in my life, I was going to be away from home for longer than a week. I was going to miss out on so many family events and camping, but in the words of my CAMP Director Greg Contreras, "Andres, you are filling your cup this summer and returning with so much information, learning, and new experiences."

Arriving in DC felt surreal. I landed with this intense feeling of purpose and pride. I was arriving here to make a change. I was a bit nervous about meeting the other interns. I didn't know how well we were going to get along, but boy was I mistaken! We quickly became a family!  In the span of 48 hours, we knew we were going to remain friends for life if not for a really long time. We began hosting dinner at each other's apartments and, sooner or later, began hosting breakfast as well.

For the first week, we were in the hands of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Here we met another group of 22 student leaders who we also learned to call family by the end of the day. Together we learned important lessons like how to network professionally and authentically, also how to write for Capitol Hill. Throughout various days and activities, we were able to get to know each other beyond a surface level and build foundations for lifelong friendships.

It was also the first time I ever went inside the Capitol.  The history, the statues, and the architecture were so intriguing. For the first time in a long time, I understood where American patriotism came from. One thing that I took away was that the halls of the Capitol weren’t designed for people like me. Yet, here I am walking through them and taking up space and representing my migrant, farm working background.

Throughout this week, I learned and experienced so much that it’s hard to put it all together in a single post. I truly am appreciative down to the core for this opportunity, and I still, at times, can’t believe I’m here. If this is only the beginning, I can't wait to see what's next for the following nine weeks.