NUEAVAYoL

This week was full of activities!

I had the opportunity to lead a group of NextGen students around the Capitol alongside Angel, Ivette, and Malyna. We walked all around the Capitol, both House and Senate sides, and under the rotunda. I don’t know if the other interns shared this, but we were running late because we were lost in the endless hallways of the Capitol. Somehow, we managed to arrive 2 minutes late, which isn’t as bad as we thought, but we were greeted by a large group of students. It reminded me a lot of the time when I did CLOSE UP and how quickly I came back after that trip. It truly felt like a full-circle moment. I saw myself in the shoes of the student as I was literally in their position just two years back.  My group was pretty awesome, we had one student from Oregon, which was crazy to Ivette and I. The most exciting part for me was meeting my senator, Jeff Merkley. The students were able to ask him questions and take pictures with him. I was able to talk to him about the National HEP/CAMP Association and how our funds have been withheld from us. It was such a surreal moment, after conversing, I thought to myself, “I can see why he’s the senator”. He made me feel so seen and not just that, but he acknowledged his support for HEP/CAMP.

Afterwards, the majority of the group wanted to go to AOC’s office and leave a note, but when we showed up, we saw we weren’t the first ones. I knew she was popular and well-liked, but I didn’t expect it to be so open and covering the walls within the Capitol halls. Since I don’t work in the Capitol and work at the one and only LULAC<3, I don’t have access to the Capitol the way certain of my friends do.

Thanks to their badges we were able to just walk to a lot of places, my favorite being the rotunda. I hear it’s gorgeous at night but boy oh boy did my jaw drop when I stood underneath it.

We got to be inside hearing rooms and sit behind where congressmen would sit, just an overall amazing experience. I was able to give some encouraging words to the group of students before we dropped them off but I felt as if they were going to come back like I did. 

Saturday morning, I, alongside all the other HEP/CAMP interns, made our way to New York City for a weekend getaway. Our bus departed at 8 AM and arrived at noon. When we arrived, we were greeted by the memorable skyline, city smells, and thousands of pigeons. As we walked all over the city, we stumbled across a farmers' market that spanned over multiple blocks. It ranged from food to souvenirs; it was a hot pot of cultures present at all times throughout the city. At the end of one of the sides of the market, I came across the infamous Macy’s store, not just any store either, but the world's largest store.

Many go to New York City for many reasons, some for business or leisure, but I went for the food and the food I ate, a lot actually. It has always been a dream of mine to eat a New York slice of pizza, so finally being able to go to Joe's famous pizzeria was a dream come true. It was thin, crispy, the sauce wasn't too overpowering, and it had a perfect balance of flavors.

Nearby was a famous spot called ‘Little Italy’ which you could smell from blocks away. The layout, the music, it truly felt like it was a slice of Italy. 

In the span of both days, we walked around 19 miles and walked across all boroughs except Staten Island. We ended the night with a walk along Times Square; it was trippy, cool, and underwhelming. Maybe I was just tired, but to me, it was just big screens all around. I guess at night it looks cool, but I just didn’t get the hype, or maybe I was just expecting more.

Sunday, before we departed, we went to a farmers market in Dumbo where we could see the Manhattan Bridge. Being there, having both bridges in front of me felt so surreal, I felt like I finally made it to the East Coast, it’s no longer a fantasy but a reality. You know, I also had to get myself a chopped cheese on a roll with everything on it. Honestly, it just tasted like a torta de asada, but having seen so many videos about the chopped cheese, I couldn't resist.

We went home, happy, full, and with so many memories. I <3 New York City.