Tuesday July 30th, 2024
Today was very controversial in the office. I worked with Michelle to complete an updated draft of the Op-Ed we had written earlier in the month. It was more focused on the issue within Maryland, which presented a new set of data to use. As we combed through websites, articles, and studies, we were able to make a more clear argument for the issue through the focus on Maryland. However, the twist of the day was when we were going over a slide presentation that was going out, a lot of interns thought there were things that could have been improved upon. We were all lively, to say the least, about how we each thought things should be presented, which made for an engaging afternoon! After all of the debate, I ended up walking the path that I would take to work every day back home. It was one of the few times that I would have the opportunity to do so. And as I got home, I found myself falling asleep as I thought about going home!
Wednesday July 31st, 2024
It was a very calm morning as I made my way to LULAC. While I reminisced about the bustling sound of D.C., I found myself feeling sad knowing it would all be over so soon. The office was calm today too, since many of the interns had already gone. I sat in my office finishing up the draft to submit to my supervisor, then started working on the final details of some of the notes I'd be leaving before I left. When I got home today I made sure to start packing everything in my room and cleaning up the dorm room and then soon after, I went to bed feeling melancholic.
Thursday August 1st, 2024
This morning a few of the remaining LULAC interns and I took a tour of the White House! It was amazing getting to walk through the halls of a place that seemed so mythical to me! We also visited the Museum of the White House, and I got to see a jar of Ronald Reagan's jelly beans (even though I realized they were plastic when I saw them up close lol)!!! After this, we walked back to LULAC where I was greeted by Alba (the CDO of LULAC) with a huge box of books for me! They were all about Chicano history and culture, and there were even some poetry books!! I was so excited that I carried the 30-pound box of books to the post office (in a full suit on a hot day) to mail it to my house. After that, I got lunch from the first place I had lunch when I arrived to D.C. and ate one last time with the LULAC staff. As I got closer to the end of my time at LULAC, I got a message that our Op-Ed had been published!!! I was so happy that we were able to get it published before I left! Then I left everyone their notes on their desks and said my goodbyes. Funnily enough, as I was walking out of the building my supervisor came up to me and asked if I wanted to go get Dunkin! The Deja vu of this happening on my first day was HILARIOUS!! We got to have one last heartfelt chat face-to-face, and I gave my mentor a hug goodbye! I'm not going to lie, I went home teary-eyed today. Then I came home to a seemingly desolate dorm and a room filled with only suitcases.
Sunday August 4th, 2024
After an entire fiasco with the flight home, and having to stay the night at the airport in Chicago, I was finally able to make it back to Sacramento airport and see my sister as she gave me a ride home. Smelling the air as we drove through the freeway, and feeling the cool night air was like reliving the fondest memory I could ever have. I can't explain how grateful I am to all the people who helped me have this opportunity, and to the HEP/CAMP Association for allowing me to be able to have this experience!! I got home around midnight, and like most other nights, as I soon as I felt my bed, I was already asleep!
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