Week Two

Monday:

Today was dedicated entirely to CHCI (Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute) programming, so our focus for the day revolved around that experience.

In the early morning, we began our GWU (George Washington University) seminar with Professor Bartels, who is a wonderful person. Our seminar begins with learning more about the legislative process and how a bill becomes law. To make things more interactive, we participated in a hands-on activity where members of our cohort arranged themselves in the order they believed a bill follows to become law. While they came close, the sequence wasn’t entirely accurate, but it served as a great learning moment.

After that, we moved into a Congressional Committee simulation, where each of us took on different roles to debate a proposed ban on assault rifles. My partner and I were designated the role of the NRA (National Rifle Association), and although it was hard to make a case for semi-automatic assault rifles, I think we did quite well in front of the committee. It was interesting to observe how each group approached the issue with unique perspectives and arguments. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we didn’t get to hear the final verdict from the committee, but overall, it was an insightful and valuable exercise that deepened our understanding of the legislative process.

After the seminar, we took a much-needed lunch break and were treated to beef or chicken tacos (I personally went with chicken). In the afternoon, we participated in a sexual harassment training, which was extremely informative. We covered employee rights and protections and discussed how to recognize and address inappropriate workplace behavior. This was followed by a session on how to communicate effectively with our supervisors, a topic I found particularly helpful. Arianna, our CHCI Associate Manager, did a fantastic job guiding us through these important conversations and making sure we felt supported throughout the program.

We wrapped up the day with a session on networking, followed by final announcements.

To end the evening, the HEP/CAMP cohort made plans to grab some food at Chick-fil-A, although some of us ended up detouring to Raising Cane’s. Before heading home, we each filmed a quick segment for the HEP/CAMP Instagram, a fun way to capture the day and share a bit of our experience.

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Tuesday:

Today was my first day in my congressional office, and to say I was excited would be an understatement. I couldn’t wait to see what the next eight weeks would hold. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by my supervisor, Julianna, who gave me a quick tour of the office and introduced me to the staff. After brief introductions, I settled in at my desk and began learning more about my responsibilities as a congressional intern.

I also met my fellow intern for the summer; she’s a wonderful person, and I feel lucky that everyone in the office, both staff and interns, is so welcoming and kind. After we got acclimated to our new environment, Julianna gave us a scavenger hunt to help us get familiar with Capitol Hill. We set off exploring, and along the way, found places like the cafeteria, post office, supply store, and a few other key spots. We were given just an hour to complete the list, and although we returned with two items left unfound, it was a fun and helpful way to start learning the area.

After getting back, we took our lunch break and headed to the cafeteria. There were plenty of options available, but overall, it felt standard, reminding me a bit of a typical school cafeteria. Following lunch, we continued with our onboarding, which included reading through the intern handbook and learning more about our day-to-day responsibilities.

By 5 p.m., we wrapped up, packed our things, and headed out. Once I got home, I was tired and concluded my day.

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Wednesday:

Walking into the office, I was excited for the day ahead. I genuinely enjoy the work I get to do here. We started off with some tasks like organizing emails and continuing phone training. One of my fellow interns mentioned she was planning to attend the Education and Workforce hearing. Knowing how passionate I am about education, she encouraged me to go.

Going towards the room, we saw a line that spanned the corridor, and we were yet to see if we were going to be able to get in or not. Soon, they began letting people in, and the line slowly started moving. As the count got lower, three, two, and finally one, I was the last person allowed inside. I ended up sitting front and center, right behind the Secretary of Education herself.

The hearing was interesting. As we saw the different viewpoints fighting it out, something that I had only seen on television, I was now sitting in the front seat watching it all unravel.

After about two hours, my fellow intern and I headed to lunch at the cafeteria. Once we returned, we finished the day with additional training until it was time to leave.

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Thursday:

Today was uneventful, mostly because we had a later start than usual, which meant we spent less time in the office. We used the time to continue getting familiar with our responsibilities, especially since the current interns will be leaving soon and the two of us will be taking over their duties.

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Friday:

Today was honestly the best day of these two weeks so far. It started off quietly with some routine office tasks as we prepared for the next week, when the new interns, including myself, will take on full responsibility of the office.

A tradition here is to have a goodbye ceremony with all interns leaving, taking pictures, and presenting certificates. We had a chance to speak with the congressman; he is a great guy who always makes time to connect with everyone.

After the ceremony, the others decided to go to lunch together, which left me alone in the office. I felt ready to handle the responsibilities on my own, and I think I did well during the hour I was in charge. It gave me confidence for the weeks ahead. With the day ending a bit early, I headed home and wrapped things up.