What were the most important things you learned from this internship?

This experience was life changing and words cannot express how thankful I am to have been part of such an amazing organization such as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute who not only placed me in the office of Congressman Grijalva, but, also supported me financially and emotionally during my time in Washington D.C. During my time Washington D.C I learned so many things not only about myself but also about life. I learned how our government system works and the government gridlock that sometimes comes into play and stops legislation from passing. I also learned that communication is the key to prevent conflict or disagreement when it comes to political views. Living in Washington D.C taught me that it’s ok to have political disagreements with one another. I learned that people will not always see things the way you see them and that it’s important to listen to others and be respectful of their views. Being in D.C it became normal to have political discussions about current events that are affecting the American people. What I noticed was that some people didn’t have any respect for the views of others but expected respect in return. Looking back at my first blog post I can proudly say that I did meet my initial goals. One of my goals was to network and I was able to expand my social network and I met so many wonderful people who have already offered me their help and mentorship. One of my other goals was to lean in and I did just that. With the help of my office I took initiative and I was able to attend many wonderful events and congressional meetings. At times I would find myself as the only intern in meetings where only staff and congressional members were allowed. My time in Washington D.C was short, but I am happy that I took advantage of each and every opportunity that was presented to me.