At the end of my stay in D.C. I will be able to say I was never bored. Events that have occurred this past week have been both pleasant and very surprising. Two serendipitous and exciting events have occurred. One event I have been holding off to share with the cyber world until the very right time. I am glad to finally be able to explain what has been happening to me in D.C. these past couple of weeks. So without further delay I will now explain how I have started a new internship and attended the White House Garden Tour.

Before I talk about my new internship I would like to just
  disclaim that in no way,  shape, or form is my new internship placement due to a negative experience or my own actions at my last internship. I am still on great terms with the wonderful staff, and look forward to their correspondence. At a later time, I may go into details of the situation, but for now I believe the main point of this discussion is to discuss my new internship position at the Center for American Progress (CAP)! Through a whirlwind process I was interviewed and accepted an internship position within a week.  According to CAP’s website the organization, “is an independent nonpartisan educational institute dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action.” I will be in a part of the center known as the “war room.”  My task will be focused around communication and research. I am so looking forward to sharing more about the internship. Who knew I would get two experiences s out of one semester!?  Today was the first day and it was super exciting and overwhelming at the same time. I do not mean overwhelming in a bad way. I just want to help out with so many things, it is wonderfully overwhelming. I am looking forward to the future!

Through unforeseen events I was able to attend the White House Garden Tour this past weekend.  I often visit the White House during lunch breaks, as it is close to my old and new internship. However, on Sunday I was to go behind the gate and tour the White House grounds!  It felt surreal; walking where you know so many past presidents have walked before.  I was able to see Sasha and Malia’s swing set, the White House vegetable garden, the White House beehive, and just be really close to the White House in general.  Although I did not see the First Lady or First dog, I am still extremely happy with my experience, 

Unforeseeable events occur, and it is our attitudes that will create the experiences we gain.  I had no idea that I would be able to pursue a different internship. The moral of these past few weeks has been to stay patient, optimistic, and willing.  It is understandable how easy it can be to give in to pessimistic behavior and negative thoughts, but attitude is completely everything.  I would not have predicted that the importance of a good attitude would be something I gained in DC. I believe the best attitude is careful blend of realism, optimism, and patience. To this point that attitude has done wonders for me.

In an effort to attend more events in D.C I attended a foreign
policy panel series put on by the World Affairs Council. The topic of the talk was, “The Future of Puerto Rico: Statehood, Status Quo, or Independence? “  Speakers Included:  Manuel Rivera, Jeffrey L. Farrow, Juan Dalmau Ramirez, and moderator Phillip C. French.
All of the speakers were highly reputable, and were both intelligent and informative regarding their opinion on the subject at hand. Additionally, the event brought about some personal reflection of my own culture and experiences.

Truthfully, I am not as well informed about the status of Puerto Rico as I should be.  Juan Dalmau Ramirez spoke first. He is an attorney, as well as candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico. He stressed that 54% of Puerto Rican registered voters rejected Puerto Rico’s territorial status, asserting there is, “no consent by the governed.” He was a strong spoken leader and I was interested in his points.

The next speaker was Jeffrey L. Farrow, a consultant on government affairs in Washington D.C. and chairman of the Oliver Group Inc. He formerly worked for the Clinton administration, serving as principle coordinator of policy concerning Puerto Rico until 2001. Personally, I thought he was the most informed of the three speakers. His proficiency in history and policy seemed to exceed the others.  I believe this is due to his professional experiences in D.C. some interesting points in discussion included: 

 -The history of Puerto Rico and its territorial status.

-The current unequal treatment of Puerto Rico 

-His personal experiences regarding the issue

A lasting sentiment of his discussion asserted that Puerto Rico is a possession and not a part of
 the United States. That statement woke me up regarding the seriousness of the
issue

The last speaker was attorney Manuel Rivera. He stressed the negative effects that America has had on Puerto Rico’s economy and infrastructure.  Attorney Rivera was very informed with statistics, and humor. He made some interesting points to contribute to the discussion, but it was clear he thought the affect America has
had on Puerto Rico has ben detrimental. Furthermore,  he contributed to the discussion by citing that “colonialism is a business." This statement further increased the spirit of the discussion, and brought up some
interesting questions.

So, for what reasons (besides going to DC event on an interesting topic) did I attend?   My ethnicity has something to do it. My father is a hundred percent Italian and my mother is a hundred percent Puerto Rican.  My mother has made the honest effort to immerse her children in her culture. I confess I am not fluent in Spanish, but I  believe  my culture goes so much beyond that. This event was a  personal effort to increase my awareness of Puerto Rico, currently and beyond. I value my culture, and want to preserve what I know. A fear of mine is not being able to pass on my culture. My grandparents are one hundred percent, off the boat , true Puerto Ricans. I
love them and never want to lose their traditions and culture. Without be too cheesy, I will say that I will always be proud to be Boricua.  Events like this one help enhance my  knowledge.

Overall, the event was engaging, important, and worthwhile. I was happy to attend!

On a completely separate note,  the government is no longer shut down and I went to the National Zoo! Enjoy my lovely picture of a cheetah.


 

Informational interviews are invaluable experiences that aid you in the direction of your desired professional career. As a student, I have learned some of the most useful advice in my undergraduate
career during an informational interview. I would like to take you through a total of fifteen informational interview questions that I have personally asked and received solid and worthwhile feedback, along with some helpful advice and commentary regarding my
experiences. The key to the informational interview is to not waste your interviewee’s time, while simultaneously making them most of
yours.

Sometimes the hardest part is finding someone to interview.  Reach out to your professors, supervisors, or your school’s alumni office to find someone in the field you are interested in. When contact information is obtained, email said person in a short and succinct email expressing your interest in an informational interview.
Your contact will decide if the interview will take place in person or over the phone.  Personally, I believe it is best to conduct an informational interview in person, but if they can only do it
over the phone, accept it!  This week I enjoyed some espresso at a lovely little coffee shop, as shown in my picture. Conducting an informational interview over coffee can create a comfortable and conversational environment.

When conducting your interview Start with the technical questions, Note. Do not ask what the title is for your
interview if that information is readily available. Do your research!  Think of it like stalking someone on Facebook, but this time it is actually worth your time and more socially  acceptable. You want to come off as knowledgeable, if you have no idea who this person is; you are both wasting each other’s time. 
Your first questions should sound something like these:

1.  How did this job come to your attention, and why did you wish to pursue it?
2. What precisely do you do? What are the duties/functions/responsibilities of your job?
3.What is a typical day like?  What are your normal hours?
4. How does your time use vary? Are there busy and slow times?
5. What are the educational requirements for this job?
6. What kind of work/internship experience would employers look for in a job applicant?

These first questions will give you a very solid foundation of knowledge surrounding the person you are interviewing. From here slightly more detailed and personal can be asked. The subsequent questions are where the really memorable moments of your interview will l stem from. They include:

7.  What do you like the most/least about your job?
8. What do you wish you'd known before you entered this field?
9. Could you call your most rewarding or favorite memory in your career?
10.  Where do you see yourself professionally in the future?
11.  What advice do you have for a student aiming for a career in this field?

These questions will make your interviewee think a little harder. In my experience the individuals start reflecting the more they answer the question.  You may have asked a question that even your interview didn’t know the answer to. It is a natural tendency to want to talk about yourself, and these questions really
encourage that.  I have had some really memorable experience with questions number nine and ten. When I asked question nine to the Directorof Special Events at American Cancer Society, she answered back with such a heartfelt, personal story, that I started  tearing up, over the phone. It was a heartfelt interview. Question number ten, I asked to a congressional staffer. She hesitated a moment before she answered, then went on to state how a career instantly popped into her mind of working with a Political Action Committee. She had been thinking about it for a while but, when she talked about that possibility a new awoken passion was in her eyes. (I think I inspired her next career move) But actually, these questions are sometimes a learning experience for both partiesinvolved.

The final round of questions I like to put a mix of both practical and fun questions to wrap things up. They
are:

12. What entry level positions are there in this field that a recent graduate might consider?
13. What do you wish you had known before you entered this career?
14. What is your favorite way of networking?
15. Do you know of other people whom I might talk to in this area of interest?

Some of the questions you may want to ask I have not listed.  Listen attentively to your interviewee,
the best questions you will come up with will be a product of the answers you receive. Consider these bonus
questions!

Another note that I would like to make about informational interviews is that they do not always have to be
formal.  Most of the informational interviews I have conducted have been spontaneous.  You naturally will come across people that you find interesting and want to learn more about.  

When you wrap things up with your interview be super and genuinely thankful. This person gave up precious moments of their life to talk to you. What you will hopefully find is that these people are more than
not, willing to help you. You have nothing to lose, only to gain.

When I look back at my experience in Washington DC I
will proudly be able to say that I lived here in a historical time (not exactly the best of times) but still a very historical and culturally significant time. I am alluding to the events that occurred on Tuesday September, 24 -the day that the government shut down. Although the last government shutdown did not occur that terribly long time ago, it is still very substantial. Being in DC during this time has given me a very interesting perspective. I would like to share my observations of the government through the lens of a student and citizen, specifically, a non-federal employee living in the DC area.  Looking back at my time here I want to be able to remember my thoughts and experiences regarding this not so great, but still thought-provoking
event.

First, I would like to share that a week before the shutdown I was confident in predicting that our government leaders would not turn their back to the American people. Therefore, a government shutdown would not occur. However, the night before the event, pessimism set in and I was convinced the government would in fact shut down. I personally blame party polarization and immature leaders with a personal agenda. When the shutdown officially happened I definitely was not sure what exactly was going to follow immediately.  I soon learned that federal employees would be deemed essential or non-essential and many would be furloughed.  On a personal level, I acknowledge that the shutdown has not (or at least not yet) directly affected me. Thankfully, the only inconvenience I have had to cope with is the inability to attend the National Zoo.  Despite the lack the shutdown affects me, I am still upset about it. I am truly concerned for those who are being negatively impacted financially.

 The commentary surrounding the shutdown hs proven especcialy fascinating. It has been very interesting to not only hear the perspectives of my classmates regarding the shutdown, but also friends and family from around the U.S. When people hear the word “shut down” I imagine people think that DC is in blackout mode, the streets are deserted, and there are tumbleweeds rolling down Pennsylvania Ave.  I understand how his experience can be confusing.  I myself am still trying to figure out the entire scope of the situation. If people here in America are considerably confused I cannot imagine what people in other countries are thinking. The misconceptions regarding the shutdown are only furthering anger towards the government.  Some transparency and clarity need to be rectified in this situation, at least for the American people

The whole process of the government shutting down has been pretty disenchanting for me, especially as a Millennial. If the government was having a hard time keeping in touch with young people before, a bunch of old men bickering over American's livelihood have definitely not improved that relationship. As someone who is interested in campaigns I can only imagine what tactics campaign managers are going to use to convince the American people to vote for their candidate again. Recently, I inquired to a congressional staffer (that I have the privilege to correspond with) of her opinions on the shutdown. She was extremely frank, asserting that that this was in no way acceptable behavior by the U.S. government. She herself was deemed non-essential and predicted that this could be over the 17th, when Congress has to deal with the debtceiling. I admired her frankness, but her apparent disappointment and frustrations were definitely a hard thing to hear form such an insider.

So as I write this while watching the sun  set over the pentagon,  I can only imagine what is to
come next. I hope that there will soon be resolve. I feel as though the American people are frustrated,
and I know that my generation, the millennials, will not soon forget the dysfunction and
detached relationship we currently have with ourgovernment.