Chillaxin' in DC

I really don’t even know where to start. It’s been a while so I’ve got some backtracking to do….hmmm….let’s see. Last week was pretty interesting, and really busy. I had something going on every night, including a visit to the “World MBA Tour,” a bunch of super good business schools soliciting themselves. I’m not gonna lie, I really don’t even know if I want to get an MBA in the future, but going definitely didn’t hurt. I felt a little out of my league considering most people there were a bit older with about 5 years of experience under their belts and some clear(er) goals than little ol’ me, but it was still pretty cool. By the time I got around to the last school’s booth I was exaggerating a little and telling them I had 2 years of work experience. Sad I know, but seriously, being honest was awkward seeing as I don’t even have my undergraduate yet. Hopefully none of them read this blog…if they do, my bad. Anyways, I got some really good info, and met some admissions directors for some pretty cool schools. Lots of them were awesome and gave me their business cards and told me to email them when I was ready to apply. Who knows what may happen…

I also helped out the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at a mixer they had for their members. I sat at the registration with another girl and signed people in, which meant I pretty much got to meet everyone. There were some really great people, all from completely different backgrounds and fields. Oh, and it was catered by the best food I’ve had since I’ve been here, El Tamarindo. Make a note of it, because honestly, it’s a jem. They even had Pupusas…and for those of you that haven’t them, you’re missing out. Anyways, it was held in the upstairs of the PNC bank, which is literally right across from the Treasury building. The view was amazing, and it was a beautiful building. It’s the one where Pelican Brief was filmed (good ol’ Julia Roberts).

Last week I started up my civic engagement at the HI hostel. My first orientation was tagging along on a Georgetown tour which was great. We saw an apartment building where JFK used to live (very cool), Georgetown University (beautiful), and the stairs from The Exorcist (creepy). I finished my training up this week by helping out a pizza night. It was super easy, and a lot of fun. I’ve already met a ton of cool people by helping out, so I have no doubt it will continue to be a good time. I think the first event that I actually run myself will be sometime this coming week or the following.

My internship is still going really good. A few days ago I had a VERY long day, and spent the entire time in the office translating Mexican customs law for an American business man wanting to open a Maquiladora in Mexico. It was really hard work, and very time/mind consuming, but I definitely learned a lot. I also had some authentic Mexican food at the embassy yesterday…every week a Mexican lady comes in with a different menu just for the embassy staff. It was amazing!

We had programming with TWC again this past Monday, but our morning was cancelled due to a “MEGAstorm.” Seriously, on the news they called it a megastorm. Being from Calgary I found this really funny considering it was only an inch or two of snow, and about -15 celcius (at the coldest). If that was a snow day in Calgary, the whole city would be shut down for 4 months of the year. Of course, it only lasted one day (if that) and then it was all melted, but it was definitely an entertaining day. The afternoon wasn’t cancelled, and TWC held a career bootcamp for the students. It was a good afternoon, and I took in a session about applying for law school, and another about resumes. My class also continued as usual, and as always, was really interesting. We talked specifically about free trade agreements and how they work/what they aim for. Everything seems to tie in perfectly to my internship so I really feel like all the different aspects of the program are helping me understand all the rest (if that makes sense).

Also last week a bunch of the international students at TWC met with some interns/associates of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of Foreign Affairs. They pretty much kept it simple and introduced everything very quickly, opening the floor for questions. Everyone asked some really good questions, and we basically got the heads up on the committee’s ranking member’s views on a whole bunch of subjects. Some of the most talked about were the Merida Initiative, and the drug war in Mexico. One of the other Canadian students asked them specifically about their discussions on Canada….the answer was very honest with the guy telling us that Canada has pretty much been on the backburner for the last few years, but they are making an effort to give us a little more attention. I’m not gonna lie, it stings that they seem to forget about us, but at the same time, I definitely understand that there are some pretty important issues that need immediate attention happening elsewhere in the hemisphere. Also, I really appreciate the blunt answer, which is pretty hard (if not impossible) to find here in DC. People tend to beat around the bush and keep everything politically correct. Come on people, this is why things are so difficult to accomplish.

Enjoying the White House with my brother Cliff and amigo Jason

Surprisingly we got this in just one shot...impressive I know

My brother and friend came in for a visit last Saturday and have been staying with me all week. There’s been a few (actually many) happy hours involved, and its been a great time. Tomorrow some friends from South Carolina arrive for their spring break so that should be entertaining as well. It seems as though a lot of people are taking up an interest in coming to visit, and I don’t blame them because DC continues to amaze me with its awesomeness.

Paz