In the Right Place at the Right Time: A Journey of Faith and Opportunity in Washington, DC
When arriving in Washington, DC I was overwhelmed in the best way, I knew this was the Lord's plan for me. Going back to before arriving to DC I put this internship into prayer, when I learned I was accepted I asked for the Lord to bless and guide all the conversations I would have for it to be fruitful and with genuine intentions.
Robert, Ilda, and Itzia picked Luz and I up from the airport with a warm welcoming hug and smile. As Robert drove us around, he was giving us a mini history tour of the buildings we were seeing, this helped give us a head start to the many things we would encounter. I had an immense feeling of gratitude. Landing in the Capital of the United States and staying for more than a month is a blessing and I have the mindset to learn as much as I can to apply it to my life and any community, I form a part of. Once I settled in the hotel where most of the NMSHSA team was staying, it was time to face my only fear in DC, the metro. Yes, public transportation scares me since I got lost on the city bus when I was visiting Quebec, Canada. I got on the metro with Ilda and Luz for the first time, and I was less scared but still tense, I could not even imagine myself alone.
The second time I had to take the metro on my own since I was on a mission to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception, I was proud of myself because I made it there smoothly, yay! After I visited Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress, the National Mall, so many museums like the National Gallery of Art, 3 other churches and many delicious cafes, the Dora the Exploradora in me is happy to have visited these places. Moreover, when meeting DC professionals at the Public Policy Forum, UnidosUS, and Capitol Hill on our visits, I felt proud of all of them because of how far they have made it in their careers. Since I admire their servant leadership style and their determination, I was reminded I was in the right place at the right time.