Nation's capital a hotbed of politics and potatoes

SUMMER is finally here! Summer is something I'm sure any high school student would be looking forward to. It might mean a time for friends, travel or even jobs and internships. For me, my summer would've meant summer school and a job at Jamba Juice. At least, that's what I intended to do. Who would've thought that my first job would be in our nation's capital, working with some of the most powerful and influential people in the world? Certainly not me.

When I first heard of the internship, it sounded like something of my interest, especially since I'm involved in the Secondary Student Conference, Student Government and mock trial. Experiencing something like this would give me an in-depth look as to what our government does inside and out. I figured it wouldn't hurt to try out, so I called Congressman Neil Abercrombie's office for an application.

I never would've thought that I would be the one to receive such a prestigious opportunity. It was during my history class when I found out I got the internship. I was in shock, speechless if you will. I never really thought I'd get it, but I'm glad I did.

When I get to D.C. this Saturday, I plan on eating and breathing everything D.C. has to offer: its culture, museums and its pace of life. I'm looking forward to just being there. I can't wait to meet new people from all across the nation and earning a first-hand account of how our government works. I have always felt strongly about our government: the laws, court cases, especially those that affect our little state of Hawaii. In class, I'm known to debate issues regarding our school, laws or even our way of life here in Hawaii. People always ask me if I'm into politics as a career, but my answers is always "no," ironically enough. Maybe this experience will help me choose my path for college and beyond.

When I get there, I know I might be the only Asian, the shortest among all the 16-year-olds (I'm only 4-foot-11, almost there), and there will be very little rice. When the thought of me staying in D.C. finally sank in, I realized that I'd have to live off mashed potatoes and corn for three weeks! It was to a point where I even asked my mom if I could bring a rice cooker with me. As a full-fledged Filipino, rice is a must; whether it be for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even dessert. I know that will be one thing I'll most definitely miss.

As for my actual job at the Capitol, I'll be running errands, taking messages for representatives and delivering legislative material during each house session. I'll begin and end work at the same time as all the congressmen and women. During the weekends, our supervisors have scheduled tours, theme park visits and baseball games. So there is a good balance of work and play.

Well, that's all I have for this week. The next time I write, I'll be back from Washington to report on what I did and who I met. Until then, aloha!

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