From west to the east

My first experience to the District Of Columbia is one for the books. Once I heard I won the trip through the JAG program, my first thought was that my specialist was kidding, but no, it was true. I was going to D.C. for my very first time to do something outside my comfort zone; I was beyond excited. Although I was anxious in a good way to go, I couldn’t wait to get there and leave Moses Lake. It still felt like I was leaving a little piece of where I came from and heading to a new place.

It was cool to look down on the city lights, and the mountains were a sight to see. It was new to me when we landed at D.C. since the people were different in how they moved about in traffic. There were a lot of people from other countries there. The places we saw were outstanding. I enjoyed our night tour and seeing the Lincoln Memorial was just a “woah” moment for me, bigger than I imagined. The museums were the most interesting part of the tour. The stories behind them and the different histories that have happened in the U.S. were interesting.

In addition to sight-seeing, during the day we attended sessions and I met new friends, obtained advice and gathered future references. With this experience, it has opened my eyes into how others live. Many things from Moses aren’t much different from D.C., but D.C. is beyond different from Moses. Words cannot explain how grateful I am for this chance of a lifetime experience. Thank you JAG.

Jose Manzano

Moses Lake