Kelly Jauregui

catching up!

So it's been a while.  Time really does fly .  Anyway, this summer has been pretty amazing for me.  I attribute it mostly to luck and Wellesley.  As I mentioned in my previous post, I was lucky enough to go to San Diego for NCLR's (where I intern) annual conference.  Needless to say it was a great experience.  The hours were crazy, I was running around from early morning to late evening every day, but it was totally worth it.  Both Obama and McCain spoke at our conference, and being the political groupie that I am,  I made my way up to the stage and shook their hands.  I also got to work on a panel that was related to the research and writing I've been doing for my internship. It was pretty great to meet panelists who had written the reports I've come to know so well over the last 9 weeks.  I didn't get to see a lot of San Diego, but I did get to visit the beach at night with a friend and recent Wellesley grad.

I saw Obama again in DC accidentally.  I was walking around NCLR headquarters for lunch and I saw a small crowd forming around the entrance of a hotel. There were dark SUVs and guys in suits (secret service of course). Turns out, it was Obama who was at the hotel for one of those top secret meetings he's been having lately.  I stuck around and was able to get a few shots of him:

You've got to love DC!

I spent the last few weeks of my internship buckling down and trying to finish my literature review.  I enjoyed my work so much that I am now trying to continue my research as an independent study when I get back to Wellesley.  Last but not least, I finally got to meet Hillary. Her office was able to schedule a brief meeting/photo opp with Wellesley in Washington.  We have received the picture, but haven't gotten it in an email so I can't post it as of now :(. 

I am currently home catching up with family and friends, trying to prepare things for the upcoming year and getting ready to head back. I'll post again tomorrow.

Best,
Kelly

Hillary Clinton

Hello all,

So just as a disclaimer: the political views described here are in no way representative of the Wellesley student body. We are a diverse crowd, and our political views are just as diverse as we are.

That said, I'm a big, big fan of Hillary Clinton. As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm lucky enough to be in DC during a very historic election season. A couple of the other Wellesley interns and I decided to attend Hillary's campaign suspension and Obama endorsement speech a couple of weeks ago.   Most of us were strong Hillary supporters, some were just coming along because--well, it was a pretty important moment-so why not? So we lined up outside the building in the hot, hot sun for about an hour.  As we made our way inside we realized we wouldn't be able to find a good spot to stand. We walked all over the building and couldn't even find a spot where we could see the podium.  We ended up getting a spot on a staircase with a great side view of the podium. Of course, security guards let us know (the were quite a few people there), that it was unlikely we'd be allowed to stand there because of fire hazard/safety reasons.  Well, the crowd wasn't very responsive, so the security guy said he'd try to figure something out. He came back and told us to follow him, that we would like where he was taking us.  We ended up sitting on the bleachers right behind Hillary and being all over national TV. It was great! The speech was absolutely amazing and moving, and it meant a lot for me to be there with fellow Wellesley women.  By the end of the speech, even the "nonbelievers" admitted being very proud of her.

You know how news stations frequently include shots of the audience? Well, for obvious reasons, it was a sad day for Hillary supporters, and it was a touching speech. Angeles, my roommate, was tearing up. All of us looked really sad. There is this great shot of all of us, its about 5 seconds long, with the most depressed looks on our faces! It's pretty funny considering it was at the exact moment Hillary was discussing what her candidacy meant for young women.  Switch to shot of Wellesley women. How appropriate.

A bunch of us got phone calls during and after the speech--"I swore I just saw you on TV!"  But see, it gets even better...

After the speech, the Clintons came down from the stage to greet supporters. Of course, everyone rushed and it was impossible to even come close. Well, a bunch of us decided to go around (there were railings that separated them from the crowds). We found an opening along the railing and realized that it was right by the exit/entrance to the stage. All of a sudden, Chelsea Clinton is right in front of me! I was totally shocked and didn't even know what to say. I just said I was really proud of her mother, and asked her for a picture! Shortly after, I spot Bill making his way towards me while greeting people.  I get super, super nervous! The cell phone is ready to go for a picture. As he inches closer, I'm listening to people chat and ask him for pictures and autographs. He signs, but pretty much ignores picture requests. As he gets to me, I shake his hand of course. Tell him that we're really proud of Hillary, that we are all from Wellesley  He says thank you, and goes out of his way to shake everyone's hand. I take advantage and ask for a picture. And yes, I get one:

Pretty much one of my best days ever! I love DC.

Summer in DC

Hello all, it's been quite a while.  I'm writing to you from Washington, DC, where I'll be living and interning through August 1.  I got into Wellesley in Washington, a ten-week program that provides a stipend, housing, and programming for an unpaid internship in DC.  You find your own internship, but the director of the program helps you.

I had a hard time getting an internship.  DC is like the intern capital in the summer, and the fields I was interested in were highly competitive.  I was looking for something in public policy-something you typically study as a grad student.  I had a couple of interviews with various nonprofits, and they all said the same thing: blah blah, so many qualified applicants, blah blah, we gave it to someone with a master's degree.  After a couple of rejections, I decided to turn up the search and email a couple of alums in DC.  I was able to secure an internship through the help of two alums (I'm telling you-- the W network!).  I am working at the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S.  I'm really excited to be here, it's an organization whose work I feel really passionate about. They're incredibly influential and do a lot of important stuff. I am lucky enough to be interning for two distinct departments on a joint project --the public policy dept and the Institute for Hispanic Health. I am working on disaster relief and emergency preparedness, where we examine the treatment of Latinos in the aftermath of various disasters (san diego wildfires, katrina, 9/11). 

So far, I've been having a really good time in DC.  It's my first time here, so I still get super excited when I see someone I recognize.  On one of my first few days here, I got to see Dick Cheney in a limo leaving the White House in a motorcade surrounded by police.

DC is truly THE place to be if you're interested in politics or government. I was sure that I would move back home and work in New York after graduation, but now I'm seriously considering expanding the job search to include DC.

On the downside, I've learned that wearing a suit to work is not as exciting as it was the first few days... especially when you walk to work because its not far enough to take the metro and its like 95 degrees and humid outside.

Not a very flattering shot, but here's Wellesley in Washington on our first night out!

at the White House right after I saw Dick Cheney!

leave comments!

<3,                                                                                                                                                           Kelly                                                                     

from the trenches...

I spent Friday night in the student center working on a paper.  I spent all day going to meetings on working on another paper. I am spending all day today going to meetings and working on a paper.  I will have no life until this Wednesday. 

One of the awful things about college is that work comes in bunches.  This is the last week of class at Wellesley, so almost every class has something due.  Tomorrow I have a final copy of a 6-8 page paper on Jeremy Bentham and Edmund Burke's political philosophy.  I have to read for my Roman Law class.  I have a 20-30 page group paper due for my Public Policy class, which is actually way more stressful than just writing a paper on your own.  Its hard to organize who will work on what and how we'll put it all together.  The paper is written, but it needs some hardcore editing.   We have to present on our paper in class. We also have two small papers (2-3 pages) due tomorrow.  For Tuesday I have to read a book and write a short paper as well. 

Everyone has a  "hell week."  I hadn't had one all semester, so I guess I'm paying the price now.  I always hate to list all that I have to do. It makes it seem almost impossible.  Somehow, it always gets done. One step at a time...

One the brighter side.. I have the Tri-Society Formal on Saturday. On Wednesday, I'll do some last minute dress shopping at the mall. I'm a big fan of retail therapy. Looking forward to a little break before finals.

Ciao!

this week at Wellesley...

Hello all,

This week was spring week at Wellesley.  It was kicked off with Marathon Monday.  The Boston Marathon comes right onto rt. 135 in front of the college. Every year, Wellesley students line up along the road holding posters ("Kiss me!") and cheer on the runners. This section of the marathon is unofficially called  the scream tunnel, since runners can hear us cheering and yelling from miles away.  It's probably my favorite day of the spring semester, if not of the year.  This year, Phi Sigma, the lecture society I'm a part off, met early Monday morning for breakfast and poster making.  We walked over to support on of our members who was running the marathon.  I am in total awe of the runners, I can barely make it up steep hills without gasping for air. My favorite runner, aside from my fellow Phi Sigger was a man who had "I married a Wellesley woman" written across his shirt :).  Lance Armstrong also ran the marathon (super hot).

phi siggers:

me in all my gear (check out the shirt!)

Thursday Sean Kingston gave a concert at Wellesley.  He was actually pretty awful. He had no stage presence, did a horrible job of getting the crowd excited, and sang backup to recordings of his own song.  Nevertheless, my friends and I had a great time jumping around and dancing to the music. 

Friday night was BLOCK party, a huge Wellesley party that takes place on Tupelo Lane by all of the society houses.  I went to a concert in the pub, but was feeling pretty tired so I decided not to go. I called it an early night.

La Chusma, playing at the pub

 

Yesterday was Phi Sigma Initiation. In case you're wondering what Phi Sigma is exactly..click here Phi Sigma.  Initiation is pretty top secret, so I can't spill the details, but it was lots of bonding and tons of fun.  Unfortunately, now I'm feeling even worse than before.

My initiate class -the Seven Wonders. (Our seventh member is abroad this semester :( )

April really is such a busy time at Wellesley. The sun comes out, orgs have tons of events, Wellesley has tons of events, and its pretty much my favorite time of year.  With such a busy week, you can imagine that it was a struggle to get my work done.  The end of semester is approaching and I'm starting to feel the heat.  My next few posts are probably not going to be tales of good times.. but tales from the trenches in the library..

Take care!

Latina Cultural Show

  Sorry for the delay. I have not any time to myself since before spring break. I came back from Peru with tons of work to catch up on.  The following weekend I drove home for a day to surprise my best friend for her 21st birthday. This past weekend was the Latina Cultural Show, so I spent most of the weekend rehearsing in Jewett Auditorium.

So April is Latina Month at Wellesley, a time to celebrate Latina heritage at Wellesley.  Mezcla, the latina org and Mared (the advisor to Latina students), work together to put on programming for the entire month.  This year we had Sal Castro, a teacher and leader during the Chicano blowouts in the 1960s.  We had a screening of Walkout, a documentary, followed by his lecture.  We've also had other movie screenings, a tour of Latin American art in the Davis Museum, and of course, the Latina Cultural Show.  The show is combination of art, poetry, song, and dance.  It takes tons of time and effort but holds a very special place in the hearts of those who participate. Its a time to showcase our culture, celebrate our heritage, and of course to spend some quality time with amazing Wellesley Latinas.  Latin American culture is rich and varied, and its always a challenge to represent different aspects of our culture. This year's dances ranged from sevillanas, flamenco, rumba, mexican folkloric, to reggaeton. 

I danced in  NYC Subway, a mix of reggaeton, salsa, and merengue.  The choreography included something I hadn't attempted to do in several years, a split.  At one of the early rehearsals, we wanted to do something dramatic, lia drop. One of the other girls said she could do a split, and then eveyrone looked at me. I used to be able to do a split, so I gave it a try. I was able to do it, but not without splitting my pants in the process.  After that hysterical and traumatic event (thank god it was just us girls), I had this crazy fear of splitting my pants. Thankfully it never happened again, and the show went really well (my split included).  I have tons of pictures, and there are videos on youtube, just type in latina cultural show wellesley college. 

Next for latina month is a Latino Men's Panel hosted by the SHE's (Sexual Health Educators).  This event will be a safespace (everything discussed is absolutely confidential).  It's a chance for all attendees to ask a panel of Latino men absolutely anything about sexuality and relationships.  It should definitely be fun since a few of the panelists are friends of mine.  Questions are submitted anonymously, (on a piece of paper), I already warned them that the most embarrassing questions would definitely come from me. :)

setting up:

Krystal pointing at the Puerto Rican sneakers in the mural:

Sevillanas:

NYC Subway(im in the yellow R shirt)

a bit blurry, but you could see the splits:

leave comments,

Kelly

Peruvian Tales

  Hi all and welcome. I'm lucky enough to have lots to tell you guys about. I just spent a week in Peru, funded by the wonderful and generous CWS. 

      After a semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain, my roommate and I had developed a serious case of wanderlust.  We decided our next destination would be Latin America.  We searched online for (affordable) volunteer programs and found Tinkuy Peru, a volunteer program that works with impoverished children in Huancayo, Peru.  Sara (my roommate), my friend Julia, and I were all awarded a community service travel grant to cover the costs of travel, room, and board.  I had a hectic few weeks, so I barely had any time to mentally prepare before my trip. Finished everything for the prespring break rush and BAM I'm on a plane. 

            We arrived in Lima, Peru really late on Friday night. We were picked up and taken to the hostel, and got to see a lot of the city during our drive.  I love the feeling you get when you first get into a city. You're taking everything in, a new place, with new sounds. Every place has a personality. It's so exciting to try to figure it out.

Julia and Sara's excitement 

Anyway, the hostel had an awesome bar, but of course we were exhausted. We had a PISCO sour, a famous Peruvian cocktail and went to bed.  The next morning we had to try to figure out the bus to Huancayo, Peru.  We got our things in order and had some time to walk around Miraflores. It was great to feel the sunshine and soak in the little bit of the city we could. Our bus ride was amazing.  We were on the most comfortable bus I’ve ever been on. Good thing too, because the windy drive up and down mountains can make for pretty bad nausea and altitude sickness.  After about half an hour, I took a Dramamine pill and passed out.  I spent eight hours dozing in and out, waking up, seeing something absolutely beautiful outside, snapping a picture, and passing out again.  The ride was pretty scary. If you took a curve on a narrow road, it almost seemed as though you're hanging off of a cliff, like there was nothing beneath you.

one of the sleepy snapshots:

In Huancayo we were greeted by Tino and his wonderful family.  Tino is the director of the program and a world famous weaver.  He makes amazing tapestries - google him.  His family was incredibly sweet and helpful. They went out of there way, really. Tino and his wife Mari took us all over Huancayo, hiking, sight seeing, parks. Tino also taught weaving classes to volunteers who were interested.  He also took us to his favorite restaurants and hang outs.

The family:

Huancayo,the province, is absolutely beautiful. Full of mountains, hills, and running water, there was almost always something breathtaking to look at. 

            Teaching was definitely a learning experience for us.  Tinkuy Peru has its own school, the mountain school, where children are taught solely by volunteers.  It's not a regular school, but is supplementary to their regular schooling.  The children are preselected by Tino, but contrary to what that usually means, Tino selects neediest children in the area.  One our first day, Sara and I were taken to a public school to teach an English class. Tino had been asked to setup the class, and it was unrelated to the Tinkuy Peru's regular commitments. 

            In the public school, we had our own classroom.  It was your typical classroom with chalkboards and little desks.  The mountain school was currently being held at one of the parents’ house.  The program had problems with the owners of the original location, and is currently trying to build their own school.  The mountain school was held in makeshift classrooms with round tables and lots of distractions.  It was so frustrating to try to keep the kids’ focused on lessons.  The classroom setup seemed to have such a big impact.  We were way more successful at this in the public school.

            The kids’ different levels also made this challenging. If you were teaching something a few of the students knew, they’d get bored and try to entertain themselves by bugging other students.

            Teaching was exhilarating and frustrating.  We had few resources. We were given total independence as to how and what we wanted to teach.  This was great, but really frightening too. We had no idea what level the kids were on, so the first day was kind of crazy. We had to try to figure out levels, which of course were varied, and try to figure out what was appropriate to teach.    It was definitely a lesson on thinking on your feet.

            The teaching experience gave me such mixed emotions.  Mari gave us a tour of the neighborhood where most of the children were from. It was absolutely saddening; not only because of poverty, but because of the effect it had on the children’s lives.  Most students had to work to help their families, were punished for going to school, had an absentee parent, and had 5 or more siblings.

            The kids were really affectionate. They’d be waiting outside the school for us, run up and surround us for kisses and hugs. After class, we’d play outside, and they’d literally be hanging off of us.  We knew how hard these kids had it at home, so it was really hard to bring ourselves to discipline them in any significant way.  Some kids were painfully shy.  For a few of them, it seemed like it was the first time they had received any direct attention. In the classroom, I tried my best to single students out, remember their names, and praise their accomplishments. Sometimes I’d call on a student, ask them a question, or just look at them, and they seemed absolutely taken aback by the attention.

playing with one of the students:

girl with her grandma:

children's neighborhood:

            

With my kids at the public school:

i love this picture! boys at the public school:

playing outside the mountain school:

great shot of a boy across from the school:

 

Sara, Julia, and I spent a lot of time reflecting on our day to day experiences.  The trip gave us great exposure, gave us a broader perspective of the world, and definitely brought up a lot of questions.  I know that for me, it deepened my commitment to equality and social justice. The easy part is recognizing the problems; the hard part is trying to figure out how to be a part of the solution.

            We were sad to leave. On our last night, Tino took us to a discoteca or club where we were definitely in the limelight. There was a live band that kept calling us out onto the dance floor because we were the girls from Los Estados Unidos.  We were pretty popular. One guy I danced with asked me if my heart belonged to anyone, and proceeded to tell me that he was a player for the national Peruvian soccer team. Of course he was.

            I feel like i saw and did so much that I’m just beginning to process it all.  Maybe I’ll post more later on. For now, I should get back to reading for Roman Law.

Kel

Spring Break in Peru...

My blog will start upon my return from Spring Break in April.  See you then!