Olivia Azuara
Internship Blog
During my internship I will be documenting weekly the experiences I have gone through. I will be filling you in on the excitement as well as the difficulties that I face and the many things thats I will be learning. By the end of my junior internship I hope to grow as a person and be able to use my experience from this in the future.
01
First Steps 4/20/15
The thought of getting an internship has been creeping on my mind since sophomore year. As junior year got closer I got more anxious and worried about not getting an internship that I wanted. I took action in researching places that I would be a good fit for and took great interest in interviewing with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez for our junior interview day.
Now that internship is finally a reality I couldn't be any happier. On may 11th, I will be interning with Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez in downtown San Diego with my mentor Francine Maigue. Lorena Gonzalez focuses on passing legislations that will positively impact not only the community, but the environment. I really connected to this office because of my strong interest in making a positive impact on the world by starting small.
I'm not exactly sure what my mentor will have me doing on the daily, but after having my interview with her and speaking to people who interned with her last year, I know that I will be doing meaningful work which I am very excited about. On the other hand, something I'm really nervous about is being around professionals that are experienced with what they work with while I am barely getting a glimpse of all this new information. I am also worried about getting to my internship site late one day. Since I will be driving on the freeway with all the traffic from people trying to go work I am scared that I will let my mentor down which is something I wouldn't want to face.
Through this experience I want to learn a little bit more about our community and the steps that are taken in order to approve a legislation. I am also excited to learn about myself and how I will face situations that I am not comfortable with. I am appreciative of having the chance to intern with this office and having this experience that I know will shape me and help me with future experiences.
Lorena Gonzalez and her team
02
Getting To Know My Mentor 5/4/15
With internship a week away and many unanswered questions I felt lots of excitement as well as uneasiness. Before leaving to internship I wanted to make sure I got all my questions answered to be as prepared and as confident as possible the first day. I decided to reach out to my mentor, Francine Maigue, to talk about the type of responsibilities I will be given, the overall work environment, my schedule, and a little bit more about her profession. After many emails sent back and forth we agreed to have an interview over the phone.
Since she is very busy she encouraged all of her new interns to interview her together. I took lead and sent out an email to the other 4 interns, but for one reason or another only Naidelyn and I were able to make it. We decided to split the amount of questions between the both of us, and made sure to base a couple of our questions on something specific that we are interested in getting out of this internship.
As I dialed the numbers on my phone I felt my stomach turning. When she finally answered I took time to introduce myself and thanked her once again for taking time our of her day to be present in our interview. She was very kind and detailed in answering all of my questions which helped ease my nerves.
The questions varried from "where will I be able to park," to "what can I do in advance to be ready for internship as soon as I arrive?" I also learned more about her position as a district director and what it takes to be successful in her career path. One of the main aspects she talked about was being passionate for assisting people since their main goal is to remove barriers in order to have people succeed. She also talked about the great amount of research one does in order to gain knowledge on the different problems that people are facing. Having this new information gave me an inside look on my intern position and what I will possibly be doing.
When asking her "what qualities does a good worker have, and what type of communication skills are needed for this career?," I was able to strongly connect. She mentioned how a lot of her work is very collaborative and someone who knows how to work in groups is a great strength to have. This made me appreciate High Tech High and how they prepare us to work well with others. She then talked about how good writers and public speakers are important factors. I can say that I have good communication skills, but would like to improve and get better. I am very interested in nursing and I know that a lot of communication between patients as well as colleagues will be necessary if I take that career path, and starting now will help me in the long run.
I benefited a lot from this interview and was also able to get important dates down through my schedule. I am glad that I was able to touch base with my mentor and begin forming a good relationship.
03
First Impressions 5/12/15
As my alarm wakes me up I pick up my phone and see the words "INTERNSHIP" in all CAPS. As I got ready and prepared my bag to leave the first day jitters hit me and the whole drive up to my internship I had butterflies in my stomach. Once I got there I was introduced to the whole team, given a tour of the office and was sat down along with the other interns to talk about our month together. While taking the tour of the office I could tell that it was going to be a calm environment, and because of how the offices were laid out and what Francine told me beforehand I could see how easily everyone was able to work together.
What striked me most about the workplace was how there are only 5 people that work closely for Lorena Gonzalez. This surprised me because aven after working there only for a few days I can tell the crazy amount of work that they have to do that includes so much detail. From what I have observed so far I can definitely tell my colleagues are dedicated and hard workers who barely take any days off to keep their constituents happy and make Lorena Gonzalez's schedule easier for not only her but the whole team.
I am very appreciative of the assignments that Francine has given us so far because it is meaningful work that helps out the team and isn't just stuff to keep us busy. On the very first day we were assigned to draft a press release for a Bill which was challenging since it's something new that I have never done before, but as I looked at examples of other bills and researched more into it I was able to accomplish it. This really stood out to me because they have the confidence needed in order to assign us important work and believe that it will have a good outcome.
I am really excited to take on even bigger responsibilities and start going to meetings that I am interested in such as the Human Relations Committee. I also can't wait to meet Lorena Gonzalez herself and staff her in a meeting writing all the details in order for her to attend the meeting, (which sounds easy but is harder than it looks.)
04
Growing Out of My Shell 5/15/15
This first week of internship has already been an amazing experience and can only imagine how the following weeks will continue to have an impact. It's a completely different routine that I am not used to, but definitely a good change.
Commuting is not as bad as I thought it was going to be because I am lucky enough to enter at 9:30am which gives me more time to sleep and not catch traffic in the mornings. Although, it is harder in the afternoons when I get out at 4:30pm with all the traffic when I just want to go home and relax. At the end of the day on Friday I was drained and felt like I needed to catch up on lots of sleep. Being the first week I can understand why I would feel like this, but hope I will get used to it and make it my NEW routine for the month.
There is many things that I have been prepared for in order for me to succeed during my internship. One of them being heavily researching different topics to have bits of knowledge and form my own thoughts. I can definitely say that Ms. Nuvia's biology class has prepared me to be comfortable approaching a subject I have never heard of and researching to understand it. The very first day of internship my mentor, Francine Maigue, gave me multiple tasks to work on. One of the tasks consisted of writing a press release for bill AB 504 which I knew nothing about. Formating it and writing it out was challenging enough, but once I began to research different ways of writing a press release for a bill and gaining all the information needed to understand the bill I caught on quickly and submitted my first draft successfully.
Along with how prepared I am, there are new skills that I need to develop throughout my time at this internship. On top of the work that we are assigned we are also in charge of answering phone calls. There are many constituents that are very passionate about something that Lorena Gonzalez is addressing whether they might or might not agree with it. This puts us in situations where we need the patience to talk to them in a respectful manner and tell them the correct information or simply ask for their contact info to follow up with them later.
This first week on the job was an eye opener and definitely made me come out of my comfort zone through the vague descriptions that my mentor gives me to work on something. Coming from a high school environment I am used to someone giving me specific detail on what needs to get done by when and how. Although, when I am given assignments at my internship there is a brief description as if I am familiar with the work already. This is challenging for me since I want to do it the right way without being too dependant on my mentor. I am comfortable enough to ask my mentor questions if I have any, but I would rather research it on my own first and figure it out, and I know approaching something so complex will help me in the future in many different ways.
Bittersweet
05
Internship Project 5/19/15
As I take on many different responsibilities during internship one of the main projects I will be working on is helping organize the Small Business Workshops and Resource Fair. When talking to my mentor I mentioned I wanted to improve my communication skills and help be a big part of organizing an important event.
As of right now I have been working with Aida, who is also part of the team, confirm the partnerships who will attend the fair and have been sending follow up emails to remind them the location, time, and date. I will also be going with Aida to the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce, where the fair will be located to look over the space and help organize the set up map for every business. As well as organizing the event I will be attending it which I am very excited about!
In order to make this project awesome I will need to be open minded, approachable, and a problem solver. I am excited to see how I will grow from taking on this project and learning how to communicate and work with adults in order to get things done the right way and on time.
I think I will need the most support from Aida, having her support will help me get things done to the best of my ability since I will be working very closely with her in specific. Having Francine's support is also very important to me because she is my mentor who I rely on. Francine is also the person who I get my drafts checked by after I ask my fellow interns to look over it and make sure it is professionally done and up to great standards.
Making phone calls to confirm the
attendance of event partners
06
Influencing My Future 5/22/15
Being apart of this internship has helped me learn what I want and what I don't want for my career and college path. Although I have willingly and enthusiastically accomplished each and every assignment to the best of my efforts, I know that I wouldn't be able to sit in a desk for continuous hours a day at a computer. I really want to be able to engage with different people on the daily which is one of the many reasons I am still very passionate about pursuing a career in nursing.
This experience has definitely helped me see the many different opportunities that I can take on for the future and has made me appreciate the amount of dedication that is involved. Working in a political setting has also changed my perspective on the types of work that is being done. Not only are they worrying about the current changes in legislation's, but are also constantly taking phone calls from their constituents to accommodate their needs and recognizing those in their district that have been succeeding.
I definitely respect the amounts of work that is getting accomplished at the office of Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and is something I wouldn't mind doing for another internship in the future.
07
Self Advocacy 5/26/15
As internship approached I was very nervous and one of the biggest reasons for these nerves was having to speak my ideas, questions, and comments to professionals. As the first week went by my colleagues really made me feel comfortable and apart of the team which made self advocating for myself easier.
Speaking up when I needed support or was not quite sure about something was not as hard for me as I thought it would be. I continuously asked questions to make sure I was on the right track and asked for examples in order to have a model to go off of. Most of the time I tried researching in order to answer my own questions so I could take charge of my own learning, but when I really needed it I used other resources such as my colleagues.
I have been following the advice on how to be an intern everyone remembers and do believe that it has helped me make good impressions on my colleagues. I want to continue follwing the many points that illistartes a good intern to not only show that I started strong, but that I also finished strong.
08
My Experience Through Pictures 5/29/15
 Certificate MadnessThis picture represents most of my first week at my internship. Through the many different tasks I was working on, many certificates were assigned in between. Although the first few days were difficult, once I got the hang of it I became a cert making machine! |  Divide and ConquerThis internship definitely required a lot of teamwork to make us work smarter and not harder. |  Field TripsTowards the beginning of my internship my fellow interns and I took field trips around the building to get to know our neighbors. I was also lucky enough to visit other assembly districts that were not located in the building. |
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 Group Selfie!During the second week of my internship my teacher Mr. Max visited me at my internship site. All the interns were able to engage in a conversation and share their experiences with him. |  Spreading The WordFrancine and I walked around 3rd Avenue talking to store owners to promote our Small Business Workshops and Resource Fair. |  Storage WarsApart from the many fun tasks that were assigned, we were also asked to perform not-so-exciting things such as clean up the storage room. |
 Eat, Internship, LoveDowntown had a wide variety of amazing food serving as a great break from my internship. |  Preparing For The Big EventI ensured all the signs were up and in appropriate areas for our event partners/attendees to easily find their way around. I also visited our event location twice before the event to plan accordingly. |  New FacesThroughout my internship I met many different people. Here I met the Mayor of Chula Vista, Mary Casillas Salas. |
 Internship ProjectHere I am standing in front of the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce where the Small Business Workshops & Resource Fair was held. |  Events and MeetingsFrancine encouraged us to attend events that sparked our interest to experience the different controversies going on and see the many different opportunities a government career offers. |  Via PhoneMany cold-calls were made that I can definitely say have improved my phone communication skills. |
 Internship CrewI couldn't have asked for better fellow interns. They are definitely one of the reasons why Internship has been so much fun and am so happy we were all able to have this amazing experience together. |  Out and AboutAs much as we are in the office we also have opportunities to go to events and meetings. Here I am with my mentor Francine Maigue presenting a resolution certificate to St. Paul's Plaza at their grand opening. |
09
POL Preperation 6/2/15
While working at my internship site I definitely saw many qualities in my colleagues that I would like to develop myself. A couple that really stood out to me was how self-assured and patient they all were. These two qualities caught my attention because I never really thought about how important they would be in order to be successful. They carried themselves in a way that made them stand out because they were confident in their ideas and were able to deal with things in a tranquil matter that then benefited their work in the long run.
Working at my internship site has definitely helped me learn a lot not only about myself, but about the working environment and adult world. Interning with the office of Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez has helped me become more open minded and has made me realize what I want from a career. This experience was definitely meaningful to my education and I am so fortunate to have had this opportunity.
Along with everything I learned I would also like to believe that I made a meaningful contribution at my internship. I constantly offered my help to all my colleagues and tried making things easier for them. I would never assume but I would take charge of my learning to figure something out by researching it or using other resources that would give me the answer instead of just asking mentor every little question.
The project that I brainstormed before even starting my internship did not become the project that I produced for the month. Although I already had a mapped out plan for the month, after the first week I realized a little bit more what the purpose of the office was and decided to take on a different project that would improve my communication and planning skills as well as help the constituents the way the office usually would. I really wanted to interact with different people and make a spectacular end product. After speaking to my mentor on what I had in mind and in what ways I wanted to grow she had me working with Aida who also worked in the office to help plan the Small Business Workshops & Resource Fair.
This internship opportunity really made me appreciate many things such as all the hard work that is put into certain careers not only during work hours but also out. I also never thought I would appreciate having one simple conversation with someone and having someone give me advice for when I am older and approach difficulties. Most of all I really appreciate High tech High and the amazing teachers that I was assigned for my junior year. I know that not every high school has this opportunity or teachers that really care about your success and knowing that Ms. Nuvia and Mr. Max prepared me well for internship makes me acknowledge the amazing school that I attend.
Teamwork
10
Successful Reality 6/5/15
Throughout my time at internship my main focal point was the project that I was producing with my colleague Aida. I helped to plan out the Small Business Workshops & Resource Fair and made sure everything went smoothly before, during and after the event. This project took a lot of my patience and really taught me how building relationships with people is a very important aspect to progress. To make this event successful lots had to be done beforehand. I had to make sure people were actually going to attend and were going to benefit from the experience, so I sent many follow up emails and made many phone calls in order to confirm the RSVPs of our event partners and walked in every business on third avenue and personally invited them to the event. In order to keep track of all the confirmed calls Aida and I made a color coded spreadsheet. I also visited the location of where the event was going to be and mentally mapped out the locations of each booth and where the signage of the 80th Assembly office would be put. Then, I made sure everything our office needed to take on the day of was checked off and in the car ready to go.
Once all the logistics were planned out and the day of the event finally arrived I made sure to post up all the signage at the correct places that we planned for and that our event partners were setting up at the correct locations. I also presented myself to the 3 presenters who were going to speak at the event in order to inform them I would be the one to keep track of the amount of time they were talking for and how long they had left and collect any brochures or flyers they wanted me to hand out for when they presented. I would also be the one who would deal with any technical difficulties with the PowerPoint as they presented.
After everything was prepared and the event ran smoothly I helped gather all the supplies to take back to the office and drafted letters of thank you not only to our event partners who helped make this event beneficial but to those who attended to gain valuable information.
This project was important to me because I wanted to be apart of an engaging project that improved my communication skills and planning skills. I also really wanted to get a different perspective of the office not only the paperwork that they produce but the different ways they approach issues to help their constituents to thrive.