10 Aug Daniella Castillo Vásquez – it’s a wrap!

These twelve weeks went by faster than I could have ever anticipated but they have been the most rewarding personally, but especially professionally. This internship taught me a lot about the workforce, introduced me to amazing people, and helped me develop new skills and improve existing ones, especially my writing. I learned about amazing places and even got to visit a few. Writing about these landscapes made me curious about what other gems are hiding in plain sight around me and in other places in the United States. I was extremely lucky to have received so much support through friends and family, but also through the Latino Heritage Internship Program, my peers both through LHIP and the OCLP Associates, my team members, and my amazing supervisors and other Olmsted Center staff, always available to answer any questions and ready to offer a word of encouragement.

The parks and their staff were also incredibly supportive and helpful when I was in the process of writing my profiles, which was a challenging task that required a lot of effort and time. The profiles taught me many things that ranged from improving my research skills, to constructing and following an outline, to communicating efficiently with co-workers. I became a better-rounded writer, a more confident public speaker, I learned to manage my time successfully, and especially how to navigate this city that I thought I knew but discovered I did not.

This summer, Boston took me by the hand and showed me how very little I had explored during my early college years. I saw more of Boston and its surroundings these twelve weeks than I did in two years. The history and magic of this city in the summertime is something I will carry with me in my heart wherever my feet take me next. Thanks to every single person who made this experience meaningful, enriching and memorable. The places we see are just places if there’s no story, and it is us who write them. Happy fall everyone!