06 Jun Encuentra tu paraiso en Las Vegas

I still remember as if it were  yesterday… It was my first day back from spending winter break in mi Mexico lindo y querido and I came back to reality:  my last semester of my undergraduate career. I was still unsure of what my plans would  be after graduation. It was not until I first saw a  2016 Latino Heritage Internship Program post, that I immediately realized what I wanted to do. Being aware this is a highly competitive program with hundreds of applicants,  I knew I had nothing to lose and the only thing I could ever regret would be not applying for it. I realized this was a great program that would help me grow, while I had the opportunity to  contribute to it with the knowledge I gained from my Journalism major and both my minors in Spanish and Latino Studies,   while also learning more about  our beautiful national parks. Latino outreach towards conservation and recreation is extremely important and also something that I am highly passionate about. As the end of the semester came to an end I was very excited about graduation; however, there were a mix of emotions going through my mind of what was coming after. It still feels unrealistic that as a first generation Latina I was able to graduate college in four years and also obtain my dream internship after graduation. This amazing opportunity will allow me to become an advocate for our Latino community, and demonstrate that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. The day of departure arrived and I could not help but picture in my mind what I imagined Las Vegas/Lake Mead to look  like (since I have never been here before). My drive from Las Vegas to Boulder City was wonderful. Las Vegas and all the other local towns were a lot more beautiful than I had pictured. The next day after my arrival I had the opportunity to go on a rafting trip that began at Hoover Dam along the Colorado River and ended at Willow Beach. The 90 degree weather was a perfect day for a rafting trip down the Colorado River as the breeze and water cooled all the riders off. The trip was very informative and we were all able to have a personal experience with mother nature. My favorite part of the entire rafting trip was without a doubt, the Arizona’s Hot Springs. I never imagined encountering such natural beauty like the hot springs, which  are as HOT as the sun out here. Seriously, one of mother nature’s hottest baths! To top off my memorial day weekend, I was also able to ride the Desert Princess on Lake Mead. From this location we were able to have a closer look of Hoover Dam and The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (border between Nevada and Arizona.) These two trips   shed some light on the historical value of Boulder City. Nevada really has a lot more to offer than the party life in Las Vegas: Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Black Canyon, Colorado River, The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge and Boulder City are all breathtaking landscapes that an individual really needs to experience to identify the true power and beauty of mother nature. I am beyond excited to continue learning and exploring this area of Southern Nevada. There is still so much for me to see and experience —though it has only been a weekend (By far best Memorial Day Weekend!). With such an exciting weekend, I’m definitely looking forward what the next 10 weeks have in store for me in this Lake Mead adventure! -Janelly Corona