02 Dec Final Days at DEWA
As my final days at DEWA passed, I was able to connect and reflect upon the wonderful opportunities I have had here and the incredible people I have met during my time here. I have made memories which can never be replaced and I hope which are never forgotten.
Friendsgiving at DEWA
I personally do not celebrate Thanksgiving in a traditional sense. In my family it is referred to as Turkey Day, and while there are many similar elements we do consider it to be different. It is more of a time of reflection, gratitude for life, and honoring family and those who came before.
But I enjoy any excuse to get a group together to eat, play games and enjoy each others company. So Sofia and I planned a “Friendsgiving” for the interpretation department. I made digital invites and we decorated my housing together to prepare for guests. It was lovely to see everyone outside of uniform and having fun together.
Final projects
As a deliverable I created a bilingual safety booklet designed for Rangers to be able to keep on them as an aid to language barriers. As there are many places within the park which do not have cell signal or signal strong enough to use a digital translator, I felt this would be a good backup tool for them.
The cards are small enough to be pocket-sized, but the font is still large enough to read comfortably. Contains images for better understanding, and are laminated to make them sturdier and waterproof. The cards are also color coordinated, organized into sections for different conversations. Such as “River Safety”, “Trail Safety”, etc. I hope this small tool is something that is able to give Rangers and visitors alike a sense of community, understanding and most importantly, keep everyone safe.
Social Media
I have also been working to generate social media content for the park.
Among those which I have filmed, my favorite has been a short book read along. Short enough to fit in an Instagram reel, I read a bilingual book titled, “Know Our Parks / Conozca sus Parques” which is available for purchase in our visitors center. Aiming to encourage Spanish speakers to come to the DEWA Visitors Center, and get Spanish speaking kids excited about the NPS.
Final Hike
For my final day of my internship, my supervisor led us on a clean up hike. We got out trash bags and pickers to hike Slateford trail. There is so much of this park I was not able to see, but I am so grateful for my time here. The team here and at EFTA have made this such an impactful learning experience.
My first trip up north has been beyond words, I have learned so much about the area and the people who inhabit it. As sad as I am that my time here at DEWA has come to an end, I am looking forward to my upcoming adventures and hope to one day be a part of the LHIP program once more.
This internship has introduced me to opportunities I never knew possible. Coming as a first gen Mexican-American, these sort of opportunities have always felt out of reach, not made with people like me in mind. No one in my family has ever had the opportunities to travel and learn in such an environment. Being able to explore new horizons, have chances no one in my family has ever been able to reach, pave new paths for myself, make my family proud, and share my heritage in a workplace environment has meant more to me than words can express.
Thank you to everyone here at DEWA. You all have impacted my life in such wonderful ways, thank you for all the kindness you have extended to me, I know I will never forget this time in my life. I hope we meet again one day.
No Comments