Hello! I’m Cesar Galindo, an environmental science student at Willamette University, thrilled to share my experience under the NAFHSA program.
I was ready for many things, like the heat, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the pace of the city itself – a place filled with bright, purposeful, precise people. The monuments, historic buildings, all a testament to the drive of the city – attributes less common in the rural community in Oregon that I am from.
I remember the car ride from the airport, finally seeing faces I’d only seen on zoom calls. I like to be prepared for anything – a trait generously passed down from my father. I was excited to see how my preparedness blends with the other various talents I see in people here in DC. Unfortunately, my overpacked baggage had other plans.
Arriving at the hotel, I met Cleo, NAFHSA’s executive director, and wanted to make a good impression.
Shaking Cleo’s hand, I accidentally dropped my portable charger between us. Strike one. While picking it up, my hotel key card slipped out of another pocket. Strike two. As I scrambled to stop everything from spilling out, the portable charger hit the ground again. Strike three. Cleo watched the sequence unfold, saturated with laughter as I continued to gather myself.
Then we noticed that one corner of my suitcase had been damaged in transit. At that point, I was ready to get my belongings into the room and move on. Instead, as I rolled the suitcase into the hotel, one of its wheels popped off completely. A sparkling cherry on top of the whole ordeal.
I laugh about it now. The series of mishaps was funny even in the moment. I’m often described as clumsy, but I also like to think of that experience as the starting line here with NAFHSA. It was square-one of a larger journey toward becoming a more ambitious, influential, and determined professional. The days that followed exceeded every expectation. Between early mornings, team dinners, the Public Policy Forum, and our Capitol Hill visits, I received my first real exposure to farmworker advocacy. Speaking with staffers, representatives, and senators was nerve-racking, but even more empowering. As the son of an immigrant father, I never imagined myself standing in those marble-pillared rooms. Now that I am here, this program is challenging and elevating my passion to make a difference. And the impact is undeniable.
Blog Author: César Galindo – Class of 2026
Published on June 26, 2026