This past week, I traveled to Washington DC to attend the AIPAC Policy Conference, having the opportunity to hear from US leaders and ones from abroad as well.

I enjoyed the trip immensely and cannot wait to return next year. I became closer with my few freshman friends who came along. I will probably never forget running through the reflective pool at the National Mall between the Lincoln and Washington Monuments on the final night of our trip.

Here are my other four favorite moments from AIPAC 2018.

1. Meeting with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales

This was by far the best part of the trip. We made posters at 1 am for our meeting the next day, ran around Washington DC in the spot where we would welcome him, and shakingly cheered him on as he walked into his hotel. Oh, and he has a name I will never get tired of saying, as the ‘j’ in Spanish sounds more like an ‘h’ in English (Himmy!). I've included a video of the speech he gave at the conference later that day above.

2. Hearing World Leader After World Leader Speak

Netanyahu, Schumer, Pence, Rubio, Feinstein, Harris, Menendez: though I didn’t necessarily agree with the majority of positions for some of the speakers at AIPAC, having an opportunity to see leaders from across both sides of the aisle at a single event is truly rare in Washington D.C. considering the state of our nation’s polarization.

3. Enjoying The Conversations In The Hallway

Running from session to session at AIPAC, one can meet some interesting, influential people. I ran into former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the hall, and spoke with many UCLA friends about ideas speakers brought up. Though most of the speeches given were very similar in content, these conversations took many different directions and the disagreement was refreshing.

4. Visiting Capitol Hill And Seeing Bernie

On the final day of the trip, we headed to the Capitol for a tour. After we finished walking its halls, a few of us had some extra time before needing to leave for our flight. We went to our senator’s office, grabbed a couple of gallery passes, and decided to go sit in on Senate business for a little bit.

After proceeding through the tightest security I’ve experienced, we walk through the corridor to the entrance of the Senate gallery, and start to hear the distinctive, roaring voice of Sen. Bernie Sanders.

We had the opportunity to hear a majority of his speech, all the while with a direct view of his fluffy white hair and his bald spot. It will not be something I forget anytime soon.

I cannot wait to return to Washington next spring for the next AIPAC Policy Conference. Experiences like these help apply the ideas I learn about in school, and I’m inspired by the potential impact being involved in the political process can have.