arnis cimermanis - baff intern at cepa, washington d.c.

My time in the US thus far has been an amazing experience littered with experiences that even for the average American are not common.

Since I have been here Washington DC has experienced the NATO summit, the election of a new president, the inauguration, and all the national holidays sprinkled in between. Washington DC is the center of political and security affairs so being in this city has been a fantastic opportunity to learn how thinking and policy-making work on this side of the Atlantic. Just by being present in the capital I have managed to expose myself to leaders and experts that I previously could not.

 But besides work, experiencing the US' culture and nature has been a great experience, especially visiting the Rocky Mountains in Colorado or Miami in Florida. I had never considered the vastness and diversity of the US and I believe that is one part that you can only really appreciate by being present here.