So lived the possession of Joe Biden, a Colombian working on the Capitol

She is not a cook, and she does not work as such in the White House. Nor does it serve the daily menu of the President of the United States, as reported in some digital media. This is the first thing that Colombian Teresa de Jesus Gonzalez Ballesteros wants to clarify, as soon as the interview with El País begins, through a video call.

He smiles and pounces his rebellious black hair, comments that he has been a “waitress” or “waitress” for more than 30 years on the US Capitol. Initially served in the seat of the Legislature Restaurant. When she turned one year old in that place, she was hired by party management and is currently one of the leaders or waiters.

Last Wednesday, the day of Joe Biden’s inauguration, he had to attend the first president’s family table, the same person who’s had the opportunity to serve since he was a junior Senator who took his young children to the Senate when I had to work late.

Read: Best Memes Of Bernie Sanders During Biden’s Inauguration

Joe Biden, although he had a private and private lunch with five other people, minutes after the swearing-in ceremony, he got to the room where his relatives were. Amid the applause of his wife, relatives and friends, Teresa greeted with a smile (even though he called her Rosetta, like one of the ladies who attended the “Democratic Team”).

The fact that he didn’t call her by her name makes it less important, because she usually works with the Republican “team” and ends up laughing, “Being Latina, he thought I was Rosita, the Bolivian waitress. This is because most of the waiters who have time to serve Senators are Latins.”

On that day, this woman, who was excited about the presence of the newly elected president, did not know how to address him and was able to simply say, “Hey Senator, congratulations Senator, congratulations president,” she jokes. He thanked her, laughed, chose a small sandwich, got a Coca-Cola, and went to sit down with his family.

Pastrana was my best friend. It is the Colombian president who spent most of the time on Capitol Hill asking senators to help him with Plan Colombia, ”Teresa Gonzalez, Chief Servant of the US Capitol Building.

The president’s stance confirmed this to a Libra woman born in Lorica, a city on the banks of the Sino River in Cordoba, that the new president of the United States is “very modest, affectionate, familiar, without vanity and Catholic.” For her, it was very nice to see humility. Not only the man who holds the reins of the most powerful country in the world, but of his family. “Hunter, one of his sons comes, and says, ‘Thanks for serving us, we had a really nice lunch. Look, this is my uncle, this is my daughter …’ Introduced me to every member of the family. Everyone thanked me and smiled and asked me for my name. I said to them: Teresa One of his nieces told me: Oh, like Santa Teresa, the patron saint of flowers, what a beautiful name! He asked me: Are you Catholic?

With President Biden last Wednesday, Inauguration Day.

Special for El País

And I tell you one more thing, Teresa adds with such confidence to a Colombian Caribbean woman, “Between him and his wife you see love, you do not see the appearance. But love and love. You can know that he takes care of her and that she takes care of him.”

Regarding Trump, he said he had the opportunity to serve him on some occasions. “Yes, it’s different, every person is different, the family is different, that’s the only thing I can tell you,” he says briefly and gives a hurtful laugh, as if he’s trying not to ask him any more about it.

With pride, respect and appreciation

Teresa has had the opportunity since 1985 to serve members of the US Congress at breakfasts, lunches and dinners, receptions and parties at the Capitol and all the presidents who have led that country (since Ronald Reagan) and the illustrious guests arriving at the headquarters as the laws of that nation are debated and passed. Six Colombian presidents who visited that space also attended.

And he affirms that he serves everyone with love, respect, honesty and pride, because this is his job. With many years working in the field, I have become an expert at spoiling members of Congress. He says it’s like taking care of “the kids”, because “we already know what they drink, what they eat, and what they like. We know who loves coffee or tea or tea with two lemons and plain milk … They meet on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays separately. The press is out. They eat.” As they say, we cannot say anything about what they are talking about.

Teresa Gonzalez, 58, with Biden while he was in the Senate.

Special for El País

The 58-year-old, who arrived at the Capitol on the recommendation of a friend who was a Senate secretary, said that she has not signed any confidential contract to work at that place, but they say to whomever cannot open their mouth and I take care of my business. I cannot tell anyone what such-and-such said, even if they know a lot of things, it is confidential from them. “

To be more precise, it states: When someone introduces them or picks up dishes and starts talking, we (the waiters) leave the room. If they send a new waitress and I stay (as a leader) at the door, I have to be aware of saying, ‘Move, move, don’t listen. This is respect for them, they need your privacy. “

Teresa won the love and trust of many senators. For some, he teaches Spanish. For example, if someone says to me, “I like it,” then I say: What, not like this. It is said: I love him. ”One of his“ students ”was Texas Senator John Cornin, who once told him he would give him a D (minus) for not practicing Spanish.”

Photos and anecdotes with American congressmen and presidents in large quantities. Remember that on one occasion, after updating the buffet (replacing the foods that ran out) outside the event hall, he was given to eat a little of what was left on the plate he took out. Suddenly, Barack Obama (when he was a Senator) appears in the hall asking her what she eats. And her mouth full of cauliflower and broccoli can only point her finger at the plate. Obama, then, coveted what I ate. He said, laughing out loud, “He told me: We eat like rabbits.” Then he took a carrot and returned to the meeting.

He didn’t have to study in any academy about how Congressmen, Presidents, and VIPs attend. His work was learned by observing and recording in his memory every menu and the names of all alcoholic beverages and drinks consumed on the Capitol.

If you want this woman who has Colombian and American citizenship; She is married to an American who does not speak Spanish. A mother of two, James, 33, and Gabriella, 26, could retire, but she wouldn’t, she says, because “I feel so young. Why are you leaving? I’ll keep working.”