I worked in the White House as an unpaid intern. The job was intense and fascinating — here's what my day looked like.

• Julian Sarafian is a 29-year-old former White House intern from Sacramento, California.
• He said the work was intense, and unpaid — but he got to meet Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
• He also said he worked 60 hours a week, but the mission of serving the public was his motivation during tough times.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Julian Sarafian, a 29-year-old former White House intern from Sacramento, California. The following has been edited for length and clarity.