Friday wanderings

So the deal with my internship program is that we have internships 9-5 Monday-Thursday, classes Monday-Wednesday nights, a class Friday morning and then we're free for the weekend. But having just started my internship Thursday, I offered to come in on Friday afternoons, to which my supervisor replied by saying she wanted me to be able to experience all DC has to offer while I'm here! I'm so lucky to have such an encouraging work environment (I know I've only been there a day and a half, but everybody I work with seems great and it's been fun to get to know some of the other interns a little bit too!). But yesterday was one of the few Fridays I actually had to come in because newbies have to do IT training. So after class ended at noon I scarfed down some lunch with my roommates, stood in line for the bus with about 30 other people in about 95 degrees, felt my stomach turn over as we got stuck in traffic for an unacceptably worrisome amount of time, speedwalked my five blocks (more so than usual... I may have been called out on walking annoyingly fast in general before), and luckily ran into my fellow intern a block away from the Peace Corps so we could hustle to find the IT training room in the insane layout of the Peace Corps headquarters before 1pm.

Thankfully we arrived on time and survived the two hour training. Rebecca got to go home because she's done at 3 every day, but I got to do a little work for my supervisor before heading out. I came into this internship expecting to know nothing about how to do anything, so it's quite rewarding to get tasks and figure out how to do them! Also hilarious that everybody in the office has been commenting on how amazing it was they squeezed my mini cube in between two others and also that they're all so jealous of the fact that my cube's little overhead cabinet has a fabric covering while everybody else's are plain! I even have a phone and a computer at work (one I will probably not use; the other will be utilized quite heavily) - I'm like a real employee! Small delights. My next task is to print out some pictures and find a couple other decorations for my little office home, for which I am quite excited.

After I was sent home to enjoy my Friday, I just got to hang out around downtown DC for a little while as I waited to hear from my roommate to make a plan for our afternoon. It was really nice to just walk my route back to Dupont Circle rather slowly rather than in the rush with which I usually make that trek. There are so many cute little eateries and other businesses around, and it was nice to just do my own little errands to see what was around. Kind of not knowing what to do with myself while I waited to hear back from Rezina, I just wandered. I took care of a craving for something sweet and cold with a mango Green Tea Tango smoothie from Smoothie King, and I discovered there is a post office about a block from my work (for which I was in dire need considering we can receive mail at Georgetown but have to find someplace off campus to actually send anything out!). I also stopped at an adorable secondhand bookstore that was having a sidewalk sale and found a couple of entertaining books. My question is how does a book to learn to cook Chinese food ever go out of style? For $2, I'm definitely in.

I was in my own little world walking towards Dupont Circle when I stopped at a crosswalk because the little orange hand told me I had to. But the woman across the street started crossing because there were no cars coming, but I kind of spaced out and started crossing after a cute little perhaps 60-year-old man on my side started going. He joked with me saying, "What, you wait until I start going, see if I get hit by a car, and then decide it's safe?" So we started chatting as we walked the same direction for a couple blocks, and he asked if I was planning on watching the World Cup game with the US versus Ghana. I said I hoped to, and he replied saying he was from Ghana, that they took the US out a couple years ago, and that he hoped they'd do the same thing because the US is just too much talk. Hilarious and so true. We laughed about American arrogance for a few and we both wished the best of luck to both teams. I'll probably never see him again in my life, but it's funny the people you meet in the city, and I enjoy the smallest personal interactions like that.

A quick conversation with Rezina resulted in hopping on the red line from Dupont Circle, switching to the blue/orange at Metro Station, meeting Rezina at the Rosslyn station, chatting our way back on the GUTS bus to Georgetown, and making our way to M Street. I still don't exactly like shopping, but I like exploring, and I like even better exploring with friends. And I learned that H&M really is awesome. Tons of cute clothes with even cuter prices (definitely appreciate that), and we both came away with some great deals for a couple of nice items for work. After some successful deal finding, we meandered our way through the uneven brick streets lined with the adorable blocks of multicolored housing back to the Georgetown campus for some fridge raiding and a go-with-the-flow Friday evening.

First day of work!

Finally got my government clearance a couple of days ago and started my internship at the Peace Corps today! It is an awesome feeling being able to take care of myself in a large city, figure out my way around, and take public transportation and walk everywhere. Even if it's already so hot at 8:30am that you're trying to avoid dripping, I love the fact that I can take a free Georgetown bus to Dupont Circle and walk like an actual young professional decked out (aside for the flip flops for actually making it to work - thankfully it's socially acceptable for women to wear comfy shoes to get themselves to the office and then switch to heels!) for 5 city blocks. And my boss's boss sent another intern and me on an errand today and asked, "Wait, are you ok with the city? Can you figure out how to get there?" And the other intern and I were both able to look at each other with the same amount of assurance that we can figure out the grid without a hassle - she comfortable with the city as an American University student, and I with usually infamously poor directional skills but at least an ability to figure out a grid from attempting to figure out Minneapolis the last couple of years. My work environment is so supportive and kind so far, everybody was so nice in meeting me, and people even commented, "We've heard a lot about you and we're so glad you're here!" That's scary to try to live up to! But I'll do my best!

And yes, like the good daughter I am, I took pictures for my parentals from my first day of work experience.

In the apartment, ready to head out on the 8:15 bus with two of my suitemates.



Alison and Ania on the bus, Ania still finishing her breakfast...


I really am lucky that I tend to adjust well to new situations - I love taking the bus to work!

Mt. Vernon excursion

The task for today was to explore Mount Vernon, the estate of George and Martha Washington. For the hour drive from DC my suitemate Alison and I drifted in and out of consciousness as one of Sinbad's comedy shows played on the bus's mini screens. Once we woke up haha it was definitely a fun time! A little toasty outside (about 95), but nevertheless a good experience. Here are some photos of the day's wanderings:

Plaque for the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway to welcome us.


The group from TFAS waiting for our tickets - we filled 3 coach buses to get there!


In front of the Washingtons' mansion.



Long line to get into the mansion, but standing outside for almost an hour was worth it because the grounds were so beautiful!


Unfortunately we couldn't take photos inside, but in order to keep the lines moving the guide in each room had their spiel down pat and allowed us to marvel at the lovely decor while listening to some fun facts about each room. The mansion tour was really well organized - I was impressed.I'm actually a big fan of GW's style! As opposed to European mansions and palaces gleaming of jewels and precious metals, his home was characterized by quaint woodwork and bright blue and green painted walls!




Further wandering of the grounds led suitemate Alison and me down to the wharf on the Potomac where we had a little picnic of the lunches we had packed. What a beautiful view!




Washington's tomb:













Slave memorial - click on the photo to read the inscription.













Mount Vernon's cows and sheep took refuge in the shade too.











Just a few flowers from the lovely gardens. I'll put the rest in my Picasa album, especially for my momma!




Fun fact:
People back then thought bathing was scary. Ben Franklin, though, was rather fond of it.

Quote of the day:
"It's not polite to eat other aminals!"
- A little ringlet-curled 3 year old girl to her dad after seeing turkeys hanging upside down outside the mansion kitchen


It was definitely a fun little trip, and we enjoyed the few hours exploring and learning more about the people who played such a large part of our country's history. The tricky thing, though, is to try and remember the people we don't hear about so much that were just as vital to our history as the big names. Within this context, I have learned a ton here and especially from my roommate Rezina because she is so passionate about race issues. These cities were founded through the dehumanization and segregation of peoples that still exist today - and particularly in our nation's capital! Especially through the sentiments I discovered yesterday, we all just need a little more love as human beings.