It’s About Time

At the Washington Monument at night

While some of us sit hidden away after our internships and classes we tend to forget that we are technically still tourists in the city of Washington, D.C. Many of those that currently live in the city are quite complacent in their lives, showing no interest in seeing monuments and memorials. When back home in San Francisco, I almost feel as if the tourists know more about the city than I do, because I always figure I can see the historic sites at some later point of my life. While we are here, we should take advantage of the sights D.C. has to offer.

On that note, after a busy week at my internship, on Friday I got to do some nighttime sightseeing. Many of the major attractions in D.C. look even better at night; I figured Friday would be a good day to go sight-seeing since most people were either resting after a long week or out at the many bars and clubs D.C. has to offer. While waiting for night to fall, some friends and I went to Dupont Circle to find some happy hours. This was not very hard to find in D.C. since it seems like every bar and restaurant advertises a half-off happy hour. I got the chance to go to two different happy hours that night.

In the center of the Atlantic and Pacific at the World War II Memorial

Later that night we took the Metro to Smithsonian. Once we exited the station we could see the Capitol lighting up on the other side the Washington Monument. We decided to go towards the Washington Monument since there was more to see in that direction. After the monument we went to the World War II memorial. Both were crowded with tourists, but that did not factor into our experience. We continued to walk through the path towards the lit up Lincoln Memorial. When you look back you could see the reflection of the Washington Monument in the water. This was definitely a classic tourist picture. As we took the stairs up to the Lincoln Memorial we stopped to take pictures of the spot where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. It was a bit annoying to see a huge water spot at the sight; it was almost as if someone purposefully spilled on his landmark. We finally made it to the top to see the enormous statue of Lincoln. All the sights were worth the walk, however, next time I will remember to wear my D.C. commuter shoes.

Where Martin Luther King Jr. made his “I Have a Dream” speech

This week monuments, hopefully next week will be museums. I have yet to go to a museum since I have been here!

I heard Lincoln was tall but I look like an ant next to his Memorial

Making the Most of Your Experience

This week went by very quickly, but I may say it was very productive. My internship in DC has been a great hands on learning experience. In my TWC course we spend the first few minutes of class discussing how our internship experience is going. Although good and bad experiences have been highlighted, most found that the work they did was very useful. I believe that wherever you do an internship, you can make the most of your experience, whether you are just filing and answering phones or you are doing something that is part of a bigger picture. One student knew that the extensive copies she was making were important for lawyers who had to go to court. I believe that students should take initiative in order to get involved with more activities. DON’T just assume there is nothing to do; ask. Taking initiative is one of my personal goals this semester. Sitting around waiting for someone to give you something to do is not the best way to approach an internship.

After about 6 weeks with my position, I believe I am developing more knowledge about the organization and its mission. I have ventured into the world of non-profits, a huge sector in Washington, DC. I have worked for non-profit organizations before, but never in DC. Through attending meetings, I have gained the confidence and knowledge to engage people about my organization. There was a meeting for non-profits dealing with Africa a few weeks ago in which I was asked to stand in for my president. Being surrounded by presidents and executive directors of other organizations was rewarding, but it was quite nerve-racking to hear the amount of knowledge they had to offer. I was asked to give a synopsis about my organization, and although I was nervous, I viewed it very positively.

Being a tourist on the way to meetings

This week I was able to attend a Charity Fair in Virginia on behalf of my organization. I have never taken part in a Charity Fair before, so I did not know what to expect. This was a good opportunity for me to learn through observing how other organizations were putting their name out in the public eye in order to gain funding. I found it exciting to educate people about issues in Africa and to spread the mission and goals of FDA.

I have always wanted to some day create my own foundation, so I have taken a lot from this experience. The skills I have collected through my work here will be transferable to future positions.

After six weeks I am still a tourist

Speaking of making the most of my experience, I recently went to my first DC Happy Hour. Many students from Washington Center go to Front Page on Thursdays. I was able to meet a lot of new students from the program and catch up with other interns over cheap food and drinks. I definitely have been missing out for the past few weeks because Washington is known for having great Happy Hours. I do concur!

New York, New York

Holiday breaks are the best thing to happen to college students, especially for the busy students at The Washington Center. When else can you sleep until 5pm, then go out all night, then repeat it the next day? Well, besides summer and winter break, which will no longer exist once we embark into the working world. Like several of my peers, I took advantage of the Columbus Day holiday to go to New York, also know as the big apple, the city that never sleeps, the center of fashion, the hustle and bustle…the list goes on. Since this is my first time in the East Coast, New York was definitely the first stop (besides DC, of course) on my list. For a mere $38 dollars I was able to take a not so exciting 5-hour bus ride to New York.

After a 5-hour bus ride and bumper-to-bumper traffic I was finally dropped off in Madison Square Garden to meet my friend from home. My first impression of New York…busy, busy, busy! I have never seen so many people in one place at a time. Once I got to the subway, I began to appreciate the cleanliness of DC’s Metro system. Not only was the subway covered in trash, but there was also a big problem with mice. Although I love to eat, I now appreciate the no food rules in the DC Metro. I was surprised to see people on the subway aggressively begging passengers for money and food, and selling items. My friend explained to me that New York is all about the hustle. This was quite apparent throughout my time there. I must have heard so many sad stories on the subway that I would never know when one is telling the truth.

Crowded New York Subway

One of my favorite areas in New York during the day was China Town. The New York China Town was like no other I have been to. If you want to see HUSTLE, you must go to China Town in New York. I found it quite entertaining because there was practically no way you can leave without purchasing something. I must have been sold anything possible that day for prices that were meant to be bargained. I definitely got my retail therapy while in New York. After China Town I was determined to see the Statue of Liberty. It looked so beautiful from the distance. I watched the boats go by while on the seaport. I got lucky because it was surprisingly a beautiful day.

China Town New York style

Statue of Liberty!

I cannot talk about New York without mentioning the night life in Manhattan. The Empire State Building was a bright red and green at night. Times Square was beautifully lighted as well with billboards everywhere. The streets were still busy. Taxi drivers were driving around trying to make ends meat for the night. There is so much to do: many restaurants, clubs, lounges, theatres. I could not get enough of New York and did not want to leave. I plan to take another trip whenever possible. There is so much to see and it is impossible to do it all within 3 days.

Having Thai food at a restaurant near Manhattan.

Love the tall buildings.

Let's Get Political

This past weekend I realized it has been a bit over a month since I came to Washington, DC only knowing two people. And luckily after a month this is no longer true. Through the different programs offered through The Washington Center, I have been able to network amongst my peers. The setup of the program enables students with all types of backgrounds and perspectives to interact. I have never been exposed to such a breadth of viewpoints, especially on politics, which is of course the most popular and controversial topic this season.

It is such an amazing opportunity to be in Washington, DC during such a political period. This election not only strikes the interest of citizens of the United States, but is also greatly followed by viewers from all around the world. By surrounding myself with such a diverse collection of students, I have been able to listen to the concerns and political positions of international students. After several debate parties held by my peers in Grosvenor Tower, I feel well exposed to the goods and bads of both politicians.

The soon-to-be home of the next president

Those who are studying in Washington, DC this semester are probably able to see how anything can be turned political. The advertisements in Metro, Washington tourist memorabilia, magazines, t-shirts and the morning conversation at my internship are just to name a few. Let’s not forget the MTV music awards when Shakira expressed her confidence in Obama as president. This was definitely a hit in the Metro Express paper the next morning.

Just this past weekend, I spent some time with some students from The Washington Center for a fun night out. While the topic of politics was avoided all night, some found discussing the candidates a good way to get to know someone for the first time. I found that to be an awful idea, of course. The incident turned into an argument with petty jokes about one student’s candidate of choice. That was DEFINITELY an easy way to ruin a great night. The petty jokes eventually resulted in the culprit leaving the apartment. Luckily, the night continued.

While in DC, I am looking forward to working on a campaign for my civic engagement. Of course, this is the most popular choice for civic engagement this semester. If it were not for this big election I would have definitely been involved with immigration or another issue instead. Both campaign groups are heading to Virginia to knock on doors of residents and make excessive phone calls to encourage people to vote Obama or McCain. The weekend before November will be an active weekend for both campaign groups who will work hard to get people out to vote.

Meanwhile, let us relax a little. Everything does not have to be so political.