Week Three: I LOVE BASEBALL!!!!

This past weekend I went to the BBQ Battle that Washington D.C. hosts every summer around this time of year. There was BBQ everywhere, but it was a little different from what I was led to believe. From all of the material I read up on, it seemed as though I had to pay $10 to get in and then I would be able to get all the free BBQ that I wanted. Well, that was a little misleading. You have to pay $10 to get in, and then you have to pay anywhere from $5-$15 for food. There were a few free samples, and at the one tent that had an assortment of free samples there was a 1 hour wait to get to the front. At the end of the day, it was all worth it, especially since out original $10 went to the Washington D.C. Boys & Girls Club.

Aaron, Keona, Debbie, and Me waiting in line for BBQ :(

On Sunday, we went to the Nationals game. Baseball is one of my favorite sports and I was happy that the Texas Rangers were in town. Even though I am not really a Rangers fan, I went to support them (my baseball team is the Chicago Cubs, thanks to my dad!). It was an exciting game because there were several homeruns and we got to see the fireworks go off several times. I think the best part of the entire game was when they had the “Presidents” race. A group of past-presidential characters with oversized heads ran from center field to the first base bag, Abraham Lincoln and the Rangers both won!

Washington Nationals Park...did you know this is the first year of the ballpark?

I told you they were big heads!

This week with the TWC BIT (Business and Information Technology) program, we went to the Newseum. All I can say is WOW. There were so many interesting pieces of media in many different galleries to be seen and heard. There were heart wrenching Pulitzer Prize photographs that made me tear up, and there was an exciting “travel through history” 4-D movie that was not to be missed. The great thing about this trip was that we didn't have to pay because we went with TWC! Most museums and such have free admissions, but the Newseum charges $20 to get in. I thought that twenty dollars was kind of expensive, but once I went through all the galleries, and saw a piece of the Berlin Wall and 9/11 tower, I realized that the $20 is totally worth it.

The Berlin Wall...so much history and warfare associated with this concrete.

I know that I have not given much advice about coming to D.C. yet, but I will work on that. Here is my first “food-for-thought”: Do not come to the TWC or Washington D.C. if you are not going to participate in the city life and socialize with other TWC students. The internships here are wonderful, but why would one want to spend all that money to come to a new city only to work and stay in the apartment all day? As you may notice, I LOVE to sightsee, and luckily there are so many different personalities here that you will find at least five different people who will have a common interest with you and will share in the fun (i.e. concerts, jazz clubs, Broadway shows, book clubs, movies under the stars, etc.).

Week 2: “I am NOT a Tourist, I Live Here!”

It was really cool to go out this weekend and say, “I am not a tourist, I live here!” This weekend my friend Debbie and I went walking around D.C. and had a blast! We took the Metro to Arlington National Cemetery, walked around there for several hours, and then walked all across the Mall area. We saw the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, Ford's Theatre, and The White House. All of these things are the common attractions, but it was so cool to be able to walk around and not be on a time limit. My favorite part of our “little” excursion was watching the changing of the guards at Arlington National Cemetery. Definitely a to-do when you come to D.C.

Me standing next to the Texas pillar at the WWII Memorial in the Mall area.

Entrance to Arlington National Cemetery

Changing of the guards at Arlington National Cemetery

TWC had a cookout for us this weekend. It was hot, but we got free food and were able to meet other interns. It seems like the “quarter” students and “term” students are unfamiliar with each other, but when we go to things like this, we all hang out and it is really fun.

This was the first week that we had a Congressional Speaker for with the TWC. It was very informative, but it got a little heated. I have to say that I think I will enjoy these presentations for both the informative presentation, and for the heated debates to follow! We were also given the opportunity to sign up to help for either John McCain or Barack Obama’s campaign. This was such a neat opportunity for anyone interested in politics, and during an election year.

The highlight of my week was going to a hearing of the Ways and Means committee. The IRS sent us over to the Longworth House Office Building to observe a hearing to talk about the Economic Stimulus Package. They were talking about updates and concerns with the current stimulus distribution. It was an amazing experience to see Congressmen from different states in front of us debating issues that really pertain to their constituents. My fellow intern, Andrea, sat next to me and we kept looking at each other to reflect our utter disbelief of what we were experiencing. Then, some Congressmen became enthralled in a heated debate, and we said that it reminded us of Jerry Springer, just in a non-violent and very political way. After the hearing, we were fortunate to meet Congressman Brady…and guess what, he was from TEXAS! Wow, go figure. I wonder who I will meet next week!

Looking up at a side of the building I work in. This view will NEVER get old to me!

Week 1: What to pack?

I travel, but I am always able to go back home within a week and everything is spiffy. I have lived in Lubbock, Texas my entire life, and every summer my mom, dad, and sister, Briana, go traveling to places around the country. I have never been overseas, and I have never had the pleasure to visit Washington D.C.

So my mom asked, “What do you take for a 2 ½ month trip?” and I replied, “EVERYTHING!” While packing for D.C. I brought business clothes, everyday wear, workout clothes, my computer, bedding, and shoes for all occasions. TWC had posted helpful information about the weather in D.C., and what type of shoes and clothes we should consider bringing, so I followed their advice and six space bags (the one you vacuum all the air out of) and three large suitcases later I was packed.

Arriving in D.C. was scary, exciting, and frustrating all at the same time. It was very difficult to get to my apartment with three large cases of luggage. Fortunately, there was a couple that offered their help to me and I do not know what I would have done without them! I arrived at The Grand, and the TWC employees were ready to greet me and welcome me to the program. The apartment here is AMAZING! We have a fireplace, walk in closet, and a 24-hour gym facility. I love it.

I was curious about how my first week would go because I am a summer quarter student, and there are some interns that have been at my job for a week because they are summer term students. My fear was that they would be far more advanced and I would have to play catch up the entire summer. I have been to work for four days now and it is wonderful! The other interns there are very nice (I will go into detail later), and our supervisor is one of the most relaxing and trusting people that I know. There are many tasks and projects that we have been assigned to complete and I can’t wait until next week to make progress on some of them.

Besides the horrific humidity and the delays on the Metro, this experience is turning out to be one that I will never forget! This weekend I have some plans to explore the city and experience the nightlife with other interns. It’s going to be great!