As the summer begins winding down, I find myself scrambling to see everything I’ve been putting off all quarter. “I’ll make it to the Jefferson monument some other time, it’s too hot out today” has been a recurring procrastination, and I’m proud to say I finally made it.
I went with a friend late at night, when it was, thankfully, much cooler. After we parked and trekked over to the monument, we weaved through the large groups of extended families taking stereotypical pictures on the steps (palm out and pretending to hold the Washington Monument in their hand). After almost getting run over by several strollers with children who looked like they had been asleep for hours, we finally made it up the steps to the impressive GIANT statue of Jefferson himself.
It’s probably my favorite monument in DC; especially at night. It’s quiet, eerily-lit, with giant paragraphs of some of the most famous text in our country’s history affixed to the walls. The evening atmosphere adds a greater sense of solemnity and importance; people are generally quiet because they’re outrageously tired. I’d recommend going at night, if you haven’t ventured over yet. It’s truly an awesome thing to behold.
On our way out, there was a slight hiccup in the peaceful ambiance of the area. A small tween was standing alone on the steps. She was swinging around an expensive-looking camera screaming at the top of her lungs, “DAD, WHERE ARE YOU? YOUR STUPID CAMERA ISN’T WORKING. IT WON’T TAKE A FREAKING PICTURE OF THE STUPID MONUMENT.” She was thoroughly unimpressed by her surroundings. While I laughed, along with everyone else in earshot, it made me think of the last time I really spent a decent amount of time in DC.
I was roughly her age. Maybe this is a Midwest thing, but many of the middle schools I’m familiar with take their 8th graders on a three or four-day trip to DC. My middle school was no exception. Thinking back, I can’t remember much about the actual trip; I remember the social aspects, sure. I remember being dropped off on the mall and being told we had to spend two hours in one of the Smithsonians. I remember the Holocaust museum, but probably just because I’m Jewish.
I’m really glad to be back in DC, more or less as an individual (our weekly group field trips aside). I’ve loved being able to dictate DC at my own pace, and having the opportunity to explore on my own, as an adult. This program has given me the opportunity to create a better, more meaningful experience in our nation’s capital, and I’m sure looking back in 10 years or so, I’ll have a much greater appreciation of my time and excursions. I’m grateful for the way the WAIP program treats us as adults. While that may seem a given, every time I see a group of students (any age) being sheparded around wearing identical t-shirts, I breathe a sigh of relief and remember how lucky we are to be a part of this program. Viva John Glenn.
I went with a friend late at night, when it was, thankfully, much cooler. After we parked and trekked over to the monument, we weaved through the large groups of extended families taking stereotypical pictures on the steps (palm out and pretending to hold the Washington Monument in their hand). After almost getting run over by several strollers with children who looked like they had been asleep for hours, we finally made it up the steps to the impressive GIANT statue of Jefferson himself.
It’s probably my favorite monument in DC; especially at night. It’s quiet, eerily-lit, with giant paragraphs of some of the most famous text in our country’s history affixed to the walls. The evening atmosphere adds a greater sense of solemnity and importance; people are generally quiet because they’re outrageously tired. I’d recommend going at night, if you haven’t ventured over yet. It’s truly an awesome thing to behold.
On our way out, there was a slight hiccup in the peaceful ambiance of the area. A small tween was standing alone on the steps. She was swinging around an expensive-looking camera screaming at the top of her lungs, “DAD, WHERE ARE YOU? YOUR STUPID CAMERA ISN’T WORKING. IT WON’T TAKE A FREAKING PICTURE OF THE STUPID MONUMENT.” She was thoroughly unimpressed by her surroundings. While I laughed, along with everyone else in earshot, it made me think of the last time I really spent a decent amount of time in DC.
I was roughly her age. Maybe this is a Midwest thing, but many of the middle schools I’m familiar with take their 8th graders on a three or four-day trip to DC. My middle school was no exception. Thinking back, I can’t remember much about the actual trip; I remember the social aspects, sure. I remember being dropped off on the mall and being told we had to spend two hours in one of the Smithsonians. I remember the Holocaust museum, but probably just because I’m Jewish.
I’m really glad to be back in DC, more or less as an individual (our weekly group field trips aside). I’ve loved being able to dictate DC at my own pace, and having the opportunity to explore on my own, as an adult. This program has given me the opportunity to create a better, more meaningful experience in our nation’s capital, and I’m sure looking back in 10 years or so, I’ll have a much greater appreciation of my time and excursions. I’m grateful for the way the WAIP program treats us as adults. While that may seem a given, every time I see a group of students (any age) being sheparded around wearing identical t-shirts, I breathe a sigh of relief and remember how lucky we are to be a part of this program. Viva John Glenn.
LZ
PS: for anyone who watches 30 Rock, this is all I can think of whenever anyone mentions Thomas Jefferson!!
http://www.nbc.com/30-rock/video/jefferson/117403
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