Washington Academic Internship Program

Where the Cool Kids Go.

2012-01-31T00:37:00.000-05:00

I have to begin with the disclaimer: my blog posts here are in no way affiliated with The Center for American Progress or Center for American Progress Action Fund, and only expresses my personal views.

Had to get that out.

First, I have to let everyone in the perfect place to warm up on a cold, miserable day in Washington. It doesn't involve cozy fires, space heaters, or heavy clothing -- it may even be far enough off the beaten path to be described as "hipster," "underground," or "cool." Where is the amazing place, you might ask? I would give a hearty chuckle, and then tell you "the United States Botanic Garden, of course!"

Five minutes in the climate-controlled greenhouse will thaw out even the coldest of DC pedestrians, while offering a glimpse into exotic flora and fauna that could never survive in the moderately chilly, overall boring winter climate that is Washington DC.

Here I happened to stumble upon a cacao tree, which of course produces the key ingredient for one the staples of the modern American diet: chocolate (the others being high fructose corn syrup and grease from pizza and French fries). I was disappointed, however, to discover that picking parts of plants to take home from the Garden is highly discouraged.

Joe and Stephen

With all of the talk about warm climate in this post, I have to put in a quick two cents about one great aspect of my internship with CAP. Just about every day, I am fortunate enough to assist the amazing climate expert/writer/reporter/and editing team at Climate Progress, Joe Romm and Stephen Lacey, with the task of researching and pounding out a quick 400-word blog post. My most recent post, Vermont Considers Fracking Moratorium, gave me the chance to study up on hydraulic fracturing -- a technique, fairly risky for the environment and under researched in my eyes, used to retrieve natural gas from shale deposits – which is also method that is quickly spreading across our home state of Ohio and has been blamed for causing a series of small earthquakes in the past year.

I will be talking more about my internship in the future, but I wanted to share this Buckeye link (not supposed to be a pun) that I had encountered in my work.

ZR

Library of Congress

2012-01-29T22:54:00.002-05:00

What’s full of knowledge, fashioned with a classic décor,and getting older? Not it’s notDr. Kolson, but the Library of Congress. This famed Dewey’s Ex Machina of libraries contains a number oftreasured pieces that serve, along with the ever-expanding collection ofpremier academic resources, to engage and inform the Congress and itsconstituents. The first map tolist our continent as “America” was also on special display with other NewWorld historical pieces.

Portraits of Roman gods, Greco-goddess, American patriots,and lasting virtues color the breathtaking walls as statues representing thecentral academics stand high above the bookshelves and tables, keeping awatchful eye over the treasured knowledge lying within the countless boundpages. The varying decorative elements clash and mesh together creating the unique style of the Library of Congress.

After hearing about the printing press, the following centuries of colorlesspamphlets, and the role of the LoC with Congress, we exited the LoC with newlibrary cards, a new appreciation for DC architecture, and a betterunderstanding of the history of the famed building. Also, we avoided getting shushed. All in all, a good day.

-Kristo

Eastern Market

2012-01-29T22:41:00.000-05:00

There was a crisp bite to the air while the warm bite of atangy pulled pork sandwich filled my stomach. The brassy notes of the trumpet echoed against the largepaned windows as people shuffled between the fruit and meat stands. Sitting Indian style on the ground, Ienjoyed my juicy sandwich and the local jazz band that was entertaining thebustling crowd.

A flea market, farmers market, and town square hybrid,Eastern Market is the place to be on an early weekend morning: especially ifyou’re a young urban professional with a kid, a dog, or a Prius. We had decided to have a group dinnerlater that night, so we used the shopping trip to gather all the necessaryfixings for a Mexican fiesta. Fromthe hand-kneaded corn tortillas to fresh local veggies, we definitely picked agood place to shop. The EasternMarket also offered rousing live music, a crowded but pleasant atmosphere, anddelicious barbeque pork sandwiches. Overall, it ended up that our Eastern Market trip, like our Mexican fiesta,was muy bien.

Kristo

2012-01-29T16:18:00.000-05:00

Theodore Roosevelt Island

The weather in DC these last few days have beenexceptionally fair, especially when temperatures reach a high of 60 degrees bymidafternoon. Given that it is late January and such conditions are unheard of,it seemed necessary to visit another outdoor national monument. TheodoreRoosevelt Island is an 89 acre island consisting of a monument in his honor anda series of dirt trails crisscrossing the land. Getting there requires takingthe blue line from Capitol South to Rosslyn, then a half mile walk across abiking trial and foot bridge that spans the Potomac. Upon arrival at theisland, the monument is instantly viewable via a short walk uphill. Similar tothe MLK memorial, behind the statue of Roosevelt were several massive pillarswith etchings of quotes he said, split into four categories: Manhood, Nature,Youth, and State. As I read the “Manhood” tablet (apparently womanhood does notapply to our dear Mr. Roosevelt), one such quote caught my eye.

"All daring and courage, all iron endurance of misfortune make for a finer and nobler type of manhood."

Endurance of misfortune can push us in many directions. Itisn’t easy becoming President of the United States, for one must endurecriticism, hate, discrimination, and a much more. However, do we truly come outof misfortune a better person? Many will say yes, what doesn’t kill us onlymakes us stronger. But what of those with broken spirits, trampled by societyand discrimination? The little girl who picks rice all day for a dollar haslittle opportunity to grow and improve from misfortune, and even if she does,can she achieve a nobler “manhood?” I can only imagine the difficultiesaffiliated with being born into an affluent family and high governmentconnections, but maybe I’m being a cynic.

Overall, visiting the Island was an excellent experience andI could not have picked a lovelier day to visit. It was refreshing walkingacross the Potomac and on the various island trails. Watching the families,with the little children playing tag among the monuments, added to thedelightful day it already was.

Adam K

The Cold Blows in from Northern Ohio . . . .

2012-01-23T19:35:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, the parents came to town, and brought the frigid Ohio cold with them. I stayed with them in Old Town Alexandria, where we were only a few blocks from a quaint strip of restaurants and shops. Friday night I enjoyed fish and chips at O'Connell's Irish pub and saw Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close at the local theater, a movie I would recommend only to those who can stand 129 minutes of depression.

Saturday, we met up with one of my mom's sorority sisters from BGSU and explored the International Spy Museum.

Upon arrival, I assumed the identity of an Italian woman sent to Vietnam to retrieve a package. I completed my mission and didn't lose my cover when questioned by security. Here I am at a phone booth receiving instructions:

At the museum, I saw the most innovative spy gadgets, such as a coat with a camera hidden inside a button and even a listening device hidden in fake dog feces. However, the most interesting part for me was seeing the cryptography exhibits. Last quarter, I took a class called Code Making and Code Breaking, where I learned about many things that were displayed in the museum. I was excited to see that the museum had one of the German Enigma machines and an exhibit about Bletchley Park, which we studied thoroughly. I would highly recommend the Spy Museum to anyone visiting DC, since it keeps your interest the whole way through and is not exhaustively long.

After driving around to the National Mall and White House (and neglecting to get out of the car due to the frigid temperature) we drove out to Annapolis, MD to see the downtown area and the Naval Academy. I was very impressed by the campus, especially the Cathedral. The area around Main Street and the marina were quite charming. We drove past the Maryland State House and other government buildings before heading towards the Chesapeake Bay.

At the time I wasn't sure where we were headed, and all of a sudden saw ocean on either side of me. We were on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, that spans 4.3 miles, and gets as high as 183 feet above the water. Our journey ended at the Harris Crab House, my first legitimate Maryland crab house overlooking the bay. My dad and I split the Lobster bucket, and I was astounded when this came out of the kitchen:

This was without a doubt one of the best meals I've had here in DC and I'm glad I got the chance to go out and see everything I did this past weekend. Thanks mom and dad for making it a memorable weekend!

Crab Cakes and Football

2012-01-22T20:49:00.001-05:00

Crab Cakes and Football

Last weekend I had a wonderful opportunity to visit ournation’s former capital, Annapolis Maryland. One of my best friends from high school is a senior at the NavalAcademy, and she invited me to watch the women’s Army vs. Navy basketballgame. For anyone familiar with sportsrivalries, Army/Navy is one of the best. The game did not disappoint, and came down to the final seconds withNavy edging past Army by two.

After the game, my friend, Sarah, took me on a tour of theNaval Academy grounds. During this tourI learned that only Juniors and Seniors could sit on benches (if this were trueat OSU, I would of sat on a bench everyday Junior year) and walking on thegrass was completely prohibited. We thenproceeded to walk around Annapolis and look at the historical sites from whenAnnapolis was the capital. I reallyenjoyed this part because it was not hard to imagine George Washington and thelike riding through the middle of town. It was also interesting to note the simplicity of the structures ascompared to the grandeur of our present Capitol building.

The area really embodied how I pictured an East Coast townto be (As I told Sarah, my first memorable conceptualization of an East Coasttown was Amity Island from Jaws, and aside from the whole shark thing, Ithought it looked like great place to visit.) It was nice to get away from the bustling crowd of DC and walk around amore condensed area, with a great variety of local restaurants and shops.

All in all, Annapolis was fantastic; I really fell in lovewith the area. It is an area with such arich history, and it was great to just walk around on a lazy Saturdayafternoon.

2012-01-22T13:25:00.002-05:00

The International Institute for Strategic Studies

The idea behind a think tank is to provide research in advocacyareas such as social policy, politics, conflict, and technology issues. As aresearch an operations intern for the International Institute for StrategicPolicy (IISS), it is my job to help the directors and researchers perform suchtasks. IISS is a UK based think tank that claims to be the world’s leadingresearch institute on geo-political conflict. Their members are representedthroughout the globe, ranging from students like myself to internationallyrecognized experts and figures like Fareed Zakaria and Christiane Amanpour.

A typical day revolves around doing administrative andresearch tasks, particularly researching well-known academics andphilanthropists. Given that we are a non-profit organization, we rely heavilyon the donations of our members and the marketing of the events we host tocreate more publicity for IISS. Through these events, funding is also obtainedin addition to boosting IISS’s prestige, hence the importance of the internsresearching new members.

On other days, an intern for IISS can be assigned to allsorts of administrative delivery tasks. One such example was when I delivered abook to a Nobel Prize Winner and another one of IISS’s publications to theItalian Embassy. Despite IISS being my third internship, I’ve never had theopportunity to work full time like I am now. As a result, I’ve begun to learn thevalue of the little things. An intern’s job, particularly one in a non-profitorganization, is replaceable and tedious. We are just a number among the manyinterns that go through Washington, wishing to expand our resume and gainvaluable work experience. Hence, we don’t exactly get the most influentialtasks. That is why it is important to truly appreciate the small things aboutinterning and living here. Take heed to the advice a boss gives, because howoften will your employer be willing to spend time talking to you when there aremore pressing matters at hand? Pay attention to who you meet and then learn howthey got there. Savor the minutes you have with your friends and family, whoknows when life will take them away whether it be work or death. None of us arecoming to DC and changing the world, but if we let them small things add up, wecan make a difference.

Adam K

Winter 2012 Glenn Fellows and Friendship 7

2012-01-21T07:26:00.002-05:00

Yesterday the Glenn Fellows enjoyed a customized tour of the National Air & Space Museum, led by docent Larry McKinley.

Front row: Cathy Hatten, Kristen Maiorino, Jenn Semon.
Back row: Zach Rybarczyk, Kris Fetterman, Larry McKinley, Adam Kong, Elliot Stone

Winter 2012 Glenn Fellows at Library of Congress

2012-01-14T07:16:00.000-05:00

Lovers of symmetry, all: Jenn Semon, Zach Rybarczyk, Elliot Stone, Adam Kong, Kristen Maiorino, Kris Fetterman, Cathy Hatten

And many thanks to Mike McCandlish for the new-look WAIP blog.

KK

Finding Inspiration in D.C.

2012-01-10T22:46:00.000-05:00

To echo the other Glenn Fellows, I feel so lucky to get tospend this time in Washington, D.C. with such amazing people. I feel as thoughI have known these people much longer than a week and look forward to gettingto know them even better.

Despite the fact thatAdam has already talked about it, I wanted to mention on our trip to the MartinLuther King JR. Monument. It was apersonal inspiration as my goal is to fight injustices throughout the world.The quotes were moving and inspiring message to me as I muddle through my internshipand begin to ponder how to achieve my potentially naïve goals of making adifference. As Adam said, I suggested that we take pictures in front of ourfavorite quotes, and can be seen below.

To me, the quotes inspire hope and reaffirm my beliefs thatwe need to help each other on our way. It is a reminder that as a society we can never give up and be contentwhen others are without their rights, and that no matter where they live, whatthey believe, or what they look like people are people just like you and me.They have their own goals, their own hopes, as well as their own challenges. As the world gets smaller because our technologywe will be unable to ignore the needs of those less fortunate.

One must always remember that there is work to be done, but also that there is always hope as long as we make an effort. Remember to look for beauty in the world and each other.

Cathy H

Here, There, and Everywhere

2012-01-08T23:14:00.001-05:00

Dear Folks –

Here liesthe pitfall of multitasking: currently, I am reading The Letters of Ernest Hemmingway 1907-1922, a perfect gift from myfriend Nick a few weeks back, and I’m finding myself being forced write inletter format, so please don’t mind the style. I wish all of Columbus could experience one week of livingin DC. The grandiosity of CapitolHill and the surrounding Mall make any building on High Street look like adollhouse, but what I am really enjoying so far are tiny adventures that I knowwill be adding up over the next three months or so, while I am even more certainI will be leaving the capital with six wonderful new friends.

Not havingmy internship until this coming Monday, I had the chance to snoop aroundGeorgetown for a decent amount of time this week. Considering it is my top choice for grad school, I wantedexplore an area of the city that I will (hopefully) be spending a good portionof the next two years in.

WisconsinAve., with all of its shops, restaurants, and bars could occupy me for daysstraight (I can’t wait to take the group there), and the gigantic Romanesquebell tower of Healy Hall surely reminded me that I was not in Columbus anymore,Toto. But a certain number ofobjects really grabbed my attention after hopping off of the Yellow LineCirculator, which I still have to investigate.

DC had aflourishing Trolley System that ran throughout Georgetown; I happened to comeacross a remaining section on a side street. It turns out there is a National Capital Trolley Museum inMontgomery County, MD, which will be celebrating the 50^thanniversary of the end of streetcar usage in DC on January 28^th (DC Transit Day).

John Carrollfounded Georgetown in 1789 – something I had never known before seeing thisstatue of him in front of Healy Hall.

And this isa Jumbo Slice. What a heavenlyplace we live that I can stop for what I expected to be a small snack, andinstead leave with arteries filled with Mozzarella and grease. This specific slice was from Pizza Movers on Wisconsin, but I know my journey will not be complete until I reach Pizza Mart in Adams Morgan on a late night escapade.

Next week, vlog,

Getting Started:

2012-01-08T16:46:00.001-05:00

After only one short week in our amazing Capital, so much has already been done, and experienced, that it is somewhat hard to fathom all that will transpire in the next nine weeks.

One of the key aspects of this program so far has been the outstanding John Glenn Fellows that are here with me this quarter. Being here with such amazing peers, whom I could really not speak more highly of, has really helped make this experience what it is. Each of them being extremely sociable and great company, creating an instant friendship that extends far beyond the short week we have been here.

This all being said, after our first long week here in D.C. we found ourselves exploring the city at night. Being Mexican American, and having lived in Mexico for over half my life, I was quite delighted to have stumbled upon a great place to salsa dance and soon proceeded to teach my fellow peers to dance.

As fun as our outing was I think the aspect of D.C. that excites us most are our internships, at least this being my personal feeling. While I cannot talk about specifics of my internship, I have found it extremely invigorating to finally find myself here working at such a great location. It is really providing a lot of insight on possible career goals, not to mention invaluable work experience and great networking.

I look forward with great anticipation to what appears to be an outstanding quarter full of friendship, great experiences, and a lot of hard work and dedication to the program.

E. Stone

Our First Week

2012-01-08T13:36:00.000-05:00

It amazes me how quickly time can fly in Washington DC. It has been exactly a week since the Glenn Fellows of Winter 2012 moved in and already the Capital of the United States feels like home. Actions such as hopping on the metro, exploring the night life of DuPont Circle, and using the ever convenient Peapod grocery delivery service has now become second nature to us.

Yesterday, after a lovely Friday evening on the town, a few Glenn Fellows and I pretended to pose as tourists and explore all the sights DC has to offer. We walked down Capitol Hill and began our long trek towards the Lincoln Memorial. On the way, we passed people protesting Guantanamo Bay, took the cliché but necessary OHIO photo with the Washington Monument as the “I”, posed in front of our favorite quotes at the Martin Luther King memorial, and ended our adventures at the Lincoln Memorial. Coupled with the weather and a good group, our walk around the National Mall turned out to be a nice change of pace from classes and work.

But the Glenn Fellows primary reason for their stay in DC isn’t to see the sights or go out on weekends, our focus here is on the Internships we have and how we can learn from them. A definition of an intern can be as a nice as “an apprenticeship/on the job training for a white-collar job” or, as Urban Dictionary would describe it, “free slaves in the workplace.” In many ways, internships are a rite of passage, corporate hazing if you may. We all need to pay our dues, earn the experience, and build a resume; all in the ambitious hopes that there is something better after school. Some internships offer compensation in the form of monetary stipends or hourly wages, but in the DC area, the majority do not. I am currently an intern for the International Institute for Strategic Studies, or IISS. The IISS is a UK think tank dedicated to non-proliferation and conflict resolution, calling themselves the world’s leading authority on political-military conflict. As an intern, it is my job to help the analysts and director of my office do research, compile databases, find the proper sources for citations, and do any other organizational/research task they assign me. In my first few days there, it has been primarily learning and helping organize the office. However, every day that has gone by, I am given more responsibilities, research tasks, and knowledge. I hope that by the end of my tenure here, I am able to be much more knowledgeable on the major Middle East and Asian issues that the IISS does research on.

With that said, DC has been an absolutely blast so far. After our first week here, it feels like I’ve known my fellow WAIP students for years. As a group, our cohesiveness astounds me and I look forward to getting to know each and every single individual even better.

Adam K

Final Two Weeks in D.C.

2011-12-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

As the WAIP chapter of my life comes to a close, I will be spending an extra two weeks in Washington to work. Zach and I are the last of the Mohicans. Our supervisors gave us the opportunity to stay over our obligation to work and contribute to our organizations. This will give me an extra two weeks to see more of the city because I will not have the class to worry about. I can simply focus on work throughout the day, then spend the rest of my time in the city. I will have more time to do the things I wanted to do during the quarter but didn't get the chance because of the seminar and policy paper. It will be a great opportunity. I am even thinking about taking a weekend trip up to New York or Philadelphia this weekend.

I would also like to take this time to give a shout out to Mike and Dr. Kolson. Thank you for all you have done for us throughout the quarter. It was a challenging, but fun and intellectually stimulating quarter. It was a great ten weeks and it went by fast. I am certainly intellectually richer from the experience. It is one that I will never forget. It was the highlight of my undergraduate education.

- JG

National Manufacturing Summit

2011-12-02T15:22:00.000-05:00

The following day I will be attending a National Manufacturing Summit at the Ronald Reagan Building. As a public affairs major with interests in technology and innovation policy, I will certainly find this summit very interesting. Some speakers include the CEO of Deere & Co., Presidents of National Labs, the President of MIT, University Presidents, and top government officials. I am really looking forward to see this collection of intelligent and diverse professionals discuss policies that will benefit our company. Collaboration is the best way to solve the challenging problems that face our society. Good thing we are provided business cards.

ZD

Dinner at National Portrait Gallery

2011-12-02T15:17:00.000-05:00

Although the WAIP program ends today I figured I'd share some upcoming events I will be attending next week through my internship. Next Wednesday I will be attending a dinner at the National Portrait Gallery celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Council on Competitiveness. It should be a very exciting evening getting to enjoy good food and art. Not to mention the opportunity to mingle with government officials, government affairs personnel for top universities and companies along with some executives. The event is being covered by MSNBC, Industry Week, Scientific American, and other media.

ZD

Turkish Embassy

2011-12-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

Although a little delayed, I wanted to share my experience at the Turkish Embassy. The seminar class headed to the embassy during one of our Friday afternoon field trips. We were especially anxious about the visit due to on-going turmoil between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, as we had a Greek Cypriots among us.
The aspect I enjoyed most about the visit was seeing how diplomats interact. Our host spoke calmly and neutrally about all topics, even some of the most controversial ones such as our troop removal from Iraq and Afghanistan. Our host gave us a diligent history of Turkey and highlighted its unique and honorable democracy.
Secondly, the trip enlightened my view of foreign affairs. I have always focused on policy areas that affect me directly or those I know so it was advantageous to open my eyes to the realm of international affairs. The trip to the Turkish Embassy emphasized a unique and extremely beneficial between the United States and Turkey's western democracy surrounded by eastern-world philosophies.

-AKW

Hot Coffee

2011-12-01T16:02:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while something exciting happens at your internship office. I just happened to have one of those experiences just two days ago. As usual we had our MENA staff meeting on tuesday at 3pm. Generally these meetings consist of everyone in the department telling the department heads what we have accomplished for the week or are going to accomplish. Nothing out of the usual thus far. For this particular meeting only 1 of the 3 bosses was in attendence for the other two are in Egypt. As the meeting progressed and got close to the end one of the girls had a sheet of paper she needed to give to the boss so she slid it across the huge table on the conference room, it only got halfway there. The paper was now sitting directly in front of me and the other intern Patrick, as I thought about if I should reach out and slide it it was too late. Patrick had already gotten up and slid the paper towards our boss. Now this is the interesting part. Patrick slid the paper a little too hard right into the bosses coffee mug knocking it over and spilling coffee all over him. Everyone on the staff was laughing histarically, all the while I was just glad he had pushed the stack of papers before I could or it might have happened to me. Patrick has yet to recover, he has been having nightmares.

-BS

No Soup For You

2011-12-01T15:58:00.000-05:00

As the quarter winds down we are all aware that we wont be able to enjoy some of our favorite parts of Capitol Hill soon. We The Pizza is one of those things all of us loved. Living on Capitol Hill is one of the most boring things after 6:00 p.m. so you have to do whatever you can to find something to do. Seeing as it is one of the very few places to get food near the hill we all have been there and enjoyed it. We The Pizza was such a great place to eat and hang out. The best pizza in D.C. I'm sure. We all enjoyed it and will miss it dearly. As you can see from the picture of Kyle crying he will particularly enjoy it. So most of us have made out last trip or will make our last trip to our favorite pizza joint for one last time.

-BS

Best views in D.C.?

2011-12-01T11:56:00.001-05:00

The best views in Washington D.C. are without a doubt, the views that are unrestricted. I was given an opportunity to take part in a Capitol Dome tour. This provides a breathtaking 360 degree view of the city. This is a tour that is not well known and I would encourage everyone to try and experience. It's not easy, but it's not impossible. The tour can be set up through your representative's office. The tour requires that the representative or chief of staff accompany you. However, if your office is not giving tour I would request to piggy-back another some tour. It never hurts to ask. It is important to note that this is a tour that climbs 300-400 steps. There is no elevators or escalators, but it is completely worth it.

My personal favorite has been the view from the Speaker's balcony. This has been the greatest perk of my internship. I have loved having the opportunity to show it fellows, constituents, and family. Looking out on the mall, the view is centered on the Washington Monument which cuts the Lincoln Memorial in halves.

On a personal level, it has been inspiring. When I sit on the balcony, which I try to do as often as possible, I can't help but be impressed, thankful, and motivated. I am impressed because of the Speaker is a man who has earned his title. He is hard working, determined, and deserves his success. I am thankful for having the opportunity to take part in this program, and having the support system back home to push myself to remain ambitious. Most of all, the view from the balcony is motivating. I ask myself, "Why not me?"

AA

Happy Birthday Marines

2011-11-30T17:51:00.002-05:00

On November 3^rd I had the pleasure of attending the “Marine Corps Birthday Cake Cutting Ceremony” in the Library of Congress. I was invited by Mick Krieger. Mick is the Chief of Staff of the Speaker’s Longworth office. The Marine Corps Birthday is one of the more enjoyable experiences for Marines. It is a time when officers and enlisted service members fraternize and celebrate our history and traditions. Traditionally, the first piece of Birthday cake is presented to the oldest Marine present and the second piece to the youngest Marine present.

In 1921, Major General John A. Lejeune, Commandant of the Marine Corps ordered that the following message be read November, 10^th 1921 and every November 10^th in the future.

“On November 10, 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by a resolution of Continental Congress. Since that date many thousand men have borne the name "Marine". In memory of them it is fitting that we who are Marines should commemorate the birthday of our corps by calling to mind the

glories of its long and illustrious history.

The record of our corps is one which will bear comparison with that of the most famous military organizations in the world's history. During 90 of the 146 years of its existence the Marine Corps has been in action against the Nation's foes. From the Battle of Trenton to the Argonne, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and in the long eras of tranquility at home, generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war in both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas, that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security.

In every battle and skirmish since the birth of our corps, Marines have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue.

This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are Marines today have received from those who preceded us in the corps. With it we have also received from them the eternal spirit which has animated our corps from generation to generation and has been the distinguishing mark of the Marines in every age. So long as that spirit continues to flourish Marines will be found equal to every emergency in the future as they have been in the past, and the men of our Nation will regard us as worthy successors to the long line of illustrious men who have served as "Soldiers of the Sea" since the founding of the Corps.”

Semper Fidelis

AA

Where everybody knows your name....

2011-11-30T17:47:00.000-05:00

My first Thursday in D.C. I was very disappointed when I received my bar tab. I am not accustomed to paying $5.00 + for an adult beverage. Being a member of a handful of social clubs back home, I made it my quest to locate one that was in close proximity to the Congressional. Much to my enjoyment I found the Kenneth H. Nash American Legion Post #8 on the corner of 3^rd and D. This Legion post has to be the most hospitable in the country.

Most veterans’ clubs make my generation feel unwelcomed. This has not been the case at the Kenneth H. Nash American Legion Post #8. On the first day I showed up, all the vets at the bar wanted to know where I was from and what I was doing here. The bartenders made it a point to remember my name. It is always fun and sometimes humbling to share stories, and of course my generation has it way to easy. Even though I was a visiting legionnaire, I was often times greeted with a smile as if they had known for years. There was great camaraderie. Everyone was quick to invite back for different events such as Veterans’ Day and Thanksgiving. In fact, every day I show up I am asked by Denny, “Where’ve you been?”

It has been a fun place to grab a beverage of choice after work, watch the World Series with Denny, and of course catch the Chicago Bears on MNF (because Perk would bring in food for all to enjoy). Even if you are not a legionnaire, I highly recommend you show up because someone will more than likely sponsor you as their guest….just don’t play music during the World Series.

DC in four hours: My walk from the Congressional Apartment Building to Arlington Cemetery

2011-11-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

…That’s right. Seeing as how this is our last weekend in DC, I decided I would go for a walk to check out some of the sites since I’ll be in work for the rest of the week as saw this as my last opportunity. I figured I would walk at least to the Mall and the Washington Monument so I left with that plan in mind.

I made my way to the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, and the Capitol Building before starting to walk on the Mall towards the Lincoln Memorial. I stopped in the Smithsonian Information Center in the Castle before heading out to the Washington Monument. Following this, I stopped off at the WWII Memorial in its glory. After the World War II Memorial, I decided that I would also see the newly renovated DC War Memorial, honoring those citizens of DC who served in the Great War. It recently reopened on the 10th and I must say that it turned out great! Having done work with the SurvivorQuest Foundation, I know that Frank Buckles (the last American WWI vet) would be proud of the current memorial, having campaigned and advocated in his later years for the renovation of the war memorial.

From the DC War Memorial, I made my way to the MLK Memorial. Having been to the memorial one other occasion earlier in the quarter, I took more time to stroll throughout, reading some of the quotations etched in stone which helped to define the Civil Rights cause. As I gazed across the Tidal Basin I saw the Jefferson Memorial in the distance and figured that I would make my way over there as well. I walked on the right side of the Basin and stopped by the FDR Memorial along the way. I crossed over the bridge and arrived at the Jefferson Memorial where I had a great view of the Basin. From there, I departed and began walking along a sidewalk next to the Potomac River, stretching from 395 to the Arlington Memorial Bridge. I had never been over this way before and it was a great view!

As I neared the Lincoln Memorial I could see that traffic was getting heavier close to the bridge. I made my way up, passed the Arlington Bridge Equestrian Statues, and decided “why not, let’s go to Arlington.” Crossing over the bridge, at least seven planes flew over ahead on their way to Reagan International Airport. Once I arrived on the other side, I decided to make my way on up to the cemetery. It was a little past 4pm, so I knew I had enough time to check out some of the sites before the place closed at 5. I made my up to Arlington House, the former home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee where I looked back at the city trying to figure out how I had walked all that way. I decided that I might be better off taking the Metro back…

Arlington House was open and I got to walk around in the home of the former Confederate general. Much of the displays were taken down as a result of the earthquake and not nearly as much was displayed as I remembered in my previous visits. Following this, I made my way to the Tomb of the Unknowns one last time to catch a changing of the guards. After this, I walked to the gravesite of Frank Buckles, and paid my respects for a final time. I was surprised to see that the wreaths from Veterans Day were still in great condition and displayed! It was now 5pm and the cemetery would be shutting down. I took the long route back, walking in dusk amongst some of the nation’s finest fighting soldiers – great way to end the day.

All in all, I stopped by the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Capitol Building, the Mall, Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, DC WWI Memorial, MLK Memorial, FDR Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, scenic walkway along the Potomac River, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Arlington House, and Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers – busy day! Didn’t think I’d be doing a marathon!

KN –

Thankful

2011-11-27T14:10:00.000-05:00

This Thanksgiving, a good family friend of mine that I grew up with left for Iraq. He joined the Marines last year and has been preparing for his trip since. I also got a chance to exchange messages with a close friend from high school who is currently stationed in Afghanistan. My grandfather also told us more about the B-24 he flew in World War II and his experience serving our country. I am so proud of these men and all the others I'll never know as intimately. (The following pictures are some of favorite from the WWII memorial. The stars are a reminder of how many gave their lives, the latter is a quote that more eloquently says we cannot ever thank you enough for serving.)

I am not sure yet how to express gratitude I feel for men and women that willingly give years of their life to serve our country in that way. I don't think speech is necessarily the way I plan to show my thanks. Rather, I will continue to fight for freedom and human rights here and around the globe. I hope that all Americans, whether those who are committed to military service or civilians in America or abroad, will take seriously the freedom we have been given and continue to demand that all people experience freedom and basic human rights.

Thank you.

-GD

Mount Vernon

2011-11-27T11:45:00.000-05:00

On the drive back to DC from Philadelphia, my parents and I stopped at Mount Vernon, the home of our first president and his wife for more than 40 years. During my quarter here in DC, I have always wanted to visit Mount Vernon, but have not had the chance. I knew that the estate was the home of George Washington but until I stepped foot on its grounds, I had no idea how prized a possession his estate was and what it means to many people--it even has been recreated in gingerbread form by a former White House Chef!

From his 1,000 volume library to the fine garments, antiques, and objects, George Washington was truly a man who left behind an important collection in the context of history. I was most shocked to learn, however, that in the period after his death, Mount Vernon fell into a state of disrepair, and its fate was uncertain until the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, a group of women who banded together to restore and locate his possessions, determined to rescue it. The estate reopened to the public in 1860, nearly a century after his death, and these brave women dedicated their lives to restoring Mount Vernon to its former appearance.

This Association has worked diligently to uphold the Washingtons' memory and in the past 150 years, pursued belongings and artifacts that can help piece together the puzzle of the Washingtons and their daily lives. Artifacts are returned to Mount Vernon frequently, and it has become a national effort to restore Mount Vernon. It was remarkable to see over 200 people visiting the ground so close to closing time and nearly all ages groups represented. And especially during this holiday season, I am thankful the Mount Vernon Ladies rescued the estate so that we may have the chance to see what life may have been like for our first president and his family and take a step back into the 18th century.

Regent Ann Pamela Cunningham 1874--
"Ladies, the home of Washington is in your charge. See to it that you keep it the Home of Washington...those who go to the home in which he lived and died wish to see in what he lived and died. Let one spot in this grand country of ours be saved from change."

-AMC

Business Law Event

2011-11-22T13:10:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, November 16, I had the unique opportunity to meet with some of the most influential business lawyers in the D.C. area. My mentor Keir Gumbs (thanks again to Dr. Kolson and Mike for setting me up with him) invited me to the event and I am very happy that he did.

The event was held at the Washington office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, which is one of the most prestigious law firms in the country. The American Lawyer named the firm the 2010 Litigation Department of the Year and it has dubbed the litigators at Gibson Dunn as "game changers." Clearly this firm carries some weight and I was lucky enough to even be able to make it in the building.

At the event, four well-respected business lawyers spoke to a group of current law students and myself. Safe to say it was a bit overwhelming being the only undergrad student there. The first person that spoke was my mentor, Keir Gumbs. Keir is a partner at Covington & Burling and he is one of the most knowledgable business lawyers on the block. Keir is from California and went to Ohio State for undergrad and then to UPenn for law school. He is one successful guy which is why, again, I thank Dr. Kolson and Mike for setting me up with him.

The next person that spoke was Brian T. Sumner who is an associate at Fried Frank currently. He was the youngest of the speakers at the event so it will be no surprise if he makes partner at some time in the near future. He attended Wake Forest for undergrad and then attended Duke Law School. Once again, a proven lawyer with great credentials.

Next, a woman named Meg Milroy spoke. Meg provided a very different perspective of business because she works in-house with Verizon. Currently, she is the Assistant General Counsel and just recently won the highest award that a Verizon employee can achieve. She attended the University of North Carolina for undergrad and law school. There was a little Duke-UNC rivalry between her and Brian which made the night interesting.

Finally, a man by the named of John Olson spoke. Mr. Olson is a partner at Gibson Dunn and is one of the most well-respected lawyers in the country. For the past three years, Directorship magazine has named him one of the "Directorship 100: The Most Influential People in the Boardroom." In addition to that, Mr. Olson is also a member of the faculty at Georgetown Law School. He serves as a Distinguished Visitor from Practice and serves as one of the most important features to the teaching of securities at the school. Mr. Olson attended the University of California-Berkeley for undergrad and then attended Harvard Law. I was very lucky to be able to make a connection with him.

This was probably the most beneficial event that I was able to attend during my time in Washington. I'm very happy with all the people I was able to meet at this event and I hope they're connections that will help me in the future.

-MM

Trip to Polish Embassy

2011-11-22T09:58:00.000-05:00

Last week, I was able to visit the Polish Embassy and learn some more about the current state of my family's home land. You may be asking yourself, "How can a kid with the last name Moximchalk claim to be Polish?" Rightfully so. But, I can answer that question.

My maternal great-grandmother was born in Poland and came to the United States in the early 1900s. Her last name was Burdalski which is obviously of Polish origin. I never had the opportunity to meet my great-grandmother, but my grandmother has kept the Polish tradition alive in my family.

Today, at basically every family function my family will devour traditional Polish cuisine. Kielbasa, golabki, haluski, and pierogi just to name a few examples. In addition to that, my family still uses some basic Polish language. My grandmother is called babcia (bah-chee) by all of the grandchildren and my grandfather is called dziadek (zha-zhou). This has always been a neat aspect to my family and it gave me the desire to get in contact with the Polish Embassy and set up a meeting.

I got into contact with a woman named Sofia (a traditional Polish name, it was the first name of my great-grandmother and the middle name of my goddaughter). She was more than willing to set up a meeting with me to show me the embassy and give me some things to take home to my family. I was looking forward to talking about the most important issues currently in Poland but, unfortunately, that did not happen. However, everyone in the embassy was very generous and they all talked about their homes in Poland. It was very interesting to hear from people who actually live in the country that has played such an important role in my life.

When my tour had ended, the embassy gave me a huge bag of gifts to take home to my family which will make some great, cheap Christmas gifts. I would encourage everybody to visit an embassy like I did. It was definitely one of my highlights in D.C.

-MM

Gettysburg Getaway

2011-11-21T19:41:00.000-05:00

I recently took a day trip to Gettysburg with the other intern in the office where I work. We made a list of things we wanted to do while we were on this side of the country and Gettysburg was definitely not a wrong choice.

I love history for one reason... it's all stories, stories about real people, real families, real men and women who made decisions that we remember today. Unfortunately for our planning, we didn't plan ahead for a walking tour or a battlefield tour that really do a great job of telling the story of Gettysburg.

But for whatever reason, we did schedule a ghost tour. And I learned so much from that ghost tour you wouldn't believe it. (The picture above is of the cemetery in Gettysburg where our ghost touring began) Our guide told us all about the battle line-up, who was involved and who can still be seen, heard and smelled around that town as they "haunt" it. We walked from the hill where armies sheltered themselves from the enemy, through a neighborhood and to Pickett's charge. We learned about the generals who can still be sighted pacing over battlefield decisions, and an old woman who stayed in the midst of the battle to bake bread to feed starving soldiers, people say they can still smell her bread at times, and of soldiers who have been known to "travel" with passersby on their journey home. The reality of the Civil War and the magnitude of people and families it affected really hit me on that ghost tour.

On our drive home we discussed the real reason why the South was fighting, mainly for their wealth, for their way of life. The South was very wealthy before South Carolina seceded from the Union and started down the path to Civil War, and it depended on slave labor to keep that wealth. Meanwhile, the North was a thriving and growing industrial center specializing in manufacturing of Southern materials like cotton. That is valuable information to consider when discussing the Civil War, and am sad to say that day was the first I had heard of it, my teachers never told me that. It adds humanity to the southern side that is completely stripped in most tales of the Civil War... not that their reasoning was justifiable, but it wasn't just about slavery. My friend and I spoke of how the effects of the war can still be seen in the South, where many parts of "the deep south" (and we know the difference, she's from Georgia and I went to Auburn) are still struggling in education, jobs, and the imminent racial divide. The South was demolished since most of the war was fought on Confederate soil, their way of life was completely taken away and after the war, things didn't simply fix themselves. We forget that our country is so young, that the Civil War happened just 150 years ago and it's no surprise that parts of our country are still recovering from that war let alone the others that have happened since.

-GD

2011-11-20T20:39:00.001-05:00

On Friday November 18 the IRI interns were given the opportunity to have lunch with Congressman Kolbe. Congressman Kolbe was a Representative from Arizona and now currently lives in DC and is on the IRI board. Congressman Kolbe went to the Page School here in D.C. and worked for Barry Goldwater. This was particularly interesting to me given that Barry Goldwater played a big influence on my ideology. It was a great experience, he told us about his experiences and then we were open to ask questions on anything we wanted. A lot of the conversation was taken up with thoughts and comments on the Super Committee and Boarder Control. It was interesting to hear his takes on the boarder control situation after we had the policy salon with Eugene. Our lunch lasted around an hour and a half and it was great to hear his positions and ideas on some of the leading problems in the political world today. At the end he expressed his willingness to help us out in any way he could including letters of recommendation and potential job leads he may know of. It was very nice of him to take time to come visit with us and help all of the interns out.

-BS

Arlington Ceremony

2011-11-20T20:22:00.001-05:00

On Saturday most of the gang went to the Arlington Cemetery to participate in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This was one of the highlights of the trip. Thanks to Kyle for taking the initiative to set this up and and lay out a rudimentary schedule, (thankfully no one wore a profanity t-shirt). Everyone who went really appreciated it. After the ceremony we all went around to look at the Kennedy memorials. Although we had to rise quite early it was well worth it. It was cool to hear them announce the wreath on behalf of the John Glenn School of Public Affairs. I think Mike deserves some credit for this, although not the most popular or desired method, Mike used the root method to go to the florist and order the wreath and ribbon with the school's name on it. Anyways it was a great experience and I am really glad we got to be a part of it.

-BS

Memorable experience at Arlington

2011-11-19T19:47:00.001-05:00

Today I had an experience that I will never forget. Thanks to the initative of Kyle Nappi, I had the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This tomb represents missing and unknown fallen service members. The anonymity is the aspect that I find most tragic.. The inscription on the tomb reads, "HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD."

Losing a soldier, airmen, sailor, or Marine in combat is always a difficult reality to confront. I have had the unfortunate experience of losing two brothers, Max Donahue and Dustin Lee. These two Marines were talented, bright, and couragous K-9 handlers. When I was standing by watching the sentinel perform his duties, I thought of Max and Dustin, and how thankful I was that they were not missing in action. Neither of their final resting places read "Known but to God."

At the end of the ceremony a bugler plays taps. Listening to him with my hand over my heart I had two thoughts. First, that I hope it is the last time I ever hear it, and second, that I am thankful that I am not the one that it is being played for.

AA

A Conversation with Daniel Yergin

2011-11-16T13:22:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended an event that my boss, Patricia, had invited me to go to in her place. It turned out to be a fascinating event that was intellectually stimulating and intriguing. The New Yorker sponsored the event. There was a three person panel there to discuss sustainability. Michael Specter is a staff writer for The New Yorker, and he led the conversation of the three panelists. He asked most of the questions, but at the end he took questions from the audience. I unfortunately did not get to ask my question.

The panel included Dan Barber who is an award-winning chef and co-owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Farms in New York City. He was there to speak about the sustainability of industrial farming in the United States and how it impacts the environment, climate change, food prices, food quality, and other aspects of our daily lives. His key point was that the food we buy from the supermarket has a cost that is beyond what we pay in the checkout line.

The event also featured the former EPA administrator under the Clinton Administration, Carol Browner, who is now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. She pointed out that the key to sustainability is the next generation. They need to become active in their communities. The problem of sustainability is impossible to accomplish by government policy alone. It requires grassroots movements and individual effort by the next generation, i.e. my generation.

The third, and most influential panelist in my opinion, was Daniel Yergin. Dr. Yergin is one of the most influential voices on energy in the world and a highly respected authority on international politics and economics. He received the Pulitzer Prize for his book The Prize, which became a number one best seller. He was also selling his book The Quest which is about energy, security and remaking the modern world.

Following the conversation with the panel there was a reception. I had the opportunity to buy Dr. Yergin's book and have him sign it. We even had a brief conversation about US energy policy, specifically renewable transportation fuels, which is the topic of my policy paper. I have a feeling his book will be a great source to use in my paper.

- JPG

A Lunch with Mr. Jay Aronowitz

2011-11-14T17:40:00.001-05:00

Today, I was able to follow up on our initial trip to the Pentagon and visit with Mr. Jay Aronowitz to have a deeper conversation with him on his experiences and his advice for getting to the SES-level. Our meeting occurred at noon today at the Executive Officer Dining Room. First of all, I must say that the Dining Room is a special place, like a mini-restaurant within the Pentagon. And, the food was pretty good (I had a Caesar Salad and a Club Sandwich). Mr. Aronowitz, despite his pretty hectic day, was seemingly excited to speak with me, which helped put me at ease. I can tell that he is not jaded like some other Washington officials that I have encountered or met during my time here. He really seems to understand the reality of Washington, while working there.

Our discussion centered around his experience in the Presidential Management Fellowship program. He reiterated that this experience helped put him on the right path towards policy and public service work. It also helped him decide to go to the Defense department over the Justice Department. He emphasized that in order o advance, YOU MUST DISTINGUISH YOURSELF from the others. He recommended furthering your education and distinguishing yourself that way instead of entering a weary job market. Also, I asked him about race and how being an African-American in a high-level position adds more pressure and we shared similar experiences on trying to make race a non-issue in our experiences. We both believe that merit over time will overshadow race, but there is and always will be that initial pushback or weariness from others as to the merits of Blacks to attain a higher level of employment. I ended our conversation with my standard question of how do you know that you have reached a job that makes you happy , and he replied with not being happy, per se, with his current job but is glad to be able to help others and see generally positive results for the people that he serves. He is looking forward to retirement, where he can do volunteer work with children and animals that can make him happy.

Today's meeting was successful and enjoyable. I seem to relate a lot with him, because he has a similar standing in the Defense Department that I would like to achieve one day with the State Department. This Friday, we will have a follow up meeting at 2pm (along with my 12:30pm meeting with Mr. David Morgan). I hope the next meeting will be just as good as today's. I feel like I have laid foundations for a relationship and not just a connection, which to me is vital.

KAL

Veterans Day Ceremony

2011-11-13T11:41:00.001-05:00

On Friday I had the pleasure of attending the Veterans Day ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery Amphitheater. It was truly a great ceremony and an opportunity to honor all those who served. It was good to commemorate the profound service and sacrifice our veterans have upheld in defense of our country. The weather could not have been much better. It was a great fall day with the sun shining.

The ceremony featured the United States Army Band, a presidential wreath ceremony, speeches by the President, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric K. Shinseki, the Commander-in-Chief of the Military Order of the World Wars, Mr. Russell Vowinkel, and much more. The presence of all of the veterans provided an awesome opportunity to pay tribute to them, the fallen, and their families. It was a great experience overall and well worth the time.

The Army Band started playing at 10:30 and the ceremony started at 11:00. The eleventh hour on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, of the eleventh year of the century. I got lucky when I arrived right at 10:30. I ended up getting great seats near the front. The first lady and some important military figures, including the Sergeant Major of the Army, were seated just to my left. I thought it was weird because I see these kind of events happening on TV all the time, but it was something special to actually be there in person. I could not think of a better way to honor all veterans than being at that ceremony at Arlington.

- JPG

Veterans Day 2011

2011-11-12T21:31:00.000-05:00

I can honestly say that Veterans Day 2011 will be remembered as one of the best veterans’ events I’ve attended thus far.

of my many veteran associate contacts, who works for a national veterans association, invited me to the ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, specifically those held annually at the amphitheatre near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. My contact provided me with a ticket for the event, designated for the front section so I knew that I would have a great view.

I arrived at the amphitheatre a little after 9am and found a seat in the 5th row right next to “Pershing’s Own” U.S. Army band with a great view of the podium on stage roughly 40 ft away. I got a copy of the program which listed President Obama to be in attendance for the ceremonies to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and give a speech.

In the meantime, I talked with a few veterans and family members sitting around me, one of which was from, of all places, Ohio State. Howitzer fire could be heard in the distance, marking the President’s arrival to Arlington. Following this 21-gun salute, the “Pershing’s Own” band commenced, playing a series of military songs. At that time, numerous military leaders began pouring in to the surrounding box seats encompassing the amphitheatre.

As I glanced up to the box seats, I noticed quite a few familiar faces from the DoD: Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Air Force, Vice-Chief of the Army, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps General, Vice Chief of the Air Force, Commandant of the Coast Guard, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sergeant Major of the Army, and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard.

It was funny in a sense to see the some of the senior-most military leaders and counting how many I had one-on-one meetings, or lunches, with at the Pentagon. (This week I had met the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard on Wednesday and had lunch with the Vice Chief of the Army on Tuesday).

Once the military officials arrived, the First Lady and President arrived, waving to the crowd before taking a seat. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and retired four-star General and former Chief of the Army, Eric Shinseki first spoke then introduced the President. Being only ~40ft. away from the President, I had one of the best seats and thought he gave a good speech which lasted nearly 15-20 minutes.

Following the President’s speech, the crowd retired to observe the various veteran organizations each lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I met up with my vet contact and was introduced to the some of the leaders of his group, the BVA (Blinded Veterans Association). I found a good spot near the right of the Tomb and served as one of the photographers for the BVA, during the time they laid a wreath at the Tomb (having done photography work for some of their previous newsletters).

I must have made some sort of impression as I was invited to attend the National Veterans Day Reception in Crystal City, featuring the Presidents, Chairmen, and Directors of the various national veterans associations and as well as numerous veterans (both American and foreign). I gladly accepted and made my way to the reception, following the numerous wreath layings. I arrived at the reception to find a few hundred military personnel, both active and retired throughout the crowds as well as the leaders of all the national veteran organizations.

Later on, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and retired four-star General and former Chief of the Army, Eric Shinseki arrived and gave a speech to the audience before going around the room and meeting some of the vets, in which I managed to talk with Secretary Shinseki.

Once the reception was over, I decided to head back to Arlington to pay my respects to the last American WWI veteran and my good friend, Frank Buckles, who passed away this February at the age of 110. I knew that photographer David DeJonge would be present as he contacted me earlier in the week explaining there would be a small ceremony for Mr. Buckles later in the afternoon. I arrived at Arlington and made my way to Mr. Buckles plot off Pershing Drive and found DeJonege, Mr. Buckles’ daughter, and various military officers and photographers. I met up with DeJonge who has since founded SurvivorQuest, a non-profit organization aimed towards remembering the last WWI veterans and advocating for a national WWI memorial, in which I serve as a “WWI Consultant.”I spoke with DeJonge about my work at the DoD and some of my recent advances with WWI-affairs as I still assist him with various veteran projects. Likewise, I spoke with Mr. Buckles’ daughter who remembered me from the 2008 Pentagon ceremony. Following the brief meeting, DeJonge and the group took off to catch their evening flight. I decided to stick around in Arlington and made my way to the Tomb of the Unknowns to watch the last Changing of the Guard before the Arlington closed.

I arrived at the Tomb half expecting to see a sparse group due to the cold but found 200+ people gathered around, including a group of Honor Flight WWII veterans, some bundled up with American-flag blankets in their wheelchairs. I managed to see another wreath lying before the Changing of the Guard, presented by some of the WWII veterans. Following the last Changing of the Guard, the group made its way back to the buses on the opposite side of the amphitheatre. I saw the flag, which had been flown at half-staff, taken down for the evening. I boarded one of the buses which dropped us off at the Visitor Center.

All in all, superb ceremonies. By far the best Veterans Day event I’ve attended thus far. It always reminds me to appreciate the freedoms we have in this country, due to these veterans’ heroic selfless actions.

“All gave some, some gave all.”

KN

Capitol Hill Club

2011-11-09T15:12:00.000-05:00

The other night I was privileged enough to have dinner with my Uncle at The National Republican Club of Capitol Hill, more commonly known as Capitol Hill Club. This is the place to be if you are a lobbyist. Republican congressmen spend some time here a few nights a week grabbing drinks with friends or having dinner with their wives or being lobbied by D.C.'s finest. I got to meet a lot of lobbyist and congressional staffers that my uncle was friends with. He just happens to be quite good friends with the Speaker of the House John Boehner. Luckily for me, he just so happened to be there down at the bar that night and I got to spend some time with him. My uncle ran into Boehner's Political Aide and they talked for a while before he invited us over to his table. We sat and chatted with the speaker over a glass of wine, he has an affinity for Cabarnet Sauvingnon, and this was quite an experience.

As my uncle and I left the bar and went to the Presidential Dining area to eat we saw a few members of congress eating with their wives, and getting lobbied over half off steak night. As the night wound down we discussed future plans for me and set-up a few lunches with fellow lobbyist and congressional staffers to help get my foot in the door. It was quite an experience, one that I won't forget.

-B.S.

The Best of the Beltway

2011-11-08T10:03:00.009-05:00

In my time inside the Beltway so far, I have managed to see many monuments both day and night and have never been unimpressed with our Capitol. But this weekend when a friend from home came to visit, I saw the city from a whole new perspective--on wheels. My two friends and I began our journey from the Georgetown University and for $20 for three hours of biking I had one of my most memorable fall DC experiences to date.

We biked through the back roads of Georgetown and meandered our way down the National Mall, all the way up to Capitol Hill. We conveniently began our ride at sunset, and I have never witnessed the monuments in such splendor before. The experience was surreal, the photos resemble postcards, and the memories are ingrained forever. We paused to reflect on each monument and snap pictures by the Ohio section of the WWII Memorial, and a mother who agreed to take our picture asked where we were from and said "Enjoy college, and learn everything you can, you are our nation's future." Profound words from a tourist, yet utterly true. This mother's advice reiterates the potential that we have, as students.

Being in DC has made me realize the perpetual nature of learning. This internship, this experience is one chapter in our lives and will help shape us into the citizens we aim to be, but it is important to never stop learning. While DC, and our nation, both have rich histories, we must utilize our history to create our future. JFK once said in a speech at the University of Wyoming:

"I hope that all of you who are students here will recognize the great opportunity that lies before you in this decade, and in the decades to come, to be of service to our country. The Greeks once defined happiness as full use of your powers along lines of excellence, and I can assure you that there is no area of life where you will have an opportunity to use whatever powers you have, and to use them along more excellent lines, bringing ultimately, I think, happiness to you and those whom you serve."

In my opinion, there has never been a better time to be a student, and I hope that as we move on from the WAIP program we never forget our time in the Beltway and keep in touch as we move beyond it.

-AMC

The Other Side of History: Meeting a Former Hitler Youth

2011-11-07T18:00:00.008-05:00

Every story has two sides – as does history. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet an interesting figure who saw the Second World War from the German perspective as a “Hitler-Jugend” or “Hitler Youth.”

Being an avid history buff, I find it imperative to examine both sides of history. Having contacted & conducted interviews with 200+ WWII German veterans, 78-year-old Lennie Cuje is one of many examples of the lesser-known sides of history. Today Cuje lives a modest life in a quiet residential neighborhood in Northern Virginia.

Born in January of 1933, Cuje was one of the first to have been born into what was going to be Hitler’s Thousand Year Reich – he was even presented with a medal from Hitler which he still has, inscribed “Under the Future of Adolf Hitler, In the Year of Germany’s Transformation, 1933.”

For every German boy, the Hitler Youth was mandatory and everyone was drafted as soon as they turned ten. It was a compulsory service ultimately aimed to indoctrinate the youth into the German military and to serve the Führer and the Third Reich.

Cuje recalls attending school throughout the week and having drills on the weekend, consisting of navigating with a compass, camping, backpacking, marching (which he insisted was no fun whatsoever), and even “war games” where they would create two sides to get into full-fledged fist fights with one another to toughen them up. “I saw no point in any of this” Cuje admits. “I would instead take my 10-12 man unit around the fighting, and try and capture their base.”

Cuje did not like the strict discipline that was practiced in the Hitler Youth. When I got in trouble at school (which of course was very rare), I was punished by missing out on recess. When Cuje got in trouble for speaking out against Germany winning the war he was punished by sounding the school’s rooftop air raid siren for a week. He recalls watching swarms of allied bombers overhead and their fighter escorts who would fly low to the ground, shooting at targets. He even remembers a particular instance where he observed from his rooftop post the aerial dogfights between P-51’s and ME-109’s.

Towards the very end of the war, the SS assumed control on Cuje’s unit, training them to fight against the approaching allied forces. Because Germany was running low on men to fill the ranks, the enlistment age was extended to include boys as young as 12 and men as old as 65 to fight. Called the “Volkssturm” or “People’s Army” this militia unit was trained with whatever was still left to combat a superior force for what already seemed lost.

It was now 1945. Cuje just turned 12 years old and was being trained as a MG-42 machine gunner, one of the most powerful automatic weapons of the time with a firing rate of 1,200+ rounds per minute. Nicknamed “Hitler’s buzzsaw” the MG-42 was notorious for cutting down troops as was the case with those on the Normandy beaches. Due to a lack of ammo in the late days of the war (remember that Germany would surrender in a matter of weeks), Cuje remembers being told to hold his fire until the enemy troops were closer to conserve their bullets and ensure that they would hit their targets. Cuje admits that this was total madness and he came up with a plan with his belt-feeder that, when the enemy was approaching, they would fire a quick burst then surrender. I can remember back when I was 12 and can’t imagine being trained to fight in a war.

On April 23, 1945, Cuje was captured by French soldiers who later released him, insisting he return home and find his family. He later reunited with his family in Frankfurt at a displacement camp, where he first heard American jazz on the radio for the first time. It was then that Cuje decided that he would go to the United States and become part of the jazz scene.

Cuje left Germany in 1950, Cuje arrived in the United States and was drafted into the U.S. Air Force two years later. He served with the Special Weapons Project, taking part in various nuclear tests in the Frenchman’s Flat in Nevada.

Today, he is a renowned Jazz musician, having personally played for President Clinton at the White House and throughout various clubs in New York, DC, and the East Coast. To this day, he continues musical engagements and keeps quite busy.

To learn more about Lennie and his life, please refer to this link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/interactives/jazz/

From Hitler Youth to American Jazz – what an interesting life!

KN

Congressional Football Game

2011-11-07T09:23:00.008-05:00

The Super Bowl. Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Congressional Football Game. Each of these events can be grouped together due to their epic nature. On Wednesday November 2, 2011; Congressmen, Capitol Policemen and, NFL stars all hit the field for the Congressional Football Game.

The Capitol Police would win the game by a score of 27-14 but, in all honesty, that really wasn't important. The experience as a whole was incredible and it will surely be one of things that I will not soon forget about my time in DC.

While at the event, I got to meet people like Heath Shuler (former Redskins QB and now rep. from NC), Jon Runyan (former Eagles OL and now rep. from NJ), Herschel Walker (former NFL stud), John Sullivan (Rep. from Oklahoma's 1st District), and Marco Rubio (Senator from Florida). To the right of this is a picture of Herschel Walker. He is one big dude!

Being able to attend this event allowed me to see the other side of politicians. At the end of the day, they are all people too. For one night, I was no longer just a Hill intern and I was able to have relaxed conversations with US Reps, Senators, and former NFL stars. It was a pretty surreal moment as I look back.

My office was basically tasked with planning the whole event. Congressman Shuster coached the team, two of the staffers built the roster and generated a list of plays, and I did a lot of the little stuff. All of this work resulted in a smoothly run event and an overall good time. The picture to the left shows Congressman Shuster being interviewed for a local TV station.

While it may not be a customary D.C. activity for interns, it was a great experience.

-M.M.

Busy days at the Pentagon

2011-11-01T21:47:00.003-04:00

It should come as no surprise that life at the Department of Defense never ceases to be uneventful. By the time I arrive in my office before 0800 and leave, there’s been a great deal that certainly keeps me busy and on the move. Besides my current internship project, I attend lectures and presentations featuring prominent military figures.

On October 4th, I attended a meeting at CSIS featuring U.S. Army General Carter Ham, commander of American forces in Africa. On October 17th, I visited the Naval Heritage Foundation at the Navy Yard and had a one-on-one meeting with former Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral James Holloway.

In addition to these events, I’ve manage to personally arrange one-on-one meetings with some of the senior-most military and civilian leaders in the Department of Defense. So far, I’ve met over a dozen of these officials and have another dozen currently scheduled.

For instance, this was the line-up of events today:

• Talked with the Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Reserve Matters, Major General Charles Luckey in his office. He advises the Joint Staff on all reserve force matters so he handles a great deal of responsibilities. An Ohio Native, he’s a loyal Browns fan, but just doesn’t get those Buckeyes.

• Had a Burger King lunch with the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Philip Breedlove and discussed aviation history in his office. As the Number 2 in the Air Force, he helps oversee the training, organizing, and equipping of some 680,000 active-duty, guard, military reserve, and civilian forces. He shared some of his insights and experiences as a F-16 pilot and wing commander of various units over the world.

• Met Deputy Director of Nuclear Operations, Brigadier General Michael Carey in the National Military Command Center in the lower-levels of the Pentagon. Since he’s a Michigan fan, we joked about football and I tried to convince him to go to a Buckeye game. An hour after our meeting, he was promoted to Major General so I’m the last to talk with him as a Brigadier General.

• Finally, attended a presentation by the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, General Chiarelli at the Willard Hotel discussing the effects of military suicide and the challenges the military faces.

These one-on-one meetings have been a great way to gain a better insight to the leadership roles within the DoD. Following these half-hour to an hour meetings, I’ve collected a great deal of business cards, military challenge coins, gained additional DoD contacts, been added to invite lists for future military functions in DC, kicked back and joked with the top generals and admirals, and been offered to come back to their office(s) to further discuss career opportunities.

Needless to say, I think I’ll return home with a great deal of military, DoD contacts.

WAIP Reppin' on OSU's Homecoming Court

2011-11-01T10:52:00.004-04:00

Representing WAIP on Ohio State University's 2011 Homecoming Court are (from left to right): Alexa Odom, Joe Flarida, Shawn O'Meara and Sean Fitzpatrick.

White House Garden Tour

2011-10-30T13:09:00.002-04:00

On a perfect October Saturday, my mentor, Mary Fischietto invited me to the White House Garden Tour. She works for the Office of Budget and Management as a health policy advisor and received special passes for the event and encouraged me to bring a friend along.

My roommate, Gia, and I met up with Mary about a block away from the White House and began the journey through security and throngs of people. The Garden Tours occur twice a year, in the fall and spring, and show off numerous gardens that have grown and blossomed since the original Garden Tour in 1972 that was hosted by Pat Nixon.

The tour began with a look at the impressive South Lawn, which includes a putting green, the landing site for the President's helicopter, Marine One, and the Presidential Trees. Since the 1870s, most presidents and their wives have planted trees of their choosing. I got my first view of the Residence and the West Wing which were very impressive, as the West Wing overlooks Jackie O's Rose Garden. I also learned about the Residence, I always assumed the presidential family lived in the huge white house, which is not the case.

It was an absolutely beautiful day and Gia and I were thrilled to finally get an up-close view of the White House. The gardens represent a lot of history and are amazing in the way they show the playful, down-to-earth sides of the President. There were pictures of ambassadors and Presidents having beer in the Rose Garden and Presidents running with their dogs in the South Lawn. I'm glad the Garden Tour provided this opportunity.

Beautiful Things

2011-10-30T11:16:00.004-04:00

Last weekend a few loyal Buckeyes came to visit me in DC, and somehow we managed to get in most of the sites in DC in one day. One of our stops was the Botanical Gardens.

The Botanical Gardens are divided by climate and as you walk through you see plants you never knew existed and the beauty of the whole scene is calming and peaceful to say the least. I am disappointed I have not visited this oasis, this little slice of paradise, right around the corner from our apartment before now.

Don't get me wrong, I love my internship with the Initiative Against Sex Trafficking. I enjoy researching, thinking about and participating in discussions about how this modern day slavery. However I would be lying if I said it wasn't upsetting and depressing half the time. The evil of this world and the scope of this grave human rights violation often leaves me feeling paralyzed. And so I am very thankful for this conservatory that has preserved beautiful things that our earth has so graciously made. These flowers and trees remind me that life is a gift and that there is good in the world that we must try to preserve and protect.

I wish more people, including myself (though I am probably one of few hippies in DC), visited these gardens to take a moment to remember that there is inherent good and beauty in our world and it is our responsibility to preserve and protect that.

-G

Time to Take the Wheel

2011-10-26T18:57:00.008-04:00

Although I am a Capitol Hill inhabitant, unlike many of the other fellows, I have not had the chance to intern on the Hill or attend a Congressional hearing; so when my boss invited me to attend two in the coming week I had no clue what to expect. Tuesday was Education and Wednesday: Seaports. I believe that I know as much about seaports as the next citizen.

While I recognize that 71% of the Earth is comprised of water, until today, I did not fully recognize how vital a role the oceans play in our future as a nation and as a world.

The maritime industry alone impacts over 13 million jobs as well as our competitiveness in the global economy. The topic of today's hearing posed a perplexing question: Is the United States prepared for the 21st century trade realities?

After attending the two-hour long hearing, I have an unfortunate answer: no. While both sides of the aisle seem to understand the gravity of the issue and its ability to hinder our future economic growth, the more immediate issue is the broken branch of Congress we have spent the past weeks reading about.

Countless testimonials only further underscored the fact that it is time to "lay down our swords and stand side by side for the good of nation," as Peter Peyton, the President of the ILWU Marine Clerks Association, demanded. He explained that in California, there are 62 projects that would translate into 100,000 high-paying construction jobs waiting to be unearthed, but restrained by unnecessary "bureaucratic red tape."

Representative Corrine Brown (D-FL) offered the most passionate proposal, even stating that she would gladly vote on ANY bill her fellow Congressmen offered to clean up the mess we are in, but someone must first introduce a bill. She fervently remarked that she "is sick and tired of all of the talk, but no one walking the walk. It is time to bring our A game and work together. You give me a bill, bring it to the floor, bring it to committee. Show me something."

In a current economic climate where Congressmen find it difficult to prioritize, the issue of maritime trade is at the forefront of debate. Paul Anderson, the CEO of the Jacksonville Port Authority, relayed that our "national recovery can come by sea" but it is up to our Congress and Administration to act. It is time to take the wheel and as Representative Bishop (D-NY) urged, "get this ship back on even keel." The one thing stopping Congress from getting us there? Itself.

-AMC

New Perpectives on History and Biology

2011-10-11T11:12:00.003-04:00

This Monday, Columbus Day, I spent my afternoon at the National Botanic Gardens and the National Museum of the American Indian. These two strikingly different museums fascinated me in their own unique way. The National Botanic Gardens was a refuge of peace, quiet, and exotic features. Meanwhile, the National Museum of the American Indian provided a greater depth of knowledge on the expansive history of Indian peoples in the Americas and their courage to survive in today's globalization-centered mindset.

The National Botanic Gardens was a lovely trip because on a warm, bright, sunny day I was able to enjoy to serenity that is afforded to one when walking through the quiet beauty of a garden. The Gardens are split into "branches" off of the central lobby inside. The "branches" are the Jungle, Hawaii, Children's Garden, Endangered Species, Medicinal Use, and the Desert. Each area, as you would figure, has vegetation from each biome that is listed. The jungle was thick, dense and very green in terms of plant life, while the desert featured a vast array of cacti and small, brown shrubbery. I truly enjoyed the Hawaii section for its color (plenty of whites, yellows, reds, and violets) and variety(size/shape). In addition, the Medicinal Use "branch" was interesting because so often we see the product of all of the various herbs and spices that we use in medicines or food, but we do not often see the full plant. When I was younger, I remember my great-grandmother having a spearmint bush as well as sugarcane down South. But, some of the herbs there were cinnamon, oregano, vanilla, licorice, tea, bay, and others. Also, the the lobby features some massive flora such as the bamboo tree, a banana tree, a palm tree, and others.

Next, I went to the National Museum of the American Indian, which is a part of the Smithsonian Network of Museums and Libraries. Referencing my experience as an intern for an architectural firm, I was struck by the beauty of the building. This beauty is derived from its keeping in American Indian traditions, specifically the Western tribes like the Pueblo and Navajo. Its is a four-story building, but it does have huge spaces that are improperly used. Moreover, the Museum is accurate in its representation of all Indian tribes throughout the Americas (not just North Am.). I enjoyed the exhibits and their depth and quality. I also learned alot about the strife that American Indians have today in regards to gaming. Many feel that it does not uphold the values and traditions of Indian culture, while others see the immediate and long-term viability of Indians fiscally. One area of specific interest was that of the Afro-Indian relations. I realized that at a time when there were more Blacks in America than any group (mainly as slaves) they had cooperative relations with Indians who suffered similar injustices. They also bonded through shared moral and philosophical beliefs. This was important to me as my maternal great-grandfather and great-grandmother were Afro-Indian (Creeks of Mississippi and Chickasaw of Georgia, respectively).

All of these things, in conjunction, created a very special day with lots of new information and appreciation for the life we have, in the world that we are in. I hope others can have such an experience as well.

KAL

2011-10-10T18:08:00.002-04:00

This was my second time to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and it probably will not be my last. The memorial is peaceful, sad and humbling all at the same time. It really is bitter sweet. My father's brother, my uncle and my namesake was not drafted, but he enlisted into the Army as a medic in 1968. His tour began on September 5, 1968 and he was killed in action by a hostile explosive device on October 7, 1968 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam. He was barely in theater a month when he was killed. This devastated my grandmother, grandfather and her 11 other children. I remember my grandma telling me stories about when he would write letters. He would write and say that it was a senseless war. He prayed to God every day that it would end so he and his fellow soldiers could come home safely. He had just graduated college with a degree in accounting from the University of Akron. He was also engaged and was going to get married when he returned. He had his whole life ahead of him. But he never did come back. It makes me so very proud to bear his name. I plan to return to this memorial before I leave here this quarter. I will be sure to visit specifically panel 41W - Line 24.

Maryland Autumn Adventure

2011-10-10T17:28:00.003-04:00

Don't get me wrong, DC is a busy city with plenty attractions to fill the days...but a day trip outside the city was just what the doctor ordered. I took a fall inspired journey to Maryland with a friend from OSU this Sunday and had a spectacular time enjoying all the beautiful countryside just outside the city.

I honestly never thought in a million years I would actually say it was nice to see some corn fields! But it was. DC definitely has it's perks but I can see why there are so many DC commuters with such beautiful areas just outside the city.

With the help of a friend called Google we found a Transformers themed corn maze that also offered a pumpkin cannon with Transformer targets (pictured above). For the record, I was 2 for 2 with my pumpkin shots to the Transformer on the left! It was an exciting experience to say the least, complimented by the perfect fall day.

I have had my fair share of time around the country: I grew up in the midwest, spent a year in Southern Alabama, a summer in Colorado, and now a month (going on 2 more) in DC. Every area definitely has its pros and cons. One thing DC could learn from the nation it so proudly governs is that a little charm and an occasional smile never hurt anyone.

Cheer up DC! There's a world outside your office to be explored and enjoyed! :)

-G

2011-10-06T19:18:00.008-04:00

The Apotheosis of Washington was painted in true fresco by the italian artist Constantino Brumidi. Brumidi is considered the "Michaelangelo of the Capitol." He painted the masterpiece on his back at the end of the Civil War. It took him 11 months to complete the canopy fresco. The figures are just as intelligle whether at the floor of the Rotunda or directly under the painting.

The title means to be glorifying Washington as divine or god-like. He is featured with liberty and victory flanking him to the left and right. There are an additional 13 goddesses that represent the original 13 colonies. There are also 6 scenes representing: War; Science; Marine; Commerce; Mechanics; and Agriculture.

Seeing that giving tours are one of my daily duties I am able to appreciate this masterpiece often. I was even more fortunate to receive a dome tour last week where I was able to see the incredible detail up close and take some pictures such as the one posted.

Peace in the Middle East

2011-10-05T19:49:00.002-04:00

Last night's Policy Salon opened my eyes to the Arab World and how complicated bringing democracy to fledgling nations can be. Scott Mastic, the Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa at IRI, was extremely knowledgeable about the nations in the MENA region and offered a detailed explanation of the historical context of these uprising as well as their future progress.

In each case study, one common theme seems to unite all citizens: the hope for a better quality of life, which these days, coincides with a healthy economy. I left the policy salon intrigued about the thirst for democracy worldwide and how citizens of the U.S. can help better the lives of citizens around the world. Today at work, I received a surprise email inviting me to attend a discussion featuring 13 journalists and fellows from Tunisia and Egypt, who were at the Center for American Progress (CAP) to speak out about the uprisings in their countries.

What I had learned last night truly resonated with me, and here I was, listening to firsthand accounts from citizens, journalists, and students. But what truly resonated with me was when a CAP researcher asked: what kind of support do you want from the U.S., in other words, DO you want support? When asked this question, there was an almost unanimous response that while foreign aid and assistance is appreciated, what truly matters is what happens when the U.S. (or other nations) leave. These citizens reiterated that they must believe in their people, that they must believe that change is possible, not in the short run, not in the next year, but in the next five, ten, etc.

Change does not occur overnight, they said, but rather when they can have some time to rebuild and stabilize themselves, eventually emerging as a democratic republic. Foreign aid can help accelerate weakened countries but an internal culture must be established with a clear vision. As one journalist stated, "our present is building our future."

-AMC

First Congressional Hearing

2011-10-05T15:32:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the Joint Economic Committee hearing of which the Senator I work for is the chairman. The witness was Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve. The hearings are very formal, much like a standard court proceeding. A Joint Committee is composed of half Republican and half Democrat members and the most interesting part of the experience stemmed from the different tone each party took on when addressing Chairman Bernanke.

I felt myself being proud of the manner in which Senator Casey, my boss, conducted himself. While Democrats to his left spoke aggressively and sometimes derogatoryly to Chairman Bernanke and Republicans to his right scolded the liberals' attitudes, Chairman Casey always presented himself as respectful and neutral. Like many in the past who have attended more controversial hearings, the debate and intensity were surprising and attention-grabbing. It is thrilling to see in person the type of dialogue that occurs between some of the most powerful people in our country. Senator Sanders(D-VT) accused the Fed of favoring big business by giving out $16 trillion in low-interest loans to big corporations and wealthy people during the recession while refusing to provide the same loans to small businesses to boost employment. Congressman Burgess (R-TX) interrupted the Chairman several times demanding a "yes or no" answer.

My first congressional hearing was more exciting because my boss was the guy in the middle. However, it is even more interesting to see first-hand how the country can get into gridlock situations because of party clashes. Even more so, difficulty arises when different branches of government blame the other branches for not getting things done. It was evident that the Federal Reserve blames Congress for not being able to pass any economic policy while Congress blames the Fed for its handling of monetary policy. All in all, a great experience.

-AKW

Late Night Monuments

2011-10-01T15:15:00.003-04:00

Last night, Gia, Alexandra, & I went out last night to visit the National Mall and some of the many monuments and memorials that are there. I came in expecting just a long walk in the dark to see ill-lit national treasures. But, what I got was the complete opposite. I have a greater appreciation for the monuments and memorials that we visited last night. In all, we visited the Washington Monument, which dazzles in the midnight; the World War II Memorial, which is by far the most breathtaking of them all at night because of the quiet reverence and solemn beauty of the memorial; the Korean War Memorial, which has a life-like feel at night because of the free standing statues of veterans on patrol; the Lincoln Memorial, which is a fortress of hope and peace and justice for a man who united this nation at its darkest time; and, the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, which is a true beacon of hope for future.

We took many pictures, had deep conversations, enjoyed the meaning of the moment, and simply got to know each other better during this time. I think it was one of the best times that I've had here, so far. I really enjoyed the patience and gravity of the meaning of these memorials at night as opposed to the rush of simply traveling to each of them during the day. The low crowds made it intimate and deep. The darkness gave a context of the times that many of these memorial represent. But, it all shows the courage, honor, and unity of this nation.

I was proud to be an American that night. I only hope everyone gets to share that experience.

"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope" ---MLK

KAL

Congressional Fundraiser

2011-09-25T19:48:00.004-04:00

On Thursday night, I was asked to attend a benefit dinner for my congressman at the immaculate Willard Hotel. This ended up being one of those moments when you really appreciate living in Washington D.C.

Since Congress was in session last week, I worked from 8:30-6 each day. So, when I was asked to attend the event by my supervisor, I was not overly excited to stay out even later. The day ended and I rode to the hotel with some fellow coworkers. When I arrived, I knew that this had potential to be a pretty amazing night. Located in the heart of D.C., this hotel was the most amazing I had ever seen.

Once inside, there was a hostess at a desk that had a list of everybody attending. She asked for my name and what do you know, my name was on that list. I thought, "Damn, I've arrived."

I found out the benefit dinner was on the roof of the building and when I found my way up there I was amazed with the view. It looks right out into the national mall, a beautiful shot of the Washington Monument. I didn't want to look too touristy so I stayed away from taking a picture but, as I look back, I really wish I would have. I was told that I would work the front desk, check people in, and collect contributions to the congressman's reelection fund. I soon found myself shaking hands and conversing with some of D.C.'s elite and helping my congressman's cause in his upcoming election. It was really the first time here when I truly appreciated what I am doing. I'm one lucky guy.

Eastern Market

2011-09-25T19:41:00.010-04:00

Before coming to D.C., my friend who attends George Washington University warned me: D.C. folk are foodies! I did not fully understand his observation until I stumbled upon Eastern Market during my Saturday morning run.

I vowed to come back and peruse the produce, flea market, and restaurants later that afternoon, and true to my word, I returned with my roommate Gia and a friend of hers who had recently moved to D.C. We immediately entered a throng of tents brimming with life. From the sterling silver jewelry to the donut vendors, sizzling skillets of crepes and chicken, decadent cupcakes, teeshirts, salons, and a live trapeze artist, the Market was full of flavor, culturally, artistically, agriculturally-with more than enough food to pack our lunches for the quarter.

Gia's D.C. friend had heard that a restaurant called Fred's Bulletin, claiming to have the most delicious PopTarts in D.C. was well-worth a visit, so I sampled my first-ever Peanut Butter and Bacon PopTart, something I wish I had known existed back in grade school.

As we continued our weekend stroll, I was intrigued by the market's charm and was not shocked to learn that it is one of the oldest public markets in the country. D.C. has been described as a city where everyone is from another location, a town comprised of transients. In Eastern Market, however, I felt welcomed by a sense of family and community.

The vendors were proud of their local produce and were eager to let you taste, test, and try whatever you may fancy. The Crepe Man apparently boasts his own Yelp review page, a true sign that Eastern Market is a staple for its Capitol Hill neighbors, a timeless market worth another visit...or five.

-AMC

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-25T19:41:00.007-04:00

It's impossible not to echo the last post in saying that the September 11 exhibit at the Newseum was sentimental and life changing. I remember September 11, as do most of Americans, like it was yesterday. I can't believe it has already been a decade. This exhibit was everything it needed to be; it was a reminder to those of us who can still recall the horrors of that day, it was informative so that the details of that day are clarified, it is tasteful and hopeful so that we can stand strong and know that our fellow Americans are remembered and cherished by all. We lived it. We remember it. We can still feel it. Because of the Newseum, future generations will weep and mourn the way we did on that tragic day... I look forward to the day that I can show my children and grandchildren that piece of history that we will never forget.

The picture above is one that I actually noticed in the FBI exhibit at the Newseum in another description of September 11. If you can not read the caption, it tells the story of a mother and 4-year-old daughter on a trip to Disneyland that were aboard United Flight 175 that crashed into the second tower.

Hearing stories like this never get easier to handle. I think back to my trip as a 5-year-old to Disneyland with my mom and remember every detail, every princess I met, and even got to be Queen for a day... but they never got to share that or any of the other things I've shared with my mom over the last decade. That little girl would probably be starting high school, counting down the days to getting her driver's license and dreaming of her first kiss. I admit that I cry every time I think of this family and all the other families that were torn apart.

I hope that we as a nation never forget. We will never be able to give those that were lost the recognition they deserve but the Newsuem does all that it can to bring clarity and truth.

2011-09-25T12:53:00.003-04:00

On Friday, the seminar class headed to the Newseum, a museum dedicated to the biggest news stories of our time (and before our time) and highlighting the work of journalists and photojournalists. I have to admit that it was the end of a long first week of work and by 1:30pm, I was not exactly super excited to go to a museum. However, as soon as we stepped in the door a pleasant staff member that did a little hip dance for us told us about the Berlin Wall exhibit, the 9/11 exhibit, and another one for the FBI. Immediately, my interest was spiked enough that I thought I could make it at least an hour without wanting to head back for a nap.

That hour turned into three as we made our way through the 6 floor museum. Beginning with the Berlin Wall, I learned more in 10 minutes about its history than I have in any class. The museum was donated original pieces of the wall and the story of the whole thing was really moving.

The various original pieces that the museum has collected were fascinating. The electric chair that Charles Lindbergh's baby's kidnapper was killed in, original passports of 9/11 hijackers, the unabomber's shack. It was incredible all of the history that this place holds. And the stories are told through the eyes of news crews which was a cool and different perspective than the traditional museum.

By far the most sentimental exhibit was the one for 9/11. The picture above is that of a piece of the satellite tower on top of one of the World Trade Center towers that fell. It is clearly mangled and destructed; but still standing here in this building. There was a ten minute film that interviewed reporters that were on the scene at the time of the plane crashes. Seeing footage from that day that I haven't seen since the actual catastrophe was extremely emotional. I don't believe anyone left that film with a dry eye.

So, coming from a girl that is really not big on museums, and even less so on a rainy Friday afternoon... I honestly recommend the Newseum to anyone in the area. I would have been at a loss had I not seen it!

-AKW

Congressional Black Caucus Convention

2011-09-24T22:04:00.003-04:00

This Thursday marked the beginning of the Annual Congressional Black Caucus Celebration Weekend. It began with a Black Greek Town Hall panel, hosted by Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11), and moderated by Roland Martin. It was a productive dialogue about the role in which Black Greek organizations play in developing today's Black community in terms of education, social justice, and brotherhood. During this time, I took many photographs for Rep. Fudge's Office. The next day, at the Washington Convention Center, was the National Town Hall that was moderated by former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, and featuring Reps. Maxine Waters & Emmanuel Cleaver, Marc Morial, Bob Johnson, & William Lucy. It was a passionate and enlightening discussion on all topics that can positively affect the Black community in all facets of development. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a guest appearance. I, then, sat in a panel discussion lead by Delegate Eleanor Norton Holmes on DC and their continued stubble to attain statehood, which is the beloved goal of Washingtonians. The other panel I went to was on labor unions and the benefit that they bring to the economics of the Black community, especially in times of a recession. Today, in absentia, was a Soul Food Luncheon that was hosted by Rep. Marcia L. Fudge.

KAL

In all, the CBC Convention was a gathering of Black leaders and everyday Black Americans to dialogue, tangibly, on issues that plague Black America, and more importantly, Black America.

United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)

2011-09-22T18:10:00.009-04:00

Having attended the panel discussion on ICF’s Tuesday, I was invited back to attend the final event arranged by the panel: a tour of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, located across the Potomac River, a few miles away from the heart on DC (close to Boling AFB).

I arrived at the National Academy of Sciences shortly before 7:30am and checked in. The panel soon arrived and we gathered in the lobby, awaiting a shuttle bus. Around 8:15, a U.S. Navy bus arrived and we were greeted by a staff member of the Naval Research Lab (NRL). We left DC, drove past RFK stadium, across the river, and a few miles further down, along the river. As we arrived at the lab, I noticed a great deal of security present. Once we passed the checkpoint, we were issued ID badges for our tour.

We entered one of the buildings and gathered in a briefing room, containing hundreds of research volumes done at the lab over the years. We ate a small breakfast and were promptly greeted by several NRL scientists from the Laser Plasma Branch and Plasma Physics Division (many of whom I saw at Tuesday’s panel). We all introduced ourselves and were given an info packet about the lab, its history, and importance in the military/technological advances today.

Here goes: NRL serves as the U.S. Navy’s corporate research lab with over 2200 employees; among them, 750 PhD holders. It was initially thought out by Thomas Edison in 1915, who advocated for more efficient means of combating the U-boat threat in the Atlantic. The idea was good and the lab was founded in 1923. NRL has pioneered many technological advances throughout the years including: GPS, U.S. Radar, vanguard rockets, and the first recon satellite. Another core program is their energy-based research projects, ranging from methane hydrates, to laser fusion projects.

Our area of focus for the tour was concentrated on the laser-fusion project. We walked into a large lab testing area, resembling an industrial warehouse, and saw the NIKE device. It was sphere-shaped with hundreds if not thousands, of components with numerous monitors attached all throughout. I noticed all sorts of “CAUTION”, “WARNING”, “DANGER”, and “RADIATION” signs all throughout the facility and flashing lights, so I naturally felt safe and secure. I was actually able to walk up the stairs to this thing and get a better look at it. I put my hand on the device and couldn't help but wonder how much science and thought went into creating it. I was really taken away by NIKE. From there we walked into another longer room which was the NIKE laser facility. In it, were hundreds of glass mirrors placed at carefully-positioned angles to reflect the light beams generated by the laser and focus them into one concentrated area. The length of this room was nearly 100 feet, which this contraception extending the full length with all kinds of gadgets throughout.

It amazed me to see the capacity of these machines and how many parts were included in each one. Another room housed an entire computer storage/data-gathering center to collect info when the laser is fired. Thick steel-paneled doors led from each room, almost like doors you would see on a Naval ship. We saw various other facilities all throughout and finally arrived at the Electra facility. This is where the particles from the laser are “fired” so to speak, and their results recorded. Several cryogenic and specially cooled devices surrounded the device and gas vent beneath it.

It was now that one of the scientists exclaimed “We’re going to fire the laser!” Naturally thinking a possible “Austin Powers" scene, we gathered into the data-processing room where the steel doors were firmly closed. The “WARNING” and “EXTREME HAZARD” signs were now flashing as the device was powering up. Just then, a loud “BANG BANG BANG” (some 30 times) was heard, sounding like a semi-automatic gun being fired. These were the laser beams being shot into the device and, on the computer screen, we saw the beams hitting inside the collision center. Pretty cool I thought!

After this demonstration, we gathered in another conference room for lunch. I had the chance to talk with many of the scientists and physicist who do work on this project, which was pretty neat. Some of the science terms were over my head, but the concept of it all was completely fascinating. I’d never heard about this project before and consider myself quite fortunate to see some of the devices up close and see the facilities at NRL. A little after 12pm, we boarded the shuttle bus and retuned back to DC.

Epic? Yes, to say the least - I was asked a few times if I was now going to consider changing my major. I suggested that before I do I might need to take a few TYLENOLs after all the physics details.

-- KJN

Interaction with my Congressman

2011-09-21T20:24:00.002-04:00

When I first found out about the Washington Academic Internship Program, I knew that I wanted to work with a congressman. I also knew that I was nervous to leave my western Pennsylvania comfort zone. With that in mind, I decided to apply for an internship with Congressman Bill Shuster, the Representative of Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District.

Working in Congressman Shuster's Office gives me the unique opportunity to be able to study in D.C., but to also stay up-to-date with the happenings back home. This is important to me because I feel that I owe this contribution to Pennsylvania. I've grown up there my whole life and I feel that I need to do something to give back. Interning in my congressman's office allows me to give back to my home while also learning the ins and outs of the D.C. work world.

Many of the interns may have been ready to leave their homes and take on the D.C. way of life. However, I was not one of them. I was very nervous about leaving my comfort zone and coming into this new city. Because of that, I knew I needed to do something that would help me feel more at home. Interning in Congressman Bill Shuster's Office has allowed me to do that.

Even though I'm living in D.C., I will never leave my roots. I'm excited to get to know more about this amazing city. Still, nothing is better than your home.

-MJM

National Academy of Science (NAS) Panel

2011-09-20T19:09:00.010-04:00

Today I had the privilege of attending a public panel discussion at the National Academy of Science, specifically the Keck Center. The topic of discussion was titled, “Panel on the Assessment of Inertial Confinement Fusion Targets.” It featured many top physicists with an expertise on fusion-based energy systems.

I was invited to this event by Dr. Richard Garwin, one of the most prominent physicists and nuclear security experts in the country. I first got in touch with Dr. Garwin in October of last year while doing my own research on Cold War weaponry. Over the years, Dr. Garwin has shared his own expertise on nuclear security and non-proliferation with various Presidential administrations and both governmental and military officials.

Among other things, Dr. Garwin is the known as the author for the original design of the world’s first hydrogen bomb, codenamed Ivy Mike (nearly 800x more powerful than the Hiroshima Bomb). He came up with the design when he was still a student…at the age of 21! I’m the same age and it’s impossible for me to even begin to fathom the complexities that exist in creating something of that significance!

Dr. Garwin E-mailed me the news about this event and invited me as a guest to sit in the discussion. Needless to say, it was a one-of-a-kind opportunity, and since I was still waiting on my internship approval, I figured I would attend!

I arrived at the Center around 8am, signed in, and walked down to the conference room for the discussion arranged for 8:30. As I walked in, I could instantly tell that I was going to be the youngest participant in the event, having noted many of the others were various scientists. As I found an empty seat, I spotted Dr. Garwin across the room, with a coffee in one hand. At the age of 83, he still travels and gives talks on nuclear energy/security.

I walked up extend my hand and said, “Dr. Garwin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He smiled, shook my hand and replied, “It’s nice to see you here.” As others filled the room, we quickly took our seats and the panel was underway. The first speaker was from the Nuclear Research Laboratory. He concentrated on a general overview of the HAPL (High Average Power Laser) program, including the direct-drive IFE (inertial fusion energy) technologies, target threat spectrum output, and finally, tritium use in HAPL. Following the presentation we had a short break.

Another group came took the floor with information on the current NRL program for ICE/IFE. Their focus examined target physics, status of the Krypton Fluoride (KrF) laser technology for IFE (inertial fusion energy), and recommendations for an IFE development effort. Essentially, the purpose of this panel was to elaborate on the possibility of creating a new energy source which could generate sufficient amounts of power and be self-perpetuating.

Being a history major, it was somewhat difficult to keep up with all the scientific specifics of the program. However, it was simply remarkable to see how deep people can think when it comes to these areas in science. It makes me wonder how anyone could design and understand such a thing!

Even more so was the opportunity to meet with Dr. Garwin. He’s a man who has essentially changed the scientific world and continues to write/lecture on nuclear security and non-proliferation today. I was able to get my photo taken with him and he exchanged some words of wisdom about the project and my upcoming internship.

Needless to say, the panel discussion was a wonderful opportunity to see technological advancements in motion and the means they are tested and operated. It was projected that this system could become quite substantial in years to come.

I consider myself quite fortunate to have had this opportunity to have been able to go to the National Academy of Sciences and sit in on one of these discussions. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in seeing some of the advancement in society and to talk with those who are a part of it.

KJN --

Move In Night

2011-09-19T18:50:00.002-04:00

A small group of us (Zach, Joe, Mitch) went out and walked around late in the evening. We went past the Supreme Court, Capitol Building, & Library of Congress and was just amazed at how beautiful the sights were at night, just as much as they are in the daytime. The quiet and solitude provided by the nighttime allowed us to venture the city without seeming touristy. That night gave us a small glimpse into what we were to expect in the coming weeks, which is a mixture of awe, excitement, nerves, and relief all at once. Hopefully, confidently, we will all deliver on the experience!

KAL

Another Face of D.C.: Eastern Market

2011-08-19T14:31:00.002-04:00

The first feeling came to my mind about D.C. is that it was such a western political city, with those white giant government buildings designed in the style of Ancient Greek and those high heels walking on a super fast pace every morning. However, right in the Northeast corner of the Capital Hill, there is a place that is just so unfitted in such a political and formal environment what so ever. It is a farmer market, called Eastern Market, where various food, fruits and crafts are gathered by the local farmers and merchants. Many of them are very special stuffs that originally come from the Non-west. When I first got there, it suddenly reminded me of the market that is filled with the cheapest clothes and accessories in my hometown in China. I was so amazed that how such rural market could have a replication in the Capital of the United States. The Eastern Market reveals another face of D.C. that has not been seen by many people, which is its diversity against its stereotypical fast-paced life, formality and fractious zealotry.

Today was one of my last three days in D.C., and I went to the Eastern Market for my last time. I was thinking about my hometown while walking around that place, including the very similar market I mentioned. However, this time’s feeling was so different from the first time visiting here. Eastern Market appeared to be so special that could no longer resemble my hometown market, and I eventually figured out the real difference is the fact that this distinctive little market is located in a large environment into which it does not inherently fit. This is the charm about Washington D.C. After exploring the city for the past weeks, it seems to me what have always been going on in the city are the dynamic struggles among the diverse elements. Some people struggle for their interests, some for their career ladders, and some for culture and identity just as the distinctiveness of the Eastern Market. Hopefully, I will come back here again someday to fit in an environment that does not seem to be fit in our first glance with my own distinctiveness.

Top Ten

2011-08-18T23:29:00.002-04:00

As I put the final touches on my research paper and prepare to head back to Ohio, I can't help but reflect on a great quarter. I have had an incredible experience in Washington, DC this summer. This will undoubtedly be a summer I will never forget. I have learned more than I could have imagined, seen more than I had even hoped for, and met more incredible people here than I thought was possible. That is why I am wrapping up my summer with a top ten for the Washington Academic Internship Program, Summer of 2011.

10. The Congressional. Not one room is the same as another. A great location with a bit of personality. I will miss my small apartment.

9. The security guard at the Hall of States. Quite possibly one of the happiest people on earth. Being greeted by his radiant smile every Friday morning was a great start to my day. Stay classy my man.

8. Studying at the Library of Congress. Probably one of the neatest experiences of the summer. Merely sitting in the main reading room is an experience in itself.

7. Fourth of July. My family was in town. As usual, when trying to coordinate a family vacation, it was hectic and slightly stressful, but at the end of the night it was a successful birthday celebration for the greatest country on earth.

6. Seersucker suits. Need I say more?

5. Friday morning breakfast. Eating breakfast with my roommate, Steven, every Friday morning as we prepped for class. Well, except for that one Friday... oops.

4. The Metro. Love it. Hate it. I experienced both of these feelings towards this method of public transportation this summer. I will miss it, except for the smell.

3. The CIA. I will assume everyone is a spy until you prove otherwise. This was an incredible trip that made me want to be in the CIA. Although now I am quite paranoid about my daily interactions.

2. Orange juice on Saturday.

1. Gabrielle Giffords. I witnessed a moment in history as I sat in the gallery to see the debt ceiling pass. This brave congresswomen made her inspirational entrance to the House floor to cast her vote. I joined the entire room for multiple standing ovations.

So long DC. It's been a fun ride. I'm sure I'll be back for more. Ken and Mike - hold down the fort after I leave.

The Most Important Meal of the Day...

2011-08-18T09:14:00.001-04:00

My mother has always taught me that it's important to treat yourself nicely and reward yourself after hard work. With that in my mind, I knew I'd have to find something fun to do during my last week here in DC after working for 9 weeks, taking class, and writing a research paper. My very first day of work, as I was walking to the office, I passed the Sofitel Hotel. I immediately was captivated by the very fancy breakfast that they were serving at the hotel's restaurant, ici Bistro. As I have passed by the hotel and restaurant everyday to and from work, it didn't take me long to decide that breakfast there would be my treat to myself for a summer of hard work.

I convinced one of my fellow John Glenn-ers to splurge and spend the money on a super fancy breakfast. We made reservations last week and have been waiting in anticipation for the day of our elegant breakfast to finally arrive. And oh, it did not disappoint.

We arrived and were ushered to very comfortable chairs outside on the patio. They served us our coffee in a french press and orange juice in a wine glass. They also brought a basket of croissants and other breads to eat with our plates of scrambled eggs. All the staff was very friendly and all had French accents, though I forgot to ask where each of them was from. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and my favorite type of food, this was an excellent way to start off my second to last day of my internship.

Even though I cringed when the bill came, as I have cringed a lot this summer when I realized how much I owed different establishments around the city, I didn't regret the decision to eat there. It was just the relaxing time that I needed to get me through my last week. It really made me stop and think about how much I've enjoyed my time here this summer, how much I've learned and how much I appreciate all the wonderful people I have met, both in the program and at my work. While the breakfast only lasted about an hour, this whole summer has been awesome and I know I'll continue to appreciate the opportunity I had here for a long time to come.

Two Tasty Restaurants

2011-08-17T22:43:00.001-04:00

In spite of the humid weather, summer life in DC was fun and pleasing. Being able to stay here for about two months, I gradually grew into a proud tour guide of this great city. When my friend Tyche visited me last weekend, I took her to all my favorite places in DC. Other than the famous museums and monuments, we also had a little food tasting tour around DC.

The first stop we made was We The Pizza on Penn Avenue. The place was not quite big and was crowed with local professionals, as well as tourists. There were eleven different kinds of fresh-baked pizza, along with chicken wings, side dishes and delicious flavored soda. I ordered my all-time-favorite BBQ pork pizza with crispy onions as topping. Tyche however, as a big fan of spicy food, got the spicy Mexican pie with chicken, peppers and tasty homemade spicy source on the top. The environment at We The Pizza was delightful and casual: there were interns from the Hill in their business suits chatting with each other, on the other end of the room there were also tourist families in their “I LOVE DC” t-shirts.

Another special place we tried was Korean restaurant Mandu on K Street. Earlier this summer, I went to Mandu with my office at their DuPont Circle location, as a farewell lunch for our Korean colleague, who was leaving during that week. The meaning of Mandu was dumplings in Korean, which was also the restaurant’s logo. Their decoration was unique and modern - light green wallpaper with traditional Korean cranes decor fly across the ceiling. According to my Korean coworkers, their food was also quite authentic. Their Korean brunch special during weekends was definitely worth trying.

- T.H.

China TOWN!

2011-08-17T20:17:00.003-04:00

There have been talks about people going out or "packing" Friday after our send off event. Last weekend (which has been my only Friday in DC), me and a few others went and wandered around China Town. It was a great time. There was any and everything there for anyone: Japanese Bars, Chinese Bars, Irish Bars, and even dancing (ask Alexa). Even though some bailed, it was a good time had by all (and mostly me in the end). Keep this in mind for your last weekend in DC. It's not everyday one can go play in China Town in a major capitol, let alone DC. We all know you can't do it in cbus, so why not?

CBB

One of Our First...A Must Last!

2011-08-17T20:11:00.003-04:00

On one of our very first trips, we went to the Pentagon. It was definitely a great tour. Getting to see and hear the history of the building and what the do is something most people don't get to do! The best part by far was the 9/11 Memorial. Upon leaving, it was suggested by Dr. K to go check it out at night to get the full experience. He was right! The memorial at night has an entirely different feel for it.

There is no one around at night, its quite and almost serene. Looking, walking, and just sitting there are night gives you a since of sadness while at the same time a since of pride. The people that lost their lives on that fateful day are American Heros and should be treated as such. Whether you are the patriotic type or not, this is def. a must see at night for all. With only two, maybe three more nights left in the city, the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon should be at the top of your list.

I know a lot of you like to walk/run at night to see the different memorials...you would almost be stupid not to go check this out at night! Who knows the next time you'll get the chance, or if you ever will again.

CBB

The Home Run Stretch

2011-08-17T06:56:00.000-04:00

With only a few days left before the end of my quarter here in Washington, I still have a lot to do. There’s the standard packing up all my worldly belongings that are here and cleaning the apartment that occurs at the end of any time abroad. There is also the standard end of the quarter shuffle--finishing projects, papers, and paperwork. Unlike other quarters, I also have to wrap things up at my internship, and that may not be by the end of the quarter.

At my internship, my to do list has slowly been whittled down to two major projects: first, the creation of a foreign lobbyist database; second, I am writing a long piece for out blog.

I have been a part of the development process of the database from the beginning. I gathered the data, and after it was roughly transformed into a database, I have gone through identifying and fixing problems in the database. I know I won’t be able to fully finish editing and correcting the foreign lobbyist database, but I have been able to diagnose many of the problems in the database, fix a lion share of those problems, and detail how the diagnosing and fixing process should occur so that it can be replicated.

My second project, the long piece, for the blog won’t be done before the quarter ends. As a result, I will have to “write from beyond the grave”, as the communications department says.

KMS

Meeting THE Wolf

2011-08-16T23:17:00.003-04:00

As I watched President Obama's interview in Iowa with Wolf Blitzer it made me realize that I never shared my story of meeting THE Wolf Blitzer when I toured CNN. A couple of weeks ago I was granted a tour of CNN's DC Bureau. A former Ohio State graduate, who is currently the political director for CNN in Washington, told me when we met last fall to send him an email when I was in town and he would gladly show me around the building. I contacted him after I was settled in DC and we eventually set up a date to meet at his office.

I arrived after a long day of work at the CNN office, which is tucked away behind Union Station. I met Steve in the lobby and we went up to the main offices where many of the CNN political stories are born. The building, as a whole, was very nice, but the CNN offices were much more impressive in comparison. The entire office had been under renovation and parts still were, but most of the projects were complete.

The first level we stopped at held many of the policy analysts and journalists that are working around the clock to stay on top of all the big stories in an attempt to break the next big one. The floor was designed with clusters of desks and monitors together based on what area in Washington they focused on. There was a team for the White House, another for Congress, and even one for campaign politics.

The office was full of flat screen TVs and Apple computer monitors with CNN programs playing or pictures of the building renovations cycling on a slide show. There were even pictures of the day that the building lost power minutes before Wolf Blitzer was about to begin his show. They quickly made some last minute adjustments and shot the show outside by sunlight.

After meeting a few young journalists Steve and I headed upstairs to see a couple of the studios. We slipped into a silent studio that is the set for John King USA and The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. It was clear that the crew was getting ready for the next show. As I looked around what was a much smaller studio than I had imagined the door that I had just entered through opened behind me. I turned around to see Wolf Blitzer smile at me and stride by me onto the set.

Steve was nice enough to introduce me to the one of the most recognizable political talk show hosts in the country. I traded small talk about Ohio State with Mr. Blitzer for a minute and then posed for a photo op on the studio floor with Wolf in the background. It was an incredible experience--one that I will never forget.

Unfortunately, I still do not have the photo in my possession. I am waiting for Steve to email it to me. Considering what the summer has been like for Washington politics and those attempting to cover all of the hoopla, I'll give him some time.

Novels, Cultures, Opinions

2011-08-16T17:20:00.003-04:00

As a last blog post, I recommend to current, past and future Glenn fellows interested in learning about cultures to read the following novels. This blog post idea came to me while I read Samuel P. Huntingotn’s The Clash of Civilizations? (1993). Though, I must clarify that I do not agree with his argument that the only cause of conflict among people is cultural. Having said that, I will go through parts of the article as my ideas came to me:

“The interactions between peoples of different civilizations are increasing…” This is where my first thought occurred; I agree. Since there is an increase in globalization, more people should be aware and knowledgeable about other cultures and ideas.

“An Ibo may be… an Owerri Ibo or and Onitsha Ibo in what is the Eastern region of Nigeria. In Lagos, he is simply an Ibo. In London, he is a Nigerian. In New York, he is African”. A well-known Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe, writes about cultural clashes in his novel, Things Fall Apart. His follow up novel is No Longer at Ease, where the main character experiences cross-cultural pressures.

“…the carnage in Bosnia and Sarajevo”. Slavenka Drakulic keeps true to this carnage in her novel S. A Novel about the Balkans. She focuses the story on a woman and what she goes through, being a woman, during the horrors of war. Needless to say, this was a very desensitizing book. She has also written other novels such as, Café Europa and They Wouldn’t Hurt a Fly about the Balkan culture and the Balkan war criminals, respectively.

“Modern democratic government originated in the West. When it has developed in non-Western societies it has usually been the product of Western colonialism or imposition”. This idea is explored in William Easterly’s The White Man’s Burden. He argues that the West must take responsibility of the negative consequences that have occurred from the West’s help in poor developing countries.

“Mexico has stopped defining itself by it opposition to the United States and it instead attempting to imitate the United States and joining the North American Trade Area”. There have always been migrations from Mexico to the United States. Now it has become a much more sensitive issue with so many deaths being reported. Luis Alberto Urrea follows 26 men that attempted to cross the U.S./Mexico border in his novel, The Devil’s Highway.

Finally, the article mentions Confucian-Islamic ideas. Snowflower and the Secret Fan novel by Lisa See goes into the old tradition of foot binding in China. The other is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini that follows the life of two Afghan women.

All these novels, fiction or nonfiction, are a great way to inform you about different cultures and opinions. I encourage you to pick one up and immerse yourself in a story and culture.

CFC

Traveling Underground

2011-08-16T14:45:00.001-04:00

When I took the metro in DC for the first time, I was quite amazed by the Metro station decoration. The style was full of grey color with a heavy exposure of concrete squares all the way up to the ceiling. I’ve been to many other cities with metro transportation; their metro stations usually have their own personality. No matter it was a traditional underground train station, or a modern palace with colorful decoration, none of them were quite like the giant “tunnel” here in DC. My friend Singmi, who came to Unite States from India for the very first time told me that DC Metro was “way too dark”, which was a little scary for her.

Adapted from late 20th century modern architecture, DC Metro was famous for its unique ceiling design. Architect Harry Weese was the master behind scene and the Metro was the one of the most famous representative for brutalism architecture style.

All in all, DC Metro is definitely the magic chain that connects different part of the city. It is quite convenient to get around by Metro - as long as it’s on time. The summer delay of Metro seems like inevitable due to heat of the track. Sometime trains need to “take a break” before operating again to prevent potential “blackouts”. However, I am still very grateful for the great metro system here, especially during peak hours.

- T.H.

Mr. Redd Goes to Washington

2011-08-15T22:20:00.006-04:00

As a way to reflect on all that I've learned this summer, I watched the seminal Jimmy Stewart classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington on Sunday night (available here for the time being). As typical of most Stewart films, a folksy underdog uses good ole fashioned American grit and determination to overcome the corrupt and powerful men in charge.

Jimmy Stewart's character Jefferson Smith is an idealistic boy scout leader and thus an unlikely appointment to the U.S. Senate after his predecessor's unexpected death. His fellow Senator and the Governor that appointed him are apart of the same political machine, and both pressure him to follow their explicit directions on how he should vote. Smith quickly sees that he must choose between re-election or upholding his high moral standard. In a critical moment, he opposes a key piece of legislation proposed by the villainous Senator. The film culminates in one of the most memorable scenes in all of film: Senator Smith filibusters for a then unprecedented 24 hours straight (Sen. Strom Thurmond broke this record with his attempt to halt the Civil Rights Act of 1957 - yikes). In the end, good prevails, the political machine is taken down, and American ideals are displayed for the world to see.

The tale of Mr. Smith is heartwarming and inspiring, if a bit cheesy on occasion. It remains one of the most important movies ever made, especially for its critical timing. When the movie first came out in 1939, it was banned in Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, Fascist Italy and a handful of other non-democratic nations because it showed how a representative democracy can work for its citizens. I cannot help but imagine the response to such a film nowadays. Certainly the public has become far too cyncial of the Federal Government to believe that such a pleasant story could emanate from one of the chambers of Congress.

Some of the lessons I've taken from my time in DC deal with the nature of contemporary American politics - hyperpartisanship, an inability to compromise, never ending campaigning and fundraising, and the painful inefficiencies of bureaucracy. It's incredibly easy to become disenfranchised with a system that leaves so much to be desired.

My spirit is not yet broken, however. I remain optimistic about the role that I and the other Glenn Fellows might play in restoring some sanity to the government one day. A great CNN article published last week predicts that it will take a millenial to end the political gridlock plaguing the government. My generation's open-mindedness and creativity might be just the trick to fixing a fractured system.

Many would justifiably argue that it's a lost cause. In reply, I turn to our fictional friend Senator Jefferson Smith who once stated, "Lost causes are the only causes worth fighting for."

Steven

National Cathedral

2011-08-14T19:47:00.001-04:00

Having been in Washington for about two months now, I’m certainly used to the feeling of the white, marble city. At least in our neighborhood, walking around Capitol Hill on a sunny day can be blinding if you don’t have sunglasses handy. In addition, I’ve gotten used to the concrete city feeling of downtown. Little patches of nature scattered throughout, such as McPherson Square or Lower Senate Park, are nice reminders of the green space we left behind when we signed up for a summer in DC. All in all, however, walking around DC has a pretty familiar feel to it now, and I’m seldom surprised when I enter a new part of town, landscape or scenery-wise.

There are two major exceptions that I’ve encountered and enjoyed greatly so far. The first, the National Zoo. I went looking for pandas, and certainly was not disappointed on that front. I also found, however, an ENORMOUS area of DC that was both hilly and almost entirely green. Being used to so much pure city, it was a nice break to be able to walk around and feel like I was at any other zoo, anywhere else in the country.

The second, the National Cathedral. Driving along with George Washington Memorial Parkway, the Cathedral can be seen peeking out from above Georgetown. Up close, it’s a gigantic surprise that just kind of hits you. It’s one of those rare instances where you turn a corner, and BAM, there it is.

And boy, it is gorgeous! I went inside and took an impromptu tour, and was amazed and awed to see such an impressive structure right outside of the city. It was like walking through Notre Dame de Paris; the same set up, just an ocean apart. Built within the past century, it’s pretty cool to see American attempts at replicating buildings that are centuries old everywhere else in the world. One major difference? The Cathedral is almost completely clean on the outside. Also, it’s odd to see almost all the writing both inside and out in English, as opposed to French or Latin (most of the churches I’ve been to, at least, have been in France, thus the reason I found this surprising).

One downside is that the National Cathedral is pretty far away. However, if you all have time when parents or friends are picking you up to head home, I’d recommend driving out to see it; it’ll be worth it, I guarantee!

LZ

Great Food, Great History

2011-08-14T17:51:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite places I’ve eaten all summer has been Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown. It’s a famous hotspot; a Washington establishment, some might say.

Martin’s has been a favorite restaurant for a handful of Presidents, and as a result of it being so popular, it has been visited by every sitting President from Harry Truman to George W. Bush. President Obama, if you’re reading this, I highly recommend visiting Martin’s; not only to keep the tradition going, but also so you can order the eggs benedict (pretty fabulous).

Not only was the food at Martin’s great, but the place is ripe with history. Being a gathering place for so many famous people, many of the booths in the restaurant have earned their own special classifications. The booth next to the one my mom, sister and I ate in was the booth where JFK apparently proposed to Jackie (that’s my favorite story, as most people who know me will be able to attest to the fact that I’m obsessed with the Kennedy family). Another booth a few down was apparently JFK’s favorite; he lived in Georgetown while he was a Senator, and he went to Mass at the church right down the street from Martin’s. Harry Truman and his wife have their own famous booth, where they would frequently meet for dinner when he was a Senator and she was a student at GWU. Nixon and LBJ both had their own booths, and according to Martin’s, apparently Soviet spies would camp out and eavesdrop on all the famous and important people who would come to dine there.

What a cool place. What great food. If there’s one spot I’d recommend everyone checking out before we all make our way back to Columbus for the school year, it’s definitely Martin’s Tavern.

Here’s their website in case you wanted to know more!! And definitely let me know if you'd like to go.
http://www.martins-tavern.com/

LZ

Reflection at the Monuments

2011-08-14T17:08:00.006-04:00

The themes of several of the last blog posts have centered around appreciating the many monuments and museums of DC. As time runs out on our quarter, a number of my classmates and I have tried and squeeze in as much as possible. None of us could have anticipated how quickly the summer would roll by, and as a result we've had a lot of catching up to do in regards to essential Washington landmarks.

A few fellows and I decided to make good use of our second to last Friday of the quarter, and so we walked over to the FDR and Jefferson memorials. FDR's amazing use of waterfalls and Jefferson's placement overlooking the tidal basin make these my favorite of the DC memorials. There is no better place to think quietly or reflect with friends than in the presence of a gorgeous marble statue of one of the greatest thinkers of all time. Add in the moonlight that slightly illuminates the serene waters of the basin, and it's easy to see why it's among the best spots in DC.

Next week, the area around the tidal basin will be home to what will likely be another powerful memorial. Forty-eight years after the famous "I Have a Dream Speech," the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial will open to the public. Though the opening ceremony (featuring President Obama, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder among others) is not until August 28th, the memorial is open to the public on August 22nd. The memorial cost an estimated $120 million and has some amazing design features which can be seen on the official website. Because I'll be working an extra week after the program is over, I'm looking forward to being among the first to see it. I trust that it will make my favorite stretch of memorials all the more moving.

Steven

Museum Tour in D.C.

2011-08-13T22:13:00.002-04:00

There is no doubt that D.C. is the paradise of museum lovers. People can find museums in quite different areas like the air and space, history, arts, journalism, spy, portraits, and science. I love visiting museums because they are places where you can learn a lot by experiencing yourself. It feels real and touched when I’m seeing those pictures, documents, videos, models and statues. At some point, I feel like I were a witness and seeing everything unfold in front of me.

Since my friend Tyche who is staying in D.C. with me this weekend also likes museum, I brought her to my three favorite ones:The Holocaust Memorial Museum, The National Gallery of Art, and The Newseum.

The Holocaust Memorial Museum locates on the 14th and 15th street which was established in 1993 in order to show its audience a living memorial to the Holocaust. It gathered thousands of photos and documents about the Holocaust spreading on two floors. The interior design of the whole museum is imitating the Nazi concentration Camp in World War II which make people feel very heavyhearted. The exhibition of the first floor varies by different themes and the second floor is the fixed exhibition within several films and many precious documents, pictures and things left from the Holocaust. It explained the historical background and reasons why and how the tragedy happened. What impressed me most are those photos of how Nazi did to Jewish people in their concentration camp. Nearly six million of Jewish were killed in from 1933-1945 including one and half million of children. Their cruel behaviors created a huge damage to other races of people which would never be forgiven.

Our next stop was The Newseum which was really an interesting name. The Newseum was filled with millions of information since very long time ago in United States Journalism history. In Newseum, people could access to see the developments of journalism, there were also stunning photos from Pulitzer Prize. We experienced the 4D movie which told us three journalism stories throughout history. The most touching part is the section of 9/11. There was a short film about the responses of some journalism witnesses of 9/11, they shared their heart-broken stories of 9/11. One could also have hands-on experience in Newseum and be a part of the news team.

Eventually we went to the National Gallery of Art which located right across the street of Newseum. Due to the short time we had, we only visited a small part of the West Building.

I have always built many images in my mind whenever I visit a museum. The exhibitions tell stories and I’m willing to be the listener. Sometimes it is amazing to me that I can find many things happening in those art pieces so similar to real life. Other times I can even experience other’s suffering with anger and sorrow. Museums are the bridges that connect reality and history.

- T.H.

Monuments in the Moonlight and Rivalry Love

2011-08-13T14:25:00.004-04:00

It's been a major theme since I've gotten to DC--you know, the whole everyone-hating-Ohio-State thing, but after the Five Stages of Grief, I've been able to accept that I go to a controversial school (and that everyone else is just jealous). On my first day at Citizens for Global Solutions, the staff took all of the interns out to lunch. We all introduced ourselves with the typical elevator speech. Upon meeting Carly from Michigan, there was, of course, the initial horror that strikes the heart of any loyal OSU or Michigan student, but being the grown, mature, educated women that we are, we quickly became friends and were able to overlook the century long rivalry.

Since then, we have become the best of friends. We've given each other career, traveling, school, and boy advice. This Wednesday night, confronted with the fact that she would soon be leaving DC to head back to school, Carly and I decided to have a delicious soul food dinner at Oohh's and Aahh's and tour the monuments at night. It turns out that it was a lovely DC evening, not oppressively hot and even a little breezy, and there's no better time to see the monuments than when they're lit up in the darkness.

It was incredible to see how vacant the streets were -- even at the White House! Only about 30 people stood in front of the gates and admired the relatively quaint home of the President (considering the grandiose structures of other nations). After the White House, we strolled past the Washington Monument on our way to the greatest view of all: the Jefferson Memorial. Walking along the winding paths that hug the tidal basin, I was in awe of the remarkable structure and its brilliant glow spilling over the water.

After a summer of living the life of a true DC resident, it was time that I had a touristy evening, and I was quickly reminded of why people travel from so far to see the beauty of the city. While I have my complaints about the weather and the divisive politics, it has truly been an amazing experience and I've grown to love DC like a home. Also, I suppose that in a city that is defined by the divisions in politics, even a Buckeye and a Wolverine can become great friends.

SF

Summer Treat

2011-08-12T22:16:00.002-04:00

Growing up in a city with extremely humid weather during the summer, it still surprises me that summer has always been my favorite season. For me, there is no better time of year that has the perfect combination of sunshine, ice cream. and fun!

One of the best summer surprise D.C. has given to me is the popularity of frozen yogurt. As one of the hottest-growing franchising chains, frozen yogurt has opened a whole new world for yogurt and ice cream lovers. D.C. has a large variety of frozen yogurt brands, especially in recent years, the popularity of this healthy dairy product has exploded.

My first taste of frozen yogurt in DC was at SweetGreen near Capitol Hill, a healthy, organic diner that offers salad, warps, and most importantly, frozen yogurt. It was a nice walk from Congressional, our apartment, the neighborhood was filled with beautifully organized gardens and friendly residents. After a nice walk, SweetGreen was the perfect place to have some refreshment. Their frozen yogurt not only came with the original tart flavor, but also fresh-cut fruits and toppings.

As for my personal favorite place, it has to be the Fro.Zen.Yo. I was skeptical and curious when the first time I walked into Fro.Zen.Yo - there were about eight machines that looked like McDonald’s milkshake maker, two flavors for each. Turned our Fro.Zen.Yo was a self-serve frozen yogurt place. For me this was definitely one of the best summer surprises, the happiness as a little kid in a candy store came back to me again when I was in Fro.Zen.Yo. I tried all the crazy flavors such as cheesecake, which is also my favorite, and strawberry-kiwi (non dairy) with fun toppings and delicious syrups. After I filled my cup with all the summer tasty treat, I placed my yogurt on a scale and paid by ounce. The trick I learned later from a frozen yogurt expert was to put toppings on the bottom first, then yogurt. And then more toppings, more yogurt. In this way one could maximize their yogurt flavor and topping choices with beautiful layers, just like a parfait.

Speaking of frozen yogurt, my best friend is in town this weekend. I am definitely taking her to the two places and getting some summer treat. Delicious!

- T.H.

Music...Sweet Music

2011-08-12T14:37:00.005-04:00

I Love Music & Therefore...I'm Broke

On our first ever meeting back in April, I mentioned that I am a fan of music. Music is one of those things that can bring all kinds of people together. No matter your belief in this, or that, music is something from the heart (most of the time) and is something that somehow you can usually tie it to your own personal experience.

There are all kinds of music venues all over the DC area and I highly suggest everyone at least see one show, big or small, while in the city. It'll be an experience you may never forget. Ask Sara or Alexa, both of which ventured to the 930 Club with me here in DC. During both shows, we saw or met people that you would never expect to see at the given concert. Sarah and I met a woman that lost half of her arm and was working for the VA to help veterans returning from the Middle East. She was having a blast! It just goes to show, that music can touch us in a way that nothing else can. Alexa and I didn't "met" anyone so to say, but we did realize that sometimes you must carry your girlfriend's purse, even if you have your own, and yours is bigger than hers...

http://redpalacedc.com/events/

http://www.930.com/concerts/

http://www.dcjazz.com/

Those are all links for music in and around the city. Anything from country to alternative, and rap to jazz. Surely you can find something that interests you.

The Eels - 930 club

The Red Palace Cat, he was there when they bought the place, and refused to leave...he know sleeps at the bar

I Love U Street

2011-08-12T14:26:00.004-04:00

Last week, a few of us Glenn Fellows had our first experience on U Street. This part of a town has a very different feel to it than many of the other areas we had visited in DC. We first stopped into an adorable little hole-in-the-wall soul food restaurant, called Oohhs & Aahhs, for dinner. We were surprised when we entered to see dozens of pictures on the wall, each one depicting a celebrity enjoying the food at what we had thought was just your average tiny restaurant. We would soon learn that, although the restaurant was indeed tiny, it was far from average.
Our wonderful waitress allowed us to sample ALL of the side dishes (All of which are vegetarian, by the way) before selecting our meals. We first thought this was merely a sweet gesture, but we soon learned that it was the world's best business tactic. Every single dish was so delicious that it made deciding on just three a nearly impossible task! We each finally decided on our meal choices, and stuffed ourselves silly on the incredible food.
After dinner, we could not quite remember why we had wanted to go dancing, but we decided to attempt to do so anyway. So, we stumbled down the street, fighting our food comas with every bit of strength we had, in search of a dance club. U Street, however, is not populated by the normal dance clubs one sees around the rest of DC. In fact, we could not find a single club that played the music we were expecting. Luckily, we ended up somewhere even better! We somehow discovered a Reggae Club, which provided an unforgettable experience on which I have been missing out for the past 22 years. The DJs spoke with Jamaican accents so thick that no one had any idea what was being said, and the club patrons, many of whom were clearly regulars, swayed to the rhythm of reggae music in perfect synchronization. We danced and laughed the night away, as we learned that hip hop is definitely not the only music that makes for a great club experience.
U Street definitely makes for a unique and wonderful adventure, full of new and exciting experiences. The most important lesson of U Street, though: do not attempt to eat delicious soul food and then go out dancing. You will be overcome with a strong urge to hibernate instead.

RC

Final Week

2011-08-12T14:23:00.003-04:00

The final week is here. I know most of you are attempting to finish up all or just a little bit of our paper due next week. You should all get it done as soon as possible so you can have a great last week, and final experience of the city.

A great idea is Screen on the Green down at the mall that I mentioned during my presentation today! This Monday is the last time it will be held this weekend. They are showing Cool Hand Luke, which is superb movie. If anyone is considering going you might want to bring a blanket and/or chairs, food, and alcohol is even permitted (but you must be 21 and be in a non-clear cup). There is also a small concession stand that serves food and drinks, but I'm guessing it's expensive (just like any other movie theater) and it closes early as well. The movie starts at sunset, 830-ish, and the following link is the basic info if anyone is interested:

http://savescreenonthegreen.com/

When I went, I saw One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest! It was awesome! They even showed an old school Bugs Bunny cartoon before the movie. Also, if you get there early, not only will you get better seats, you will also be able to see a great sight (as long as the skies are clear)...

Just a thought...

CBB

A Birthday in D.C.

2011-08-12T14:08:00.002-04:00

This summer, I was fortunate enough to turn 21 in one of our nation's capital. While this seems like it would be awesome, I was a little worried. Your twenty-first birthday is generally one of the most memorable and it was going to be difficult to celebrate it without my family and friends. Also, there is just so much to do in D.C; how could I possibly choose something special enough for my birthday? Thankfully, my worries went away as soon as the day actually came. First, my Glenn school family rallied and took me out to celebrate at midnight on my birthday. Secondly, my boyfriend came first thing in the morning to spend the day with me, which my boss generously gave me off from work.

After he arrived, we immediately headed to the National Museum of Natural History. The exhibits themselves were amazing! I especially enjoyed the "Ocean Hall," which obviously featured some of our ocean's most fascinating creatures. Not only did it have life size models of the Lion's Mane Jellyfish and Blue Whale hanging from the ceiling, but also a live coral reef with tropical fish. Another one of my favorites was the "Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution" Exhibit. This exhibit featured a Butterfly Pavilion, with live butterflies! The pavilion allowed us to get really close and interact with some of the world's rarest butterflies. Also, the pavilion was not very crowded, so we were given some pineapple to feed the butterflies. Upon receiving the pineapple, the butterflies flocked to us!

After our trip to the Museum, it was time for dinner. My boyfriend and I travelled up to K St to dine at a restaurant called Kaz Sushi Bistro and were seated at the sushi. Sushi is my favorite food and I was in heaven at this restaurant. They had everything from tuna nigiri to yellow tale belly sashimi to seaweed salad. The meal was delicious and our waitress surprised me with a green tea tiramisu as a birthday treat! Following dinner, we decided to head to a lounge one of coworkers recommended near The White House. Called Point of View, its located on of the W Hotel and has amazing views of the entire city. Despite the high prices, it was perfect and we celebrated until the clock struck 12 and my birthday was finally over. I have to say it was my favorite birthday yet!

- C. C.

You Just Never Know Who You're Going to Meet...

2011-08-11T07:51:00.001-04:00

After work yesterday, I decided to take a stroll over to Dupont Circle and plop myself on a park bench to continue my reading of A Diplomat's Progress. After about 30 minutes or so of sitting there, a man about my age approached me and asked if he could sit on the bench next to me. I told him that he could, and went back to my reading. After a couple of minutes, he asked me, "Do you know how to speak English very quickly?" I replied that yes, I'm a native speaker of English. He seemed delighted once I said this and informed me that he was here in the U.S. studying English but that he had trouble finding people to practice with. I told him that I would be more than happy to practice English with him, and we began our conversation there in the park.

I learned that he had come to the U.S. from Gabon in November and that he has been studying English at a community college in Virginia, just outside of D.C. He was shocked that I had even heard of his country and that I knew its relative location (West Central Africa). His only friend in this country thus far was one of his classmates who is from Cameroon, and since both of their native languages are French, they almost never speak English together.

As we continued talking he told me that his plans here were to pass the TOEFL and then make his way to college. He had had dreams of becoming a doctor, but many people he had met told him that it was impossible to do that without money, so he switched his goals to becoming an electrical engineer. I encouraged him to not give up on his dream of becoming a doctor, that if he really wanted it he could find a way, though he remained dubious. In most other countries, the idea of taking out loans to pay for education does not exist; your family either has the money upfront to pay for your education, you attend a free public university, or you don't go to college. Loans are not an option.

I asked him if he wanted to return to Gabon eventually, and he said of course! Why wouldn't he? He said he had to stay here and finish school because his parents would be disappointed if he returned home without a degree, but once he finished his degree he was definitely going to go back. I explained my future goal of living abroad, and how I wasn't sure if I would return to the U.S. or stay abroad permanently and he looked at me like I was crazy. Why wouldn't I want to come back home? In all honesty, I'm still not sure the response to that question.

We discussed the difficulties he had been having adjusting to life in the U.S., and how people were much more stand-offish than in his home country. He said I was the first random person who had been willing to have a full conversation with him here in D.C. He explained that in Gabon it's totally normal to strike up conversations with complete strangers, invite them out to eat, exchange contact information, etc. the very first time you meet someone. As a frequent traveler, I know that's how it is in many other countries, but I didn't know what to tell him other than that Americans aren't trying to be rude, they just often have a difficult time trusting people they first meet. He understood, but contended that it made it much more difficult for him to meet people and, hence, practice his English.

We talked for close to an hour, him telling me about culture and dress in Gabon, and me giving him advice on things he had to see while here in D.C. When it was time to leave, I wished him the best in DC. As I walked away I couldn't help but smile -- I absolutely love meeting people from other countries and other cultures, sharing stories with them and hearing how their experiences and perspectives differ from my own. Those types of encounters really make me feel fulfilled and remind me why I study international relations and encourage me that, yes, I am headed the right direction.

-CRP

Bowling with Barack

2011-08-10T22:57:00.002-04:00

…Almost.

Last Thursday, one of the employees at my internship got all the interns into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for a few rounds of bowling. Mind you, last Thursday was Barack Obama’s 50th birthday. He was, however, in Chicago celebrating with his family/fundraising for 2012… not bowling with us.

Still, we had a blast. After we went through intense security, we roamed the building, aimlessly trying to find the alley. We finally succeeded and found two-lanes, a large cupboard of questionable shoes, and more bowling balls than most bowling alleys have waiting for us.

The Truman Bowling Alley, as it’s called, is filled with pictures of Presidents bowling throughout time. My favorite is probably the picture of Nixon, where he’s committing an obvious foot foul. Oops.

Our liberal group gathered around Obama’s action shot, took a picture for our bosses stuck back at work, made some jokes about taking down Bush’s frame, and finally got down to bowling.

We divvied up; Team Awesome versus Team Female Condom (this is what happens when you work at Planned Parenthood). After about two hours, we were summoned to go. It was a nice break from the work day, as well as a weird way to celebrate our President’s birthday.

On our way out, we exited right across from the West Wing of the White House. I’ve never been on a tour, but from what I understand, getting to see the inside of the West Wing is fairly difficult. Our guide stopped us in the parking lot, and explained where we were. RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE SITUATION ROOM. “You know those photos of Obama, Hillary, and everyone else watching the mission of the raid of Osama bin Laden’s compound? That happened right on the other side of this wall”. Too. Cool.

All in all, it was a pretty fun day. It was definitely one of the best so far this summer in Washington. So now, if you hear me telling people I went bowling at the White House for Obama’s birthday, you know the full (technical) story.

LZ

Work and Play

2011-08-10T18:01:00.005-04:00

From my first day at the Human Rights Campaign I could tell the office was a place of great productivity. Everyone has been very nice, but it is always bustling with staff members working constantly to accomplish what they need in order to continue the momentum of the LGBT movement. It makes the day go by fast and it is always a good feeling to leave the building knowing you've accomplished a lot in your day.

This past Tuesday was the staff outing. The office came to a halt, well for most of us anyhow. We all carpooled out to Hains Point in southwest DC by the waterfront. It is a gorgeous area with a beautiful view of the Potomac River. The park itself has a golf course, tennis courts, playground, and plenty of space for a picnic. It started as a gloomy looking day, but ended up warm and sunny throughout most of the afternoon. The purpose of the HRC staff outing was to bond with fellow employees and enjoy a nice day outside. Everyone attended from the president, Joe Solomonese to us measly interns, as well as family of the staff.

The event was catered and included some fun games to get everyone up and moving. There was Kan Jam, a fun yard game played with to cylinders and a frsbee, Bocce ball, and even a staff-wide dodgeball tournament. Before the dodgeball tournament one of the staff members jokingly brought both teams to half-court to have a moment of silence for all of the young members of the LGBT community who have been terrorized by the game of dodgeball in gym class. Everyone laughed and then he yelled, "Now take it out on each other!".

Lunch was served by a southern-style barbeque restaurant. The afternoon was capped off with an ice cream truck that was reserved for the party. We each were given a ticket and everyone picked out their favorite frozen treat. After the games came to end we all were able to mingle and chat. It was definitely a good change of pace from the busy day at the office. It was also a great chance to hang out with some of the other interns before they leave for the summer.

With less than two weeks left at HRC, I know I will definitely miss working with the energetic and inspiring people at 1640 Rhode Island. I have learned a great deal this summer and look forward to continuing the mission of the Human Rights Campaign this next year and beyond.

JF

A Little Bit of Rhody in D.C.

2011-08-10T17:25:00.001-04:00

For those of you that don’t know, I am a Rhode Island girl, born and bred. I have lived all twenty-years of my life in the state that my boyfriend’s parents routinely jokingly poke fun at with their question, “Is it a road? Is it an island?” At a total area of 1,214 square miles, I’m not really sure what it is exactly. With that being said, it is pretty rare that I encounter anyone or anything from home outside of New England, so when I noticed that the Center for American Progress was having a special presentation on Rhode Island, I was obliged to attend.

The special presentation was titled, “School Finance Reform: Impacts on Equity and Lessons from Rhode Island.” It featured a Keynote Speech from Congressman Chaka Fattah from Pennsylvania, a introduction from Cynthia Brown, the Vice President for Education Policy at the center for American Progress, opening remarks from Christopher Edley Jr, Dean, UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law; Co-Chair, Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence Commission, a presentation by Dr. Kenneth Wong, a professor at Brown University, and a panelist discussion from Anna Cano-Morales, Director of Strategic Partnerships, RI-CAN and Jon Fullerton Executive Director, Center for Education Policy Research, Harvard University.

Overall, the discussion was very interesting. The theme of the discussion can be seen in Dr. Edley’s idea that financial reform must be combined with renewed efforts to achieve efficiency. He identified that we must stop spending money on policies that are popular with government, but bad for children. Instead, he idealized that we emphasize realities to those who do not want to spend more money, as we will not make progress with the people of the country if the talk is about the constricting of funds and the plumbing of policy; the American public is not interested in policy plumbing, but instead on values and results.

After Dr. Edley’s remarks, Dr. Wong presented the new design of the Rhode Island School Funding Formula, as it represents the state’s first attempt at school funding reform in 20 years. I enjoyed his presentation, as I could actually visualize the distinctive cities and towns he referred to in his examples. While others were puzzled as to the actual dynamic of the state, I was truly able to understand the presentation and frankly, I feel that the ideas the state recently put into place could work. My knowledge of the state also gave me an advantage when I addressed the Rhode Island natives of Wong and Morales with my questions after the presentation, and had some think-tank employees turning to me for answers in the elevator on my way out. For the first time, my home state made me cool for something other than my accent! All jokes aside, it was nice to see that D.C. affords me opportunities to see the political happenings of not only the nation as a whole, but also its smallest member.

-C.C.

Walks around DC

2011-08-09T22:45:00.003-04:00

As it quickly dawns on me that my stay in DC is coming to an end, there are still many places I would like to visit (National Archives, Arlington Cemetery). Yet I find myself visiting the same places, not new ones. I have always enjoyed a casual walk in the evenings and I believe one of the best places to do that is in DC (on the hill that is). I have walked to the Washington monument, the World War II memorial, the Korean War memorial, the Lincoln Monument, the Vietnam memorial, the FDR memorial, and the Jefferson monument in numerous orders and with different company. I have truly enjoyed each time, even the latest walk this past weekend in the rain.

Another walk I enjoy is to the Eastern Market. I always find it to be a productive outing. I relish walking by houses and looking at the different colors, lawn arrangements, greeting families with their dogs, and smelling the occasional barbecue. Upon arriving to the market, before the produce section, I walk through a series of tables filled with jewelry and other knick knacks made by local artists. It’s fun to peruse the tables as I remind myself that I do not need more jewelry. Before my produce purchases, I make a run through all the stands to determine from which seller the produce is cheaper and looks the best. There is something calming for me as I solely focus my attention to sorting through the fruits and vegetables, thinking about what I’ll cook throughout the week. It keeps my mind off the numerous other things on my “to-do” list.

Other walks to experience are to varying establishments. There is a delicious gelato place near the Eastern Market, a beautiful Sculpture Garden, and a hidden water fountain next to the capitol building. I encourage everyone to seek them out.

CFC

Giving Back

2011-08-09T17:50:00.000-04:00

As an U.S. Department of Education intern, I’m fortunate to have many opportunities to participate in volunteer opportunities at ED headquarters. One of the best opportunities this summer was the Let’s Read!, Let’s Move!series. Let’s Read! Let’s Move! took place throughout the month of July and seeks to increase awareness of the importance of summer learning and encourage adults to read to children. Thanks to this great initiative I was able to volunteer on both July 6 and July 26, 2011.

The July 6^th program was ED’s first installment of the series and featured guest appearances from Secretary Arne Duncan, Hall-of-Fame Basketball Player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, and Miss America 2001 Teresa Scanlan. Holder read parts of Dr. Seuss’s book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, and enthusiastically read, “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” In contrast, Abdul-Jabbar read Mina Javaherbin’s Goal, a book about a group of South African children who overcome bullying to follow their love of playing soccer, while Hanlan sat with the children in the audience and participated in theLet’s Move! portion of the event.

While the guest speakers were great, the children were by far my favorite part of the event. The program had over 100 students, ages 3 – 7. Students from Joint Base Anacostia Bolling Youth Center, Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center, Inc., Children’s Choice Learning Center, and the Parents Coalition of Montgomery County attended the event. All of the kids were amazing and I especially enjoyed their questions and comments about the speakers’ choice of books; they ranged from, “I like books,” to “I like your books,” to “I like vegetables,” to “You’re Tall” in reference to Abdul-Jabbar. As a volunteer, we were encouraged to play with the children, which was a nice break from the usual work day. I was responsible for the “Snack and Hydration Station,” which means in simple-man’s terms that I handed out water bottles and lunch boxes (generously donated by Target) to each and every child at the program. The lunch boxes contained coloring books, crayons, pedometers, and fruit and granola bars, to promote good future health.

Overall, the event was fun and it felt good to give back for the day

C.C.

Party Bus to the CIA

2011-08-08T21:38:00.005-04:00

Knowing that we would need to arrive at the CIA in a bus, my colleagues and I unknowingly approached the PARTY bus that would take us on the wildest tourist adventure of the summer. With the fun lights and perfect set-up for conversation (everyone sitting in the oval shape facing each other), we all laughed and enjoyed the views of the Lincoln Memorial, Pentagon, Washington Monument, etc as we made our way to the CIA.

Upon arrival, dogs had to sniff our (party) bus while we waited inside and had our IDs verified. After a pretty intense screening, we finally entered the recognizable CIA lobby that many of us are familiar with due to TV shows. During our introduction, the tour guide explained to us that each fallen Secret Agent is represented by a star on the wall and only some of their names are ever made available to the public. What are they doing that's so secretive that even in death they must remain confidential? I'm not sure, but it is definitely fun to imagine.

We had a very moving tour of recovered objects from the 9-11 attacks and of soldiers' uniforms in the War on Terror. One story that was particularly moving was of a Navy man being saved by a Marine Corps man after the attack on the Pentagon, and to thank the Marine, the Seaman named his child after him. To commemorate this heroic event, the Seaman's ribbons are displayed in the CIA museum.

In addition to memorials and war displays, the museum had endless fascinating examples of spy gear used by the Soviet Union in the Cold War. Among the most interesting were cameras on cigarettes, lighters, camera inside a camera, shirt buttons, and a faux dragonfly which was ultimately not used due to being so light that it could be carried away in the wind. The newest technology on display was about 5o years old, so imagine what they have now!

After hearing about the employment opportunities in the CIA, I think it's fair to say that nearly our whole group left the building ready to apply. The intrigue of secrecy and the honor of working for such a well-known and important organization won us over, but it was the allure of their training and education that really struck me. They prefer undergrads because they can train us the way they want! How novel! I have to admit, getting paid to learn languages, travel abroad, and work for the CIA does sound pretty attractive.

After an incredibly unique day of being tourists, the Glenn Fellows boarded the party bus and headed back to reality. One suggestion: next time, let's bring some bubbly! Just kidding... kinda ;)

SHF

A new friend

2011-08-08T21:30:00.002-04:00

Hello current (and future) WAIP fellows!

Well this weekend I was able to experience my favorite aspect of DC: the people.

As I was walking home from visiting some OSU current/recent graduate students at a GREAT restaurant (Good Stuff Eatery, I definitely recommend it), I ran into a woman who was apparently lost. It was difficult to communicate at first but I quickly discovered her name is Singmi, and she is an international student from India. She had just moved to DC that day (she's attending grad school in Virginia) and she was staying at a home that conveniently is across the street from where the WAIP students live. So after realizing what her address was, I took her to her place. We befriended each other, and because she doesn't have a social security number yet, she can't set up a bank account, and without a bank account to deposit her checks in, she couldn't purchase a cell phone. Granted, I met her literally the DAY she moved into her place, but to go without a cell phone and more importantly a bank account when you're an international student in a completely new COUNTRY, is nerve wrecking to me. Anyway, she did have a home phone in her place, so she gave me her number and we made plans to meet each other again over the weekend.

Fast forwarding: My friend Tao (also a WAIP student) and I went to church with Singmi on Sunday, and later that day we went to Eastern Market together to show her a little bit of the surrounding area. We met another friend of Tao and I from Church, and after getting to talk to Singmi for a bit, we realized.. she had NEVER been to the Capitol Building. Now this should have clicked in my head before, seeing as she had only been in the United States for a few days, but it didn't register. So, we decided to take her there. I can't being to tell you how exciting it was to be with someone on their FIRST visit to the Capitol, and it was even better when your friend is from an entirely different country. We showed her the National Mall a bit as well, and needless to say, she thought it was all beautiful. That hands down is one of my favorite memories.

I also really enjoyed getting to observe the mannerisms and customs of an Indian woman. Singmi is 28 years old, and has already graduated from a University in India and received one masters. She's here getting another Masters in Peace and Conflict studies, oh and I forgot to mention.. she's a Fulbright. You'd never know because she's one of the most humble people I've met. Anyway, after giving her a shortened tour, she expressed to me how badly she wanted to eat "spicy" food. She said she tried a Thai restaurant the day before and they told her the food was spicy but she said it wasn't spicy (in her standards). Now, I must preface this by saying.. I hate spicy food. I'm not good with it at all and believe when I say.. I like it sweet. Anyway, I wanted to help her out, so we went in search of a place to eat. We found one, and upon her consistent requests to "make it spicy" they brought out the food. Now, at this time I also discovered how much more generous Indians are than most of the people I encounter in America, including myself. She persisted I share the meal with her, and at the expense of my taste buds and low tolerance for spicy food, I ate the meal. I think I'd have truly enjoyed it.. had I not been distracted by the burning. Overall though, I share this because I think, though this could have happened anywhere, DC definitely attracts ALL types of people, and I love this city for that. You can't say that DC isn't a cultured area because, though maybe not everyone living in the city is cultured, it certainly draws various cultures to it. So if you're interested in learning about those different from yourselves, and willing to go out of your comfort zone, DC is definitely a place that can provide that.

- AO

That's all for now.

The Last One Left

2011-08-08T21:13:00.000-04:00

When I arrived at my internship this summer, I was the last of four interns to arrive. Tarini and Kathleen were established as the communications interns, and the week before I arrived was one of their best weeks for writing all summer. Walter, the other research intern and the other research intern, had been there just long enough to learn the ropes of the most commonly used databases and acquire a byline.

Now all three are gone--left to enjoy a week or two of summer and then back to school.

As with most offices, ours has an established routine and traditions for when someone--whether it be a staffer, director, or intern--leaves. Because the other three interns were left last Thursday and Friday and I’m not leaving for another two weeks, the intern send off was postponed to the last minute, late Thursday afternoon.

On Thursday, everyone gathered round for cake, crackers, cheese, and company. We rehashed the summer--bringing up achievements and amusing incidents--and were questioned about our futures--what we were planning on doing come fall and beyond.

Then the books were brought out.

Every intern always gets a book, which usually relates to money and politics, that’s signed by everyone at the office (kind of like a high school or middle school year book). The books and the notes inside will be a nice way to remember the summer and everyone at the office.

Today was my first day at the office as the lone intern. It’s going to be an odd couple of weeks.

KMS

A Trip to the White House

2011-08-08T19:53:00.002-04:00

Thanks to my friends at the Department of Education, I was able to tour the mecca of politics, the most important residence in all of America, The White House, last Thursday morning. Around 8:30 in the morning, I left my K St cubicle to begin the walk to the tour with my fellow interns. Excited and happy to be getting some time out of the office, we practically ran to The White House and entered security around 8:45 for our 9 AM tour. Surprisingly, the security process went fairly smoothly, but I suspect this was due to the fact that we could barely bring anything with us on the tour besides identification. Finely around 9 AM we were allowed to enter and begin our tour!

The tour was unguided, although the red ropes and dozens of police officers clearly marked the route. Upon entering, we encountered dozens of pictures of the current President, Barack Obama, as well as the First Lady, Michelle, their two children, and The infamous White House Dog. The feeling of entering The White House for the first and what I promise, will not be the last time, was unreal. It is during these initial moments that I turned to my closest coworker and said, "Wait, we are really in The White House!" As we passed the hundreds of pictures of past presidents, their families, and the rooms they inhabited, I felt that I was watching history unfold before my eyes. We were only able to tour some ten odd rooms of the East Wing, but it was most definitely worth the time spent. The decor and furniture was amazing. Many of the pieces were in their original condition and were consistently used today for parties! Despite the visible age of the rooms, decorum, and building, many newer features had been installed, such as the bullet proof glass covering the outside of the windows and the electrical outlets installed in each of the walls.

One of the best things I learned on the tour came from the guard in The Red Room. It is that room, he told me, that the first President George Bush used to wine and dine Mrs. Bush each Valentine's Day they spent in The White House, due to its color palette. He would have a table for two set up for a candlelight dinner that was specially prepared by Chef Emeril Lagasse, who he would have flown in each year to cook. Now that is how you do a Valentine's Day, if you ask me!

It was in the next room that I was given some fun facts about President Obama's time in The White House. The officer in that room pointed out the location of Michelle's garden and the playground of their two children. He also informed me that the playground was positioned so that the President could watch his children play as he worked in The Oval Office, as he wanted to make sure he could see his children growing up.

My last favorite part the tour was seeing the portraits of many of our latest Presidents. Portraits of Clinton, Bush, Johnson, Reagan, and Carter could easily be seen on the tour. My favorite portrait, however, was that of President John Kennedy.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time at The White House! Although the tour was short and quite informal, it gave me the feeling that I was encountering true history! I promise, however, that won't be my last time there!

-C.C.

Jazz in the Garden

2011-08-06T16:12:00.006-04:00

Never in my life have I paid $11.25 for a small pulled pork sandwich and a can of Diet Coke... at an outdoor food stand, of all places. Was it worth it? Yeah, I suppose. It is DC after all. And that was some pretty legit pulled pork. And furthermore, yes, because I got to listen to some John Coltrane on a relaxing Friday evening. (For free!)

It was a typical muggy DC night, albeit a little cooler than it had been in a while. Some other Glenn Fellows and I brought some snacks and purchased a few pitchers of Sangria to enjoy while sitting in the Sculptures Garden, listening to some soothing jazz. There were people, young and old, scattered about. It was incredibly refreshing to see small children, cheerful old couples, and people my age dressed in casual summer clothes (instead of business suits and other yuppie-attire). It was definitely more of a Columbus vibe; it made me feel like I was back in good ol’ Ohio again!

Because of WAIP, I missed out on my favorite Chicago music festival, Pitchfork, this summer. In past years, it had always been the highlight of my summers. I loved lying out on a blanket under the sun with friends, listening to some of my favorite bands play. The closest experience I’ve had this summer to that was the "Jazz in the Garden" event last night. It made me very reminiscent; the summer sun, snacks and drinks, music, excited people… It made the city a bit friendlier and more laidback.

At any rate, the Sculptures Garden is a great place to check out with or without the jazz event going on. It is part of the National Gallery of Art and features a collection of eclectic sculptures along with a central Pavilion Café. Some of the sculptures include a large bronze spider (to my horror), the Aurora, “whose sophisticated structural system distributes eight tons of steel over three diagonal supports to combine massive scale with elegance of proportion. Several of the linear elements converge within a central circular hub and then explode outward, imparting tension and dynamism to the whole,” a quizzical hare on a rock, and House I, a piece by OSU grad Roy Lichtenstein, which “incorporates the hallmarks of the artist's style: crisp, elemental drawing, heavy black outlines, and a palette based on primary colors.”

-B.C.

A morning with Sen. Brown

2011-08-04T23:08:00.005-04:00

Last week I had the distinct honor of spending a morning with Sen. Brown. The other interns and I were able to take a tour of the Senate Floor, among other things, and at the end of our time we all took individual and group photos with Senator Brown and were able to ask him any questions we wanted. The tour of the Senate floor was actually really interesting. We were able to take a look at the personal desks of various Senators, and Sen. Brown told us how each Senator before the current one signed his or her name in his or her desk. I feel it's so easy to forget about former Senators and the role they played. Politics is such a "current event" that though it's important to know the history of it, I feel we often are always focused on the present and future of politics. Nevertheless, it was beneficial to see the names of former Senators scrolled in those desks, even for the small fact that it was a reminder of the deep history that runs through our government.

Speaking with Sen. Brown was very interesting. I've always known he was very outgoing, mainly because everyone always says he is, but it's a whole other experience when you meet him personally. As a person, I very much like him. He was kind, very down-to-earth, and you could tell that, even with the stresses of political life, he still enjoyed life, as opposed to just trying to get through it. I think it's easy to get so wrapped up in politics that you forget the simple joys of living. Anyway, just an observation.

-AO

Freedom Is Not Free (Nothing really is...)

2011-08-04T00:07:00.004-04:00

Of all of the remarkable and sentimental war memorials on the National Mall, the Korean War Veterans Memorial is my favorite. It immediately caught my attention, being more of a piece of artwork than a typical memorial. It stands out with its captivating U.S. military statues and photographic archival images. It’s as if the soldiers themselves, dressed in full combat gear, are in the midst of the war, sneaking through the dangerous Korean terrain. That makes the memorial much more poignant than one with a large wall covered with, say, engraved names and American flags.

Furthermore, it has one of my favorite quotes, “Freedom is not free,” imprinted on a granite wall. While I do not support some of our country’s past and present war efforts, I will always support the troops. I know it’s what everyone says, but I truly mean it. When you have friends and family members who serve in the military, it really changes your perspective on patriotism and respect. It really hits you.

My grandfather served in the Korean War—on the Korean side. He was a man of importance in the Chinese military. Obviously, he fought against the United States, the country that I call home today—the country that my father, his son, chose to immigrate to in order to get a better education and find a job he is extremely passionate about.

I am proud of my grandfather, a man my father deeply admires to this day. It still brings tears to my eyes to think about the fact that my father was only able to have my grandfather in his life until he was ten years old. I am proud of my grandfather, a political victim of the government—a man who was eventually sent to a labor camp due to unwarranted suspicions of his betrayal of the Communist Party.

Although I have no family serving in any of the present wars, I do have friends and friends of friends who are. Freedom is not free. Someone is paying for me to enjoy the liberties that I value more than anything and I am very appreciative of that. Seeing the Korean War Veterans Memorial reminded me of how much my freedoms and liberties mean to me and how grateful I am to the people, like my grandfather, who willingly sacrifice their lives to defend their countries.

-B.C.

An International City

2011-08-03T11:56:00.003-04:00

A few weekends ago, I had the luck of being able to scramble together a few days in New York City. I won’t go into too much detail, as this is a DC blog, but one thing I noticed and was really intrigued by was the amount of international run-ins I had. Not only did people approach and ask me questions in German and French, but the amount of actual bilingual signage everywhere was pretty surprising too.

That being said, after returning to DC, I really started looking around and listening more and more. Instead of staying in my own zone and walking around with headphones and sunglasses on, I started paying attention to my surroundings. I have to say I’m impressed with how international DC is. For example, just during a normal day’s commute, I probably hear 2-3 languages, aside from English. Whether it’s someone talking on their cell phone in Russian, or a family huddled around a map arguing in Spanish, there’s a lot of linguistic diversity on the streets.

In addition to keeping an ear out for languages, I started reading the signs I encounter on a daily basis. After getting off the bus and walking to work one day, for example, I counted 6 restaurants that advertise their menu in both English and some other language. I’m ashamed to say I never noticed before I really started paying attention, but DC is super cultured!

Of course, the majority of time, the people I encounter from different counties occurs on the weekend, in popular tourist areas. Whenever I see international tourists in DC, my first thought always jumps to, “who would want to come here??” I think of the trips I’ve been and want to go on, and visiting the center of the government hasn’t been at the top of my list in most places (exception, England). I think of the famous, outrageously old things I’d travel to places like Italy or Egypt for… then I remembered that the US doesn’t really have much like that. The majority of old/important things we do have, I realized, are here in DC. Maybe, to an international tourist, the idea of America is very much centered on Washington and its projection of power.

I guess I’ll never know for sure. However, the amount of interest international tourists take in our system of government has made me now want to visit and learn about how other countries decide their matters of state.

LZ

Meeting History

2011-08-02T21:07:00.002-04:00

Being in D.C. allows you to be around a group of people who play a major role in shaping policy that can affect your daily lives and even your future. However, there are only a couple of current politicans I can think of who really have made history. One of those is current Congressman John Lewis ( D- Georgia), who is considered one of the "Big Six" from the Civil Right Movement of the 1960s, one of the 10 speakers from the March of Washington, and one of the founders of the Nashville sit-ins that integrated the city's public facilities. Needless to say, he's a politician AND a historical figure who played a major role in ending Jim Crow segregation in our country.

I hadn't heard much of Congressman Lewis' story until this past Winter Quarter, where his autobiography was assigned for my Sixties history class. After reading his story, I was completely inspired and moved by the amount of dedication and faith Lewis carried throughout the movement. During the Freedom Rides, Lewis was almost beaten to death by a violent mob of bigots and had his skull fractured during the March to Selma now known as Bloody Sunday.

When I arrived here for the summer I thought it would be a fun idea to at least see if I could arrange a meeting with him. I knew it would be a difficult task given that it seems that most Reps and Senators have crazy schedules, but I thought it would be worth a try. I definitely wasn't expecting to actually make it happen but I was approved for an appointment with Congressman Lewis!

I was so nervous walking to his office knowing that I would be meeting someone that has been so important to the Civil Rights Movement. Barack Obama had signed a picture after his presidential inauguration with the phrase, "Because of you, John." YEAH THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT HE IS! Luckily, Congressman Lewis was as friendly and humble as I could have imagined. I was shocked that I was speaking to walking history, as he gave insight into his relationships with Martin Luther King to SNCC members to his violent encounters with the KKK.

I was so fortunate for Congressman Lewis to have given me an hour of his time and will always remember that meeting!

- JT

A Gorgeous Memorial

2011-08-02T17:26:00.006-04:00

I believe I have found my new favorite place in DC! The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is located right next to the Tidal Basin, which itself is absolutely gorgeous. There are benches all along the pathway around the basin, and the pathway is covered with overhanging trees that provide much-needed shade from the DC heat. This beautiful walkway next to the water makes the trip to the FDR Memorial just as wonderful as the memorial itself! The FDR memorial is, fittingly, very long. Its length represents President Roosevelt’s exceptional 4-term tenure in The White House. Each of Roosevelt's presidential terms has its own little section of the memorial, and quotes from and relating to FDR line the memorial walls. Eleanor Roosevelt also has her own section in the memorial. She helped run the country while her husband was ill, and ended up making an impressive mark on history herself.
The best part about the memorial, however, is the breathtaking waterfalls throughout. FDR loved water; he always said that it calmed him and helped him to think. The waterfalls, then, help share the peace FDR found in water with memorial visitors. I spent quite a bit of the afternoon yesterday reading in the shade next to the waterfalls. The falls create a gorgeous sound and a spectacular breeze, perfect for enjoying a good book. The memorial is also far less crowded on average than other memorials, as it is quite a trek from any metro stop. The combination of waterfalls, shade, poignant quotations, and relative serenity create an atmosphere that I’m sure FDR would have cherished.
There are also guides wandering around the memorial who just love to share stories of President Roosevelt. I learned yesterday that FDR had a lot to do with the creation of the Jefferson Memorial, which is just across the basin from the FDR Memorial. Jefferson was always one of FDR’s role models, so President Roosevelt decided that he wanted the memorial to built by an architect of his own choosing, in the design he helped create. Some people complained about this demand and asked to have a contest to choose the architect and the memorial design. FDR replied that sure they could have a contest, as long as his architect and his design were the winners!
Another important thing to mention is that the FDR memorial seems especially relevant to today’s budget debates. Each quote and each image seem to speak directly to today’s debt crisis. FDR was forced to deal with a crisis of similar proportions to our current one, and he is remembered for the grace with which he did so. Perhaps it would behoove Congressmen and women to take a trip to the memorial themselves sometimes this week!
I will definitely make time for another few trips to this beautiful memorial before my time in DC is up.

RC