Lessons on Walking Shoes & Doughnuts - Catherine Elliott

One month ago, almost to the day, I moved into my house on Capitol Hill, complete with three roommates, 13 housemates, and two very iffy Wi-Fi networks. Overall, it has been quite the experience, from traversing all the way to Alexandria, VA for work, to finding the best ice cream and doughnut joints, to accidentally ending up near the White House when we were trying to go to a monument (I promise you, it was a long walk). Coming into this summer, I remember telling the group that I was most excited to explore a new city, and I can honestly say that so far, that has been one of my favorite parts of WAIP. I have loved learning how to use the metro, going on runs to the Washington Monument, exploring the neighborhood in Capitol Hill, and so much more.

In particular, this past Saturday I went to Eastern Market for the first time (surprising), to Roosevelt Island, and to Georgetown. In other words, we did a lot of walking. First, my roommate and I explored Eastern Market. We ate breakfast, walked around looking at all the little shops, and pretended like we knew what we were doing in the farmer’s market area (we didn’t). I especially loved walking around a little bookstore that was right near by. The books there were actually bursting out of the building—so much so that we even found an overflowing bookshelf in the bathroom.

After Eastern Market, a group of us ventured on to explore Roosevelt Island, a small forested island in the middle of the Potomac River. We walked around the edge of the island first, and then visited the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial. The memorial itself was quite impressive. It consisted of a statue of Teddy, quotes etched on four granite monoliths that covered the topics of Nature, Youth, Manhood, and State, as well as some sizable (but unfortunately empty) fountains. The nature part of the walk was wonderful and green, a welcome change after spending so much time in the city. It also opened our eyes to the reality of what used to be DC before it became the urban metropolis we now call home—a nice, big, beautiful swampland.

After Roosevelt Island, we journeyed on to Georgetown. Intent on buying cupcakes, however, we neglected to actually visit the university and just stayed on M Street with all of the shops, restaurants, and a lot of people. After walking for what seemed like a while, we finally made it to Baked and Wired, bought cupcakes (or ice cream, if you’re me), and proceeded to enjoy our treats while sitting next to the nearby canal. It was a glorious reward after a long day of walking/hiking.

So far, D.C. has been a wonderful, stretching, and enjoyable experience. I have loved getting to explore the city and see the sights! Although, upon reflection, I would say that three of the most important lessons I have learned thus far are as follows: prepare to eat, always bring an umbrella (that's another story), and wear walking shoes. Yes, professional opportunities abound and informational interviews are key, but if you fail to cover these three basic components, you will most likely show up to work with sopping wet clothes, feet covered in blisters, and stomachs that have never had the pleasure of digesting a crème brûlée doughnut, which would actually be the real tragedy.