So it seems like I get around to updating this blog once every 20 days or so...I will try to write more frequently. I am just having such an amazing time being so busy living here in DC that I find it hard to find time to sit down and write about it! I'll try to update on the highlights of the past two weeks or so!

A couple weekends ago, Kelly planned a wonderful little brunch in our room and it was delicious! After we finished eating we headed to Eastern Market and had a wonderful time wandering around for a couple hours. We then decided to go to Dupont Circle for dinner. Well, we happened to be on the Metro at the same time the National Equality March ended so the Metro was completely packed. When we got to what we thought was our stop we all of our tried to make our way off an incredibly crowded Metro and I barely made it off as the doors were closing. Kelly, however, was right behind me and not so lucky! She got stuck in the Metro doors...it closed on her purse and her arm. Russel helped Kelly free herself from the doors and luckily she was unhurt from the incident. Then we started looking around and realized that we got off at the wrong Metro stop..about three stops too early! It was a long walk to Dupont Circle, but the beautiful fall weather and entertaining company made the walk very enjoyable.

Preparing brunch (well Andrew actually cooking and Joe and I putting waffles in the toaster)

We also have celebrated two Ford Fellow birthdays in the last couple of weeks! For Melinda's birthday, we went to an amazing vegetarian Indian restaurant called Nirvana! It was so much fun and the food was amazing. Viet's birthday was just this last week!

Melinda's Birthday Dinner and Viet's Party at Fenestra!

Kelly's parents also came to visit and they were nice enough to take us out to dinner! We went to Full Kee in Chinatown and it was so good! It was so fun to meet her parents and learn more about their life in Singapore! Andrew's mom, brother, and neighbor were here this weekend for a visit and stopped by our room to say hi! I just want to take the time to give a little shout-out to Mrs. Barry because she mentioned she reads my blog! I promise I will update it more Mrs. Barry!

I went to a US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight hearing earlier this week called "International Violence Against Women: Stores and Solutions". It was fascinating to hear so many distinguised women testify about their organizations and also the status of women around the world. It was exciting to see Nicole Kidman, who is a UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador, but I was actually much more excited to have an opportunity to listen to the testimony of the other women on the panel like Melanne Vereer, US Department of State Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues and Mallika Dutt, Founder and Executive Director of Breakthrough.

Ms. Dutt told of a wonderful camaign her organizaiton started in India called Bell Bajeo (Ring the Bell). It is a multi-media campaign that calls on men and boys to take a stand against domestic violence. WIth the support of the UNIFEM managed UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, the campaign has reached over 120 million people and counting. Take the time to learn more about Breakthrough and Ring the Bell at www.bellbajao.org/ ! Linda Smith, founder of Shared Hope International, also testifed and I found her testimony very compelling as well.

Linda Smith, founder of Shared Hope International, also shared her compelling testimony about domestic and international sex trafficking and slavery. Her organization partners with local groups around the world to help women and children enslaved in the sex trade by providing them with shelter, healthcare, education, and job training. I really recommend taking a look at the Shared Hope International's website and learning more about this issue: http:/www.sharedhope.org/. The hearing was such an amazing experience and really highlights the very interesting events that take place in DC on a daily basis.

We have a very busy week ahead of us...Model UN is this coming weekend so this week will be filled with last minute preparations! I know we are all looking forward to another exciting and busy week!!