Three weeks ago I was at the National Portrait Gallery (part of the Smithsonian Art Museum). I had arrived after work to finish the first level of the right side of the museum as part of my “museums and memorials” (m&m) mission -- to see, in their entirety, as many museums and memorials as I can. That day was my second day in a week at the gallery. I passed an hour in the American Civil War section, glancing at early photographs of President Abraham Lincoln, portraits of several generals (my favorite being an imposing portrait of Ulysses S.

A little over two weeks ago, I moved from Arlington, VA to a place north of Columbia Heights in D.C. Before then, I was couch-surfing at a friend's place in Arlington, Va.  While I appreciate my friend for accommodating me for so long, it is great to have an actual bed and some privacy; dressing/undressing in a living room can be very awkward. Now I can finally settle into D.C. My commute has cut down from a bloated hour transit to a slim 15-20 min bus ride and walk to work.

Hello everyone! My name is Kwabena Boateng. I’m a senior International Affairs and Chemistry student from Western Kentucky University. This semester I’ll be interning at a non-profit civic agency group called Innovations in Civic Participation (ICP) and, when I’m not busy with work or participating in many activities with the Washington Center, I'll be traveling through D.C. and the surrounding area. Join me as I narrate my next three months in D.C., blemishes and all.   Serendipity