16 Hour Ride Long to Joining the TWC 400+ Strong

This blog is a my take on being an intern here at The Washington Center. Readers should not base their opinions solely on what they read here. However, this is an inside look on my experiences. So, I hope you will enjoy reading my blog!

It was a long 16 hour ride for me to get to The Washington Center. But it was even longer for my cousin Denicha, friend Miranda and my mom. They dealt  with my anxiety and grouchiness for many miles. But, for that I am thankful and only hope that this experience brings us closer.  While traveling through Tennessee (“the longest state ever” in my opinion), I continued to wake up from my dozing asking, “Are we in Virginia yet?” It was generally answered by, "Nooope" or a *sigh* from my cousin. Thankfully, we reached Virginia safe and sound and I got to view part of the Appalachian Mountains and take lots of pictures! *I know, I know, where are the pictures? I'm working on it. I'll have a blog post full of my pictures as soon as work out some quirks*

After a short stay in a pleasant hotel in Alexandria…..I arrived…

The hotel was nice but I was ready to go out and find out where I was going to live for 3 months. So, after a nice dinner with my family. Miranda, Denicha and I set the GPS to 1005 3rd Street N.E. It was about 12:45 a.m., so I'm sure my personified Garmin, a.k.a "Tom Tom's Enemy" was confused. We did a little night stalking and I'm sure the security guard at the RAF thought we were insane. But I took pictures of the RAF at night anyway--just to say I went there first!. After a few quick shots and texting them to all my friends at home, we left to go back to the hotel.

Early the next morning I finally joined TWC's 400+ students--from 20 countries and over 30 states--who are staying in both the new Residential and Academic Facility and at Braddock. Needless to say, move-in day was the least hectic of our first week here at The Washington Center. Bright and early the next morning, we attended orientation, at which we were permitted to wear casual clothes and get the rules and regulations for our stay at the RAF or Residential & Academic Facility. The RAs, as well as Kevin Nunley & Chris Mason, all greeted us and made presentations for the TWC interns. We also were greeted by Senior Vice President Eugene Alpert, who urged us to make the best of our experience here at The Washington Center. TWC's President was stuck in Connecticut due to a hurricane coming up the East Coast. Darn you, Earl! *Shakes Fist*

The second day was full of more orientation, and we got to review syllabus for our individual programs. The intensive 30 page syllabus left me cold and wondering about time for the most part. All of us are taking at least one course (two in my case, due to scholarship requirements back on campus) in addition to our internship and programming, so it will be a interesting combination trying complete those full classes and this program. My advice: Don't overload yourself. If you want to get the full experience, talk to your professors and work out a plan so that you will be able to combine academic responsibilities and still be free enough to volunteer and have fun.

The break out session was informational and effective, but the entire process was a lot to take in and left me very overwhelmed and losing focus. I already knew that Labor Day Weekend was going to be primarily for relaxing and getting prepared for my new adventure in the capital! After all the formalities and getting everything straightened out, the TWC interns broke out into their individual programs and all had various activities to complete, including a scavenger hunt for Business and Global Trade and a trip to the Newseum for Law and Criminal Justice (pictures coming!). At the Newseum, we were required to attend a film showing exclusively at the Newseum in 4D. That means it has 3D visual as well as seats that moved with the film and had effects including, mice running around your feet and wind blowing past you. It demonstrated how news and its developments have turned the world on a dime. It also demonstrated how the media's presentation of factual and objective data is vital to our understanding of the world around us.

So, even after having us sit through the orientation for two days and go through all the introductions, TWC still balanced it out with fun! We were allowed to leave after the 4D film, but the rest of the Newseum was awesome. A couple of friends and I stayed for the day and enjoyed all of the activities there! It was great! Let the D.C adventure begin!!