Cinderella for a night

Last Monday, I was Cinderella for a night—the dress, the gala, the whole shebang. But whereas Disney’s princess was looking for a prince, my eyes searched for potential “contacts” for networking.

My roommate and me at the gala

The Washington Center holds a black-tie gala to promote the internship program’s mission and gain more support each year. I was one of about 15 students honored to attend. The evening event took place at the Newseum, which only recently re-opened from renovation. It was gorgeous! The museum, dedicated to print and broadcast journalism, flaunted large glass windows, terrace balconies and six floors of activities relating to broadcasting and print media education. I—a journalism major—had a blast! I even got to broadcast in front of the White House! Well … more like pretend to broadcast in front of the White House. But even for the “everyday, non-journalism public,” the Newseum was surprisingly entertaining.

Broadcasting at the Newseum... "brought to you from the White House."

"I know of no human being that has a better time than an eager and energetic young reporter." With this, I concur....

The highlight of my night, however, wasn’t the museum.

Business owners, Congressmen, broadcasters and TWC alumni gathered in their evening-best. Four students presented achievement awards to Bob Schieffer, CBS News broadcaster; Brain Lamb, founder of C-SPAN; James Clyburn, House majority whip; and Texas Senator Kay Hutchinson, fourth-highest ranking Republican senator. Taking note that each person around me sipping chardonnay was a potential contact, mentor or employer, I turned on some serious networking radar!

I met the senior director of federal government affairs for Comcast, the communications manager of the Ford Motor Co.’s Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, the president of government affairs for Ford and some of my sponsors for the Ford Global Scholars program. Although I’ve basically set my mind on public service, that night I learned a great deal about the basics of “Corporate America” and the benefits of working in international business. The Ford Program sponsors told me that, as a Ford Scholar, I have an advantage for a future job with their company. Whereas I thought they’d be only interested in engineers or business sales reps, it turns out they need writers, communication majors and people interested in international relations. I’ll have to give the possibilities some additional thought, but I definitely plan to contact the people I met again soon.

The Gala

As for the rest of the night—the food was excellent; I enjoyed dressing up; and I was very amused when my roommates presented awards on the HDTV screen (I lovingly laughed at them). After the event, when the waiters were beginning to clear the dinner tables, my Russian friend Aleksey decided he had to save the centerpiece flowers (the waiters were throwing them away). Long story short—my friends and I returned home carrying heavy vases of green roses. I spilled the water on my dress … several times, actually. But for a short few days, while the flowers remain alive, I have a souvenir from the evening mounted on my dresser.

Flower Saving Friends

What a fun night.

The D.C. List

“Hi, Mom!”

I’ve made a list, front and back, of things to do while living in D.C. Although my stay is fifteen weeks long, I bet I’ll be lucky to accomplish half of my list! Time is flying too fast, and already I’m a third done with my stay.

On my first Sunday in "The District," I ventured to Georgetown by myself. I walked the Potomac waterfront and wandered through the John. F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Downtown Georgetown is incredibly well off, flaunting fancy stores and pricey restaurants with outdoor patios. There were tons of tourists—snapping photos like myself—and lots of young people dressed in eclectic, vintage clothing. I presume most of them hail from Georgetown University, which sits in the mist of the area’s hustle and bustle.

Kennedy Center

This is Bonnie Pickard, principal ballerina and friend, who trained under the same director as I did in Dayton, Ohio. Seeing her on the marquee in D.C. made me smile… someone who fulfilled her dream.

I empathize that loneliness is perhaps the worst feeling a person’s life. But there was something about my first Sunday in D.C.—exploring alone, journaling in random places, going wherever I felt like going—that really sparked my excitement. Thus, I’ve dedicated Sundays to myself. I’ve vowed to spend the day meandering through another part of the city each week to do or see one of the many things on my list.

So far I’ve checked off the following on my list:

Two of the Smithsonians

The National Museum of Natural History was educational, more like a biology review lesson than a museum. Looking at stuffed animals, however, got old after a while… at least for me. My favorite part was the dinosaurs! Can you imagine actually seeing one of those monstrous creatures roaming around our earth! Crazy.

The National Portrait Gallery was amazing. I can’t wait to take my mom! She’s loves to draw and paint, and I thought of her much of the time. Looking at the paintings of our presidents and most infamous and revered leaders throughout history was another review lesson. This time I brushed up on my history. Beside each caption was a short summery of the featured person’s accomplishments for our nation. I saw Tomas Paine, author of Common Sense; Oliver Henry Perry, famous Navy office and I think one of my ancestors; Emerson; Poe; Hawthorn; Harriet Beecher Stowe; good ol’ Abe; Katherine Hepburn; and even a 10-foot painting of L.L. Cool J. The famous from every decade were there in painting, if not in spirit.

I highly recommend the folk gallery as well. I spent two hours wander the corridors of the museum… but only saw the first of three floors! Guess I’ll go back, but I’ll wait for my mom.

Last Sunday I visited Chinatown after Mass, but I didn’t know which of the ga-zillion Chinese restaurants I should choose for lunch. After wandering the streets and knickknack shops for a time, I settled on a small Chinese café with a “$6.99 lunch” sign in the window. The exact minute I sat down, Billy Joel’s Piano Man began to play. At that moment I knew I’d chosen correctly. I ate lunch while reading a book…fabulous. It was the best.


Stay tuned for more Sunday exploration…

Urban Rules

So I’ve leaned my first lessons these past two weeks:

Urban rule #1: Keep an umbrella on you at all times! My first glance at D.C. and Capitol Hill was, in fact, from under an umbrella. In the simmering late-summer heat, it was rather refreshing; but the glorious moment of coolness didn’t last long after the bottom of my jeans soaked up water to my knees. Nonetheless, I got to see my Capitol — or at least a taste of what’s to come.

This picture was from the first day of orientation, and those people are just a few of the group of about 20 people in my program.

The rain couldn’t get me down… Just look at this!

Urban rule #2: Ride the right side of the escalator, and walk the left. Don’t stand on the left and chitchat, or you will be yelled at by the bustling locals who are either A: late, or B: grumpy because they don’t want to go to work.

Urban rule #3 (and perhaps the one I’ll have a hard time with): Realize that most people don’t smile, and get used to it. Someone once told me that smiling takes more energy because it utilized the face muscles and is not the relaxed position. What a sorry excuse! I didn’t realize what a difference one random glace, one smile can make—not until every person looks pissed-off or grumpy.

It makes an unusual difference in my mentality, an unusual downfall. That’s not to say, however, that it’s all “doom or gloom” in The District. On the contrary, its just makes those who do smile and open doors seem all the greater.

Urban rule #4: Don’t eat on the metro. Now, originally I figured this rule was more of a “guideline.” Besides, who would enforce it? Old grumpy women pointy umbrellas will enforce it! Or at least that’s what happened to me. My stomach was rumbling when I rode home from the grocery last weekend. I took one bite of my banana, and the next thing I knew, an old lady hobbled over (all the way from the back of the train car) to lecture me! I have to admit, I was more amused than guilt-ridden by her mother-like scolding.

Urban rule #5: Comfortable shoes are a necessity. And high heels, ladies, have consequences. This one I definitely learned the hard way. After a few days of stilettos, I almost had as many blisters as I did when I danced (in pointe shoes) 30 hours a week. Bring comfy shoes to change into after work.

Enough said for now. Cheeers!

Getting Started

It’s going to be a ridiculously crazy, incredibly busy and absolutely demanding next few months with The Washington Center—then again, that’s nothing new in my habitual day-to-day schedule. As an individual with an almost too proactive personality, I sometimes feel worthless or guilty while watching a weekly dose of one to two hours of television. Seriously—there just is no time!

My experience with TWC kicked off with a two-day orientation, and thus far, I’m very pleased with my decision to spend a semester with this internship program. My advisor in the Ford Motor Company Global Scholars Program, Andrey Gidaspov, outlined our plans for the coming weeks, which are jam-packed with everything from politically famous speakers to community service. (Details to come …) As he listed and described all our major activities for the semester, I once again realized how this program can be a major asset to students’ futures—that is, if they have the initiative and ambition to see and seize the opportunities presented.

I’m confident that I have both.

And this online journal—hopefully—will serve as a witness to my accomplishments and growth from my internship, classes and networking in the D.C. area. I’m certain my knowledge and experience will vastly grow throughout this semester, further shaping my interests and maybe at the end of these 15 weeks, I’ll actually have a career plan! That is, one career plan instead of 100 career plans. One of my best friends at home and I joke around that we need five lives to accomplish everything we’d like to accomplish in this one life.

On that note, a little bit about me: As a double major in political science and journalism, I want to do everything—politics, international development and advocacy, write for print, religious studies, work for an IGO, work for the government, become fluent in four languages (or just two?), travel, study other cultures … the list goes on. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to focus my concentration in one area, and it becomes problematic when I have too much ambition and not enough tailored energy. One wise business woman at an event in my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, said we (anyone) can do everything we want to do—the trick is WHEN to do it, and not pursue all at the same time. I need to take a lesson from her, and I’m hoping D.C. will give me an idea where I should focus my energy and long list of interests.

But don’t worry … I’m not all work and no play! This passing week—before my internship with the Dept. of Commerce, speakers, programming, classes and volunteer work begin—I tried to visit as much of D.C. as possible. Catch my next blog, and you’ll see I took a ridiculously over-the-top amount of pictures! I also will blog some D.C. lesson’s I already have learned … the hard way, might I add. Then again, I do most things wrong before I get them right, so nothing new in my case.

Cheers!

Me in front of one of the Dept. of Commerce buildings