Fly like an Eagle

So here are some first hand accounts that I wrote about either on my phone at the time, or after they happen talking about different things that happened during my first week in Washington, D.C.

The trip there...
     So it is mothers day and I am sitting in a airport flying from DFW to Washington, D.C.  I look around hoping to find the guy who will be my gay best friend for the next few weeks, but I see something much different. Men sleeping. Why are there so many people who are asleep in my terminal. It is 10:05 in the morning? There is no reason to be tired. I have been up since 7:30 and I haven't yawned once.
     On a different note, it is Mother's day! As I was sitting in the airport, I started to think... Why isn't fathers day ever as big of a deal as mothers day. In my family it's because my mom gets way more into holidays and birthdays than anyone else in our family. Why don't fathers take more advantage of Father's Day? It is their one day where they are allowed to be a diva, and they don't. I vote that this year, all the fathers should ban together and have a diva dad day!
     I was in group two to board the plane. Lucky me, right? I was finally able to get a spot right above me in the overhead compartment to put my carry on bag in. That never happens to me. I started to think that this was foreshadowing for how great the rest of my trip was going to go! Then, the flight attendant says we are about leave and to turn off your phones... I am getting excited, and then I realize that no one is sitting sitting next to me on the plane. My first thoughts: Do I smell? Did I put too much perfume on again? Awe crap... What did I do? The only two empty seats on the entire plane are next to me. I sure hope that these empty seats are not foreshadowing that I am going to be lonely the rest of my trip. Then out of no where (well not really nowhere, from the back of the plane) comes a man, and he decides to sit on my row of empty seats. He doesn't sit next to me he sits on the isle (I was in the window seat). Where did he come from? I didn't think that people could board from the back of the plane. So many questions, so few answers...
     So this man on my row two seats away sat down and I didn't really mind... He seemed like a normal quiet person who wouldnt be annoying on the flight, so I went back to reading my book as we are pulling onto the runway. Then all of a sudden I hear this atrocious noise of someone snoring. My first thoughts: How is this possible? We haven't even been on the plane that long. How is someone already asleep? Then I look over and guess who it is? It is the man on my row two seats away. His head is back, his mouth is open, and he is snoring! Why did he choose to leave his seat in the back of the plane to come join me in the front? I would rather not listen to you snore for three hours. He started snoring less than five minutes after he sat down and never stopped until he woke up when we landed. Slightly annoying, but slightly hilarious too. Once I was allowed to, I had to put my headphones on so I wouldn't laugh at him snoring for the rest of the flight.

The Metro...

     The Metro is the subway system in DC. To most people it isn't very complicated. It is definitely less complex than New York's subway system. There are just 5 different routes that the trains take and they are all different colors so you can differentiate between them. Sounds simple enough right? Wrong... Sure there are five routes, but since they go both directions there are ten routes! And when you have to switch trains at a place like Metro Center, there are three colors (6 routes). It is a little difficult when you are underground and you have no sense of direction. On Monday through Wednesday, I got lost at least once a day. It was only until Thursday and Friday that I didn't get lost, and started to feel like I knew what I was doing. This is a map of the DC Metro. I have to start at Tenleytown-AU and go to Capitol South everyday for work.

The internship...

     So this internship is pretty awesome. I feel pretty legit walking around my office in business attire everyday. I feel even cooler when I am wearing my special name badge to get into the capital so I can make a special delivery. I also feel EVEN cooler when I get to use the staff only line to get into the capital. My main job is answering the phones, sorting mail, and doing whatever they need me to do. I have only been there a week so my stories aren't super exciting, but I do have a few...
     On Wednesday, I was sent to a briefing to take notes. I didn't think that it was going to be a very big deal until I realized that EVERYONE in the room was speaking Spanish. Even the other interns there that were sent to take notes too were talking in Spanish to each other. First thoughts: Did I accidentally put on my resume that I speak fluent Spanish? Did the read my resume wrong? Why do they think I speak Spanish? Why did they send me hear? As I am starting to freak my self out about listening to a speaker in Spanish, I am anxiously waiting for the briefing to begin. Finally, right before they speaker begins, a lady comes up to the front and asks if anyone needs a translating device. Well, duh! Me and one other girl, are the only people who get them out of the entire room full of people. I was slightly embarrassed, but at least I wasn't freaking out anymore about being able to understand. I had to put on this earpiece, and the translator sat in the back of the room speaking into a microphone in English that went directly into my earpiece. This seems like it is great because now you can pay attention and understand what is going on. It actually made paying attention even harder... I didn't know where to look. I kept staring at the translator in the back of the room and then the speaker who was talking in Spanish in the front of the room. Needless to say, my notes were not very helpful... Luckily there were a lot of handouts that I could bring back to my staffer instead.

#UAinDC

Basically... the Crimson Tide is taking over DC! All of us went to dinner last night and started using the hash-tag #UAinDC on Twitter all night long! Prepare yourselves for many stories to come from our weekly #UAinDC dinners! Roll DC Roll!

For a more direct way to know what's happening in Washington, D.C. all summer, follow me on Twitter! @lexicarter13


I will leave you with my current YouTube obsession...

Peace & Blessings!