It all started Friday

We started this weekend's adventures on Friday when we went out to pick up Alex's bestie, Jesse from the airport. We took the wrong metro and ended up in a way sketch part of town, finally got to the airport, waited around for a while because Jesse was delayed, and ended up eating an...interesting? meal at TGI Fridays in the airport.

The next day I met up with this girl:

Who I met in the 5th grade, we became inseparable, she became a sister to me, and this is the longest I've gone without seeing her. 

We then met back up with the friendlies and took an adventure on the Potomac River. 

Sunday we headed over to the Capitol for the Memorial Day Concert where we saw Kris Allen, BB King, and other famous people. Most patriotic day of my life so far. 

And then Memorial Day rolled around. We got the day off of work and took what felt like a mini vacation. Jesse and Alex gave us their room key to the hotel and Michelle and I spent the day laying by the pool and watching TV. I am now a lobster, but it was so worth it. 

And tonight before we said goodbye to Jesse we headed out on a walk down my favorite path. 

And that is why my Memorial Day weekend was wonderful. 

Good Afternoon

As an intern, I have to find ways to maximize my time here in DC. Between school and working, it's hard to get my tired body out into the city. But, after a month of living here I'm figuring it out. It consists of going straight to museums and concerts right after work. It consists of never being home. It consists of exploring. It consists of bringing comfy shoes to switch into so I can walk long distances. And it consists of finding a balance between comfortable clothes and business attire.

After work activities have included Nat's games, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, Kennedy Center concert series, and Jazz in the Park. Weekend updates will soon be coming, but now I'm off to enjoy a blistering Memorial Day. 

The Fellows

One of my favorite parts of my internship is interviewing the fellows. Ashoka has about 3,000 fellows, but I focus on a group of 30 within News and Knowledge. I've gotten to interview 3 so far, one in Colombia, one in Senegal, and one in Chile. After each interview, I fall in love. I fall in love with their projects, passions, drive, ambition. They are heroes. And their coolness factor is off the charts. I really can't get over it. They inspire me.

Check them out on our website:
http://knowledge.ashoka.org/

City of Brotherly Love

Saturday, we spent the day hittin up the city of Philly. We saw Edgar Allan Poe's house, the Love park, City hall, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, and ate philly cheesesteaks (nom nom nom). What a patriotic day.

One of my favorite parts was finding this guy in the park. He just loves Jesus.

Summer Camp

This past weekend I jumped onto a bus, along with the 40 or so other Barlow Center interns. We thought that we were being bused up to Philadelphia for the weekend...however, we quickly figured out that this weekend was going to be very different than we thought once we arrived at the Freedom Foundation in Valley Forge and found out we wouldn't be leaving until the next day. It was summer camp...as 20somethingyearolds.

We spent the first hour mocking our situation in hopes of making it bearable. We explored our sleeping situation...which was creepy/scary/old. We toured Valley Forge, ate in the cafeteria, had impromptu dance parties, and didn't get any sleep.

It's a good thing we are able to laugh at our situation, or that little field trip would have been a different experience.

Matching...didn't even plan it

such jokesters

so patriotic

Family pick at the ranch

Could it be any prettier?

Couldn't sleep in this place

Freedom Foundation

Chillin in the creepy church

Andrew giving us a sermon

Friday night at summer camp as a college kid, what a funny experience. 

Mary Land of Opportunity

I know all I blog about these days is DC, but today you're in for a treat. The pictures today are brought to you from the far land of Maryland. 

So fresh, so green. Bestie Brent was in town so we wandered up to Potomac to get away from the city. 

I can't get over all of the trees. 

Several pictures stolen from Mitch's camera, Big Mama. 

I still don't know what to expect from this city

"Experience: the most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn." -C.S. Lewis