Weekend in DC

     Friday I wandered around after work and I saw the Robert Taft memorial, and the Grant memorial- which looks strangely a lot like what I envisioned the Roosevelt memorial to be like, since it's a guy on a horse. On Saturday, the rest of my Calvin friends/group arrived, and my roommate Sam and I checked out the Air and Space Museum as well as the Natural History Museum. The Air and Space one, just wasn't my style. Im more into American History because I know more about it, then a specific thing such as Air and space. However, the simulators for being a flight controller for NASA was sweet. The Natural History Museum was pretty cool, I'll show the cool exhibits below in pictures.

 Sweet knitted exhibit of what coral looks like underwater

 The Hope Diamond! My Birthday's coming up....hint hint :)

A large Whale

An Elephant!

   On Sunday, I went to this church in the basement if a coffee house, which was cool. We sang one of my favorite songs, "Oh, He loves Us, His loves like a Hurricane and I am a tree." Look it up if you haven't heard it. Its about how God loves us through anything :) In the afternoon a huge bunch of my Calvin group went to the Holocaust museum, which is an experience I highly recommend. The museum shows so many more photos and connects you to the victims and helps you understand. Over 2 million Jews died in the holocaust, plus Gypsies and many others. The thing that struck me the most, is that America, as well as other countries could have taken in those Jews, but we all turned them away. We could have saved lives, but we didn't. A proud moment for me came when I was visiting the wall that listed people who helped hide and just help those persecuted in the Holocaust, on the list I saw 2 Van De Kamp names. Anton and Wilhemina Van De Kamp and Jacobus and Gerretje Van De Kamp. I don't know if these are my relatives, but I hope in some sense they are. I am proud that someone in the Van De Kamp side stood up for those persecuted and made a difference. 

       On Monday, all the Calvin Students visited 2 organizations The International Justice Mission, and the Institute of Religion and Democracy. The first organization was amazing, they go out into third world countries and hold the government accountable for their laws, such as the illegalness of slavery, sex trafficking and persecution of citizens. They go in and produce evidence to the cops and show that there is punishment for those who break the law. I loved their mission, and could totally see myself being involved/ working their or lobbying for there cause in congress. The second site- Institute of Religion and Democracy was interesting, very different from the CRC background. It dealt with the 7 Protestant sister churches, and trying to uphold the churches to tight stances on political issues. All in All it was a great day. Hopefully the rest of the week goes as well. God Bless!

 Picture of the Smithsonian Art Museum from last weekend

 The constitutional preamble

 Got to love the capital!

The Washington Monument :)

DC Snowstorm

Wednesday afternoon/evening and early thursday DC got hit with a snowstorm. The city knew that it was coming and that snow shuts down the city, so they attempted to prepare. Wednesday started out with a rain,   and for the first time in I think forever I used an umbrella in January. Women who work in the Capital never seem to dress or be prepared for the weather. I saw women in heels and skirts, who forgot umbrellas struggling to get to work, so many of them were freaking out about their hair. The office closed an hour early due to storm, and so as I walked outside I noticed that the rain had turned to slush and the roads were very congested. DC uses way to much salt and by the time I made it home, salt had saturated through my boots :( As a girl from the midwest I expect major snow, but when I woke up there was about 4 inches on the ground. Due to this the office had issued a late start. Oh those who have lack of experience with snow. The problem with DC is that they have no place to put the snow.

As you can see, they blocked off a complete road with the snow.

Due the the small amount of slush DC had on wednesday it took a coworker of mine 7hrs to get home from a normal 1hr commute. Yikes.

I have been busy working on paying some bills at work, and making sure everything balances. Who knew that the thing that tortured me in my accounting class would come to haunt me again? haha On Wednesday, the RNC had all the bigwigs in to talk budget issues, so it was interesting to see that happen. I also happened to meet the father of Julianne and Derek Hough, which was pretty cool. Apparently he is like the person to meet when he is in the office.

     On Tuesday the city was pretty shut down for the State of the Union address, there were Capital Hill Police everywhere, many blockages, and no parking spots anywhere near the capital. Lucky for me I walk to work :)

This red cars are what the Capital Hill Police drive around in. They also have normal cars, but this picture is from the morning before the "snowstorm".

 This is a picture of my apartment building, its pretty sweet. 

This is a picture of the capital on the night of the State of the Union Address.

Life in the City

      On Saturday I arrived in DC about 11:30, my prof. met me at the baggage claim area to help me take my suitcases to my apartment. However, my bags were not there. It seems that when my flight was 35 minutes late to Milwaukee, my luggage didn't make the flight.  So the airport delivered my luggage Sat. night around 9ish. In the afternoon though, myself and another Calvin student, Kyle (there is only 5 of us in DC right now) found our way to a grocery store, which was about 2.5 miles away from the apartment building.   On our way walking back, with our hands full of heavy groceries, got asked for directions. :) Which means that I at least look like I live in DC. Luckily, I knew where the street they were looking for, since we had just passed it ourselves.
       On Sunday, I went to Capital Hill Baptist church, the sermon lasted 2.5 hours........yikes. After that Ana, Emily (2 other Calvin students) and I went to Chinatown, as well as the Smithsonian Art Museum. The Museum was pretty cool, it contained Presidents photos, and Elvis Presley Gallery and cool art from Alexis Rockman. I'll post some pictures later after my mom sends up her cord to do so.
      Today, I walked to work, met other RNC interns put the knowledge I gained taking my accounting class into action, I inserted numbers for the budget as well as updated accounts payable, the people in my department are pretty sweet.  As I walked by the chairman's office, I noticed a large portrait on the wall, who was it? None other than South Dakota Senator John Thune :) After work I rode the metro alone....which is not as scary as it seems.. to Harris Teetor- a grocery store. I needed to buy some Dishwasher soap, because the last person who lived in my apartment left gross yucky things on the dishes.
However, my favorite part of the day was my walk to and from work

I walk right past the library on Congress :)

As well as the Nation's Capital

My apartment building seems to be in a great location, I am right next to Union Station, which is a mains-stop on the Metro, there are many great stores and food places nearby, and It only takes 20 minutes to walk to work, and I cross Pennsylvania avenue on my way! DC, is such a pedestrian city, soo many people walk everywhere.

Things that are great about DC:

1. It doesn't take long to get anywhere

2. The metro is really user friendly

3. If you are lost, people are willing to help

4. And I love the historical *Nerdy* elements all around

Goodbye SouthDakota

Today was my last day in South Dakota until May, tomorrow morning at 5:45 I will be on a plane from Omaha NE, to Milwaukee WI, and then to Washington DC from there. Starting Monday, I will be interning for the Republican National Committee in the Finance Division, I will be working under the CFO (Chief Financial Officer). I don't really know what I'll be doing, so I will let you know as soon as i figure it out. I don't know what to expect or what life holds for me in DC, and frankly that makes me nervous. Not being at Calvin this interim was hard for me, but to be away from my friends for a whole semester makes me feel uneasy. I know that this semester in DC could get me a job in the future and help me understand what I should do with my life. Despite the changes that tomorrow holds, I can not help but feel excited. Even though I don't know what the future holds in DC, I do know this is an experience of a life time and I look forward to the crazy roads that lie ahead for me in DC.