Goodbye for now…

It’s official: I am no longer in DC. Cue the violin and sad music.
       
Last week was a crazy one, and I was lucky to mark Wednesday as my last day for the internship, allowing for more exploring, organization, and quality time with my fellow interns before we all left town, some with plans to meet up again in the near future, and nearly all with plans of staying in touch. I’ve already fielded calls (via phone and skype) to and from DC, facebook messaging from NYC and NJ, and an email from Bogota, Colombia. We TWC interns know how to take on the world (she says as she packs for Ghana…).
       
Without a doubt, I will miss virtually everything from this past semester. As I said, we packed as much into that last week as we possibly could, determined to go out with a bang. Sunday found me back at Grosvenor, then back to Dupont for dinner, frozen yogurt at Tangy Sweet, and hanging around the circle. Really, you’ll find that Dupont Circle is the best place to be – I somehow failed to make it to Georgetown this semester (luckily, I’d been there before, because you do have to at least check it out), but Dupont really just became the ideal hangout. One of those rare areas that I’ve encountered that could almost be an American-style piazza.

I didn’t think to take a picture of our regular hangout until one of our last evenings there, but glad it occurred to me before it was too late and subjected to memory alone; what a spot.

    
As our class wrapped up on Tuesday, those of us able to make it headed out to dinner in Ballston as a last hoorah. Because we’d had a relatively small class, it was easy to get into good discussions (or debates, as the case may be) and really get to know one another, so it was only fitting that we bid farewell over enchiladas at Uncle Julio’s.

Professor Henderson had planned on a farewell dinner since the beginning of the semester, and it was a great way to wrap things up. Our entire class is comprised of 15 students, from across the country and one Canadian for good measure, though not everyone was able to make it.

   
I did, admittedly, spend most of the week out and about, though I had a fair bit of food left to go through at the apartment and little funds for indulgence. The last week, however, left no room for sitting around doing nothing. Plenty of quality time spent over dinner, Larry’s, hanging around in Dupont, and enjoying the view from the balcony of a Grosvenor apartment, where we spent much of our down time. TWC apartments really are quite impressive, as I hope you’ll discover for yourself, though each of course has its ups and downs. My Arlington apartment, for instance, is wonderfully cozy, sunroom included, and a few quick stops outside of the city; something like Grosvenor, on the other hand, is about a nap’s-worth outside of the city (on the notorious red line, no less) but has the most beautiful little location, including plenty of trees, a pond, and a mini island for your star-gazing pleasure.

As my camera here proves wonderfully well, it is impossible to really capture just how impressive the view from the balcony really is; I guess 21st floor apartments will do that for you. Now there’s a place for some quality thinking and generally soaking it all in.
    
After a last dinner at Le Pain Quotidien and dessert at Larry’s (really, I will miss that man), Medha, Ian, Tony, and I drove back out to Grosvenor for a last bash and the balcony quickly filled with fellow TWC interns, set to the general atmosphere of music, conversation, hugging, and updates as to when we’re heading out and where we’re off to. The trip back to Arlington was truly one of the saddest Metro rides I have ever encountered, truth be told. I think I can speak for all interns when I say we’ve had a fantastic time, all the while getting to know some amazing people and truly enjoying the city for what it is. Case in point: some already have plans to come back to the city and room together once again, this time as college graduates.
    
In the mean time, for now, most of us have left DC after some rather depressing adieus, but look forward to the summer, staying in touch to relate our latest adventures, and ultimately meeting up once again. I, for one, am packing for Ghana, as I fly out this Thursday, but have already made plans for keeping in touch and an ultimate reunion when I’m back in the States. Anyone with comments or questions, please feel free to contact me, as I’d love to hear from you or help in any way I can – don’t hesitate to catch me on Facebook, twitter, skype, email, or whatever works best for you, really. I’ll leave my contact info. here at the bottom – hit me up. J I hope the blog hasn’t been a total bore for all of you and was mildly entertaining, if not useful; I actually plan on continuing to keep track of my adventures by blogging from Ghana, as well (those interested in watching me slowly melt on the equator, please refer yourselves to http://theghanaianmeltingpoint.blogspot.com).
       
Until next we meet, I wish you all the best of luck, and happy trails to you! My advice: pack light, enjoy the misadventures, listen more than talk, and always allow yourself to fly by the seat of your pants if that’s the way the wind blows.

Kate Musgrave
musgravk@dickinson.edu
musgravk@gmail.com
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So little time, so much to do…

My goodness, it’s been a while. Causes: internship, class work, work on TWC portfolio, applying for visa and grant for the summer in Ghana, being turned into a pincushion at the travel medical center (also in preparation for the summer), enjoying the last couple of weeks here in DC, and general insanity.

In the name of that insanity (and some annoying defects with my keyboard lately), we will be relatively short. As is all too often found, there is too much to do and too many people to see in too little a span of time. My past few weeks have been divided between one last visit to campus, wrapping up a policy proposal paper for my TWC course, and packing as many things into the days as humanly possible.

Thing one (we’ll go Dr. Seuss style): visiting campus. Prolonged hours back in the library (where, bonus, an interview that same weekend has led to an upgraded position as one of the student supervisors next year) to visit other relatively bookish friends and some not so bookish as we relocated to shoot some pool… chatting, catching up, and generally ignoring the fact that many would be gone next year, both due to graduation and study abroad. And so began the blocking out of impending goodbyes…

The view from our dorm on campus; as you may recall, quite the change from the view from the apartment in Arlington.

 
Thing two: after a pathetically long return trip to DC (nearly 8 hours total, if I recall correctly, due to various mishaps- it takes about 2-2.5 hours on average), I made my way to Medha’s apartment to be fed and recuperate before returning to Arlington. Found ourselves back there on Wednesday evening as we held a belated Tamil New Year celebration, comprised of a table full of (vegetarian) excellent Indian dishes and a dinner party of 4.

Thing three: our own form of “return to India,” this time TWC-sponsored, as I joined my roommates in checking out “Bollywood Night,” conveniently located in our building and offering free food and henna; can’t beat that. Civic engagement presentations the following day, at least for Medha and I, meant a continuation of this Indo-centric mind set as we told our fellow interns about our work with AID (those of you who will be in the DC area: marathon, anyone?)…. which was continued not long ago as we (slightly ruefully) woke up at about 5am on Sunday morning to leave the apt. by 5:30 and help at a race in preparation for the aforementioned marathon… talk about bright and early. Painful, but worth it: my civic engagement project turned into much more than I expected, and I’ll continue to help through AID and stay in touch with the amazing people that make up its membership here in DC.

Thing four: the cultural learning is sporadic throughout all of this, as it has been throughout this spring. If you’re not a fan of culture shock as I am, you can avoid it to a certain extent (ie not attending the fantastic bhangra parties), but the variety of cultures thriving here in DC is wonderfully unavoidable. Our fellow interns are an excellent means of practicing my now-rusty Spanish abilities, and last Friday night featured the long-awaited trip out for Ethiopian food. Hit up the U Street (esp. 9^th Street end) area for a ridiculous amount of choices between Ethiopian restaurants- apparently they’re hoping to be dubbed “Little Ethiopia,” and it was rather obvious why. Prime eating, no doubt.

Have no fear: if you’d rather sit in an average chair, they had many of those also available at Etete, where Tony, Medha, and I snagged the one such table set up on Friday night. Leave your inhibitions at the door; Ethiopian food is quite literally a hands-on experience and everyone shares from the same platter. Adds to the deliciousness.

And with that, time to head out for me – plans up the wazoo as we interns attempt to squeeze in as much quality time as humanly possible. I, for one, have left packing for the very last moment, and I have a feeling I won’t regret it. After all, I’ll have just 4.5 days between leaving DC and flying to Ghana for two months of the summer; if I haven’t learned to pack quickly and efficiently by this point, I’m doomed. To all fellow college students currently wrapping up their own semesters, I wish you the best…. And don’t begrudge me my lack of finals, please; making up for it with a monstrous independent study project.

In the mean time, stay classy.