featuring our very own DC intern, Kristine thanks for the updates!!
Sun, 23 Mar 2003
Hey everyone !
Well, I am finally here in DC !!!!!!!!! The weather is absolutely goregeous, which kinda worries me since I brought about six jackets in the hopes of some real weather - not that socal-wanna-be stuff ! Heehee. The flight went relatively well, all things considered. It left LAX at 7:30am so I just stayed up all night and left home at about 5am to head to the airport. I managed to get two hours of shuteye on the way over the New Jersey and then hopped on a lil' charter plane ( it was so cute ! we had to go on the landing area to take it, made me feel like I was in a rap video "yo !" ) over to Baltimore. From here, me and the other four cracked out, tired girls from the flight took a shuttle bus thru the stix ( which was actually quite beautiful ) and ended up here at the center at abouts 7 pm ! ( eastern time )
The apartment is huge and beautiful. We were lucky enuff to be assigned to a handicapp room so we have the luxury of two bathrooms when everyone else has to split one between four people ! My roomies are cool, two are here, one more should be in tomorrow. Last night a few of us scouted the area and had some really good Malaysian food for dinner. I have to tell you, the restaurant/BAR scene here is to die for ! Everything is within convenient walking distance, and there has to be close to about 30 or so restaurants to choose from ! Everything from fancy to hole-in-the-wall authentic !
The people here are different, that's for sure. Everyone is dressed so much more conservative - black pants and a white shirt for going out. But there are plenty of places to sit and socialize, lil' cute coffee shops and bookstores ! The grocery store here sucks though ! Norcal peeps : Imagine the smallest Safeway you've ever seen, and then take half of that and that is the grocery store we have. Socal people : take your average Vons and cut that into thirds and that's what we have. So, that's a lil' dissapointing but I guess the restaurant scene makes up for it !
Tonite we have a lil' orientation and then an all day orientation on Monday which should be fun since I'll get to meet everyone in the program. There are nine UCs here, each sending about 20-30 students so this apt. building houses roughly about 300 of us. The people so far have been very cool and nice. Tuesday we begin our internships although I don't really know if mine will be business as usual - what with the war going on and everything.
As for that topic briefly : before leaving I was petrified at the thought of being here. I mainly feared my safety since I have never lived through a major war and therefore can only let my imagine run away with possibilities, and while this place may be heavily secured, it is also a huge target. I personally haven't noticed anything striking but tomorrow I will do some footwork around and scope out the area. I pray for the best and for this war to be over soon, for my safety and yours I hope your prayers are with me.
Well, my comp comes in the mail Tuesday ( thanks to Mr. Koger ! xoxoxo ! ) so I should, hopefully have my beloved AIM up and running by Thursday ! Until then I am totally reachable by mail :
UC Washington Center
Kristine Tom
1608 Rhode Island Ave., NW 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
or my cellie will be the same :
310-963-6857
AIM : peepintom724
Your love letters, cards, care packages, food, baked or non baked goods, and other unwanted goods are greatly appreciated ! I would love to have some stuff that reminds me of home since I didn't really pack anything to decorate with ! Until next time thank you everyone for your endless support and I'll keep you updated !
Mon, 24 Mar 2003
Okie, I know this one is coming kinda soon but I still have some free time on my hands since my internship doesn't start until tomorrow morning. Today was an exhausting but incredible day that I would like to share with you guys.
Well, first of all yesterday I walked down to the White House with some people, twice actually, once at night and once during the day. ( you know me and my crazay walking ! ) It's only six blocks from the center where I'm living. I also got to check out the Washington monument and the reflection pool from a distance - which, by the way is completely drained out. That was really cool and inspirational.
This morning I had to get up bright and early, at 7:30 for a BORING orientation about the program and safety and blah, blah, blah. I was so tired since I went to bed close to 4 and the past few nights I have only managed to snag about two hours of sleep. No thanks to the rock they call a bed, the blanket that is a Motel 6 reject ( as we refer to them ) and a pillow about the width of my pinky fingernail. But thank god, my stuff is coming tomorrow or Weds. After orientation I bolted upstairs to take a nap since I had to go to Capitol Hill today to get a tour of where I will be doing a lot of my internship. I work in the building but will head up to the Hill about three days a week for hearings ( they said I might be on TV !!!!!! ) and visiting the House of Reps, and the Senate House. Jennifer took me and three other interns on the tour, she gave up the two and a half hours powerwalk tour, tiring even me - the eternity walker out ! And I was in tennies ! The tour was awesome though, I got to see Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, and Lieberman's offices ! The inside of these places look exactly like the movies ! Everywhere there is some person in a three piece business suit. Security isn't as tight as I thought. They have these underground foot and subway tunnels between the government buildings, it's really impressive actually. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous and the cherry blossoms are coming soon ! But back to the Hill, the tour got me really excited but a little nervous too since I realize that this is DC, the real deal . . .
Afta the tour I went with some girls to a shopping mall to soup up my bed, and tonite I may just get more than two hours of sleep ! After that, I headed to Safeway and bought a heavy load of groceries, since I had to carry everything back the 8 blocks to the center. Finally, at ten I got to sit down and eat !
Overall things are going well. Tomorrow my internship starts and afterwards I have plans to hit HAPPY HOUR ! ( in my case, happy HOURS ??? heehee ) over at Capitol Hill or Dupont Circle, and there is def some Georgetown in store for later this week ! I'm still trying to get settled in, there are comforts of home that I will have to adapt to . . . mainly the sorry ass grocery stores out here. I guess it's mainly a lack of space thing . . . east coast style, cramped and all. Haha ! So, that's me so far. Don't worry, these updates won't be so frequent, there's just really nothing to do right now. And it isn't Tuesday or Weds. so there's no American Idol to keep me occupied ! Until next time ! Take care and write back when you can !
Always,
your FAVORITE DC INTERN - Kristine Tom !
I'll be like the MSNBC people and pass on info that i hear from other sources (ie my email)
bTw, the 24-hour war coverage is going to get tired soon.. unless we see some real iraqi bodies in the air!
U-S-A!
