Since I've posted, I have visited a couple of key places. I got into the White House! Tours are back on and were announced sometime mid-October and my intern coordinator requested for me to get approved to visit the House. He put down all the days that I have left here in DC as the office was willing to let me go during work hours. I got a spot on the first day, this past Tuesday, and the wait out in the cold may have been long, but it was worth it. Visitors are only allowed in the East Wing and though the First Family was home (save for the President who was in Bethesda, MD at the time), I did not glimpse any of them. The Red Room was my favorite by far. It was so warm and bright.
On Wednesday, I visited the Supreme Court and saw the latter half of an oral argument. By far the coolest thing I have seen here in DC. It was a case about class action lawsuits. Just seeing all the justices on the high bench gave me chills. Some seemed to be just lounging, which was funny, but some were pretty attentive to the attorney on the podium. There were a couple of jokes here and there too which was unexpected but appreciated.
Tours were hectic in the office because of the number of people who flew up for the football game. On Saturday, we got up early--like 5:30am early--so that we could get on the metro to Branch Ave in Maryland where we were getting picked up by UH Alum so we could drive to the stadium. The tailgate hosted by the UHAA wasn't like your typical tailgate--catered food, green-and-white-tablecoth covered round tables underneath a huge white tent, live entertainment, and of course alcohol. We helped out with registration and check-in and also got to have some free BBQ-style food. We watched the Naval Academy march into the stadium from our seats then went over to the Navy side where the Midship Men stood.
We lost the game, which was sad because so many people flew all the way up here, but oh well. I spent the entire day out in the cold and despite my thick jacket with the fluffy fur-lined hood, I still felt the aftereffects of doing so yesterday. I didn't get up until 4pm, having slept all day due to a slight cold. But I am all better now, luckily! It is getting colder and colder and the forecast actually predicts a 40 percent chance of snow flurries in the morning tomorrow! I am keeping my gloved fingers crossed and am wearing my white coat in celebration!
I am excited for the snow but am hoping that the leaves will stick around for a while longer. It seems that fall is more short-lived here in DC compared to other places, mostly because we are in the mid-Atlantic and closer to the south.
I am keeping busy in the office, of course, and am enjoying every bit of it--even the irate phone calls all of the Congressional offices are getting these days. Yikes, yes, but still makes up an awesome experience.
Number of times I've been hit on: 8
Okay, so #7 happened on my way to the grocery store when a construction worker came up to me and said, "Hi can I buy you lunch?" I politely declined and went on my way. #8 happened on the same day on my way back from the grocery store where a man who was walking towards me stopped in front of me to stay, "Wow...you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen..." to which I responded, "I doubt it...but thanks, I guess" and kept on walking.
People here in DC have mistaken me for the following ethnicities:
Vietnamese (by a Vietnamese lady who owned a food truck)
Korean (the owner of the dry cleaning place I go to for my blazers, by a random guy on the metro, and the lady at the grocery store)
Chinese and Japanese (by the 10 Chinese journalists I took on a Capitol tour)
Earlier today, the cashier at the grocery store mistook me for a Korean. She asked if I was gonna carry all of my grocery bags all by myself, I said yes, and she was all, "Aww you Korean girls. You may be tiny, but you sure are strong. You don't mess with Korean girls!" I was too flattered to correct her...
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