A Buggy Problem

So. This week is proving to be a busy and eventful week. Not only has the Syria conflict been keeping our office phones ringing (subsequently resulting in me having to end later than usual at 6pm now), my roommate Kayla and I also have had our share of issues back here in the dorms.

We have bed bugs. Yep. I have never had a bed bug issue before, but people always tell me how terrible of a tragedy it is. When we first found out, and when everything was up in the air at first, yes, I can see why people would say that it is a tragedy. But right now, I don't think "tragic" would be the right word to use. "Inconvenient" is more fitting. However, the school has been very timely and accomodating to us and our situation. We have been moved to a different (and better!) room while our old room gets cleaned. 

The only issue, which really isn't anyone's fault except the bugs', is that we couldn't take very much from the old room--only the barest essentials. So when we transferred to the new room on Monday night, we were instructed to bring only a set of sleep clothes for that night, and an office outfit for work the next day. In addition to toiletries and electronics, that was all we had. I couldn't even take my purse, just what I needed from inside the purse. I ended up having to use the reusable shopping bag from Target that I used to carry my essentials to the new room to work the next day. We had to leave our groceries, all of our other clothes, shoes, etc. 

After we found out that we couldn't have access to the room until later, we had to go out and buy clothes just enough for two more days--work clothes and sleep clothes. We have also had to buy food daily since we don't have access to our groceries. The school has offered to reimburse us for these inconveniences though for which we are very thankful.

But still! What are the chances right? That this would happen to us this semester. Ahh we are weathering through it, day by day. We were told that a special facility is being set up as quickly as possible here on campus so that we can wash our clothes. Unfortunately we could not do it today since it was not ready yet apparently, so we are hoping for tomorrow. If not, then I will have to figure out some way of washing the clothes I have already bought because nice clothes for the office are expensive, man, even if these are considered the less formal clothes to work, and I can't really go out and buy another outfit (can I?).

Anyway, that is the biggest news for now. The Labor Day weekend was eventful and it involved food, museum-ing, a hot day out in Georgetown and lots more.

But I think this will do for now!

Cups of coffee/tea: 5 
Number of times a creepy guy has said hi to me: 3

Getting Used to Being Away

I am full. My tummy is full of pho and happiness but mostly pho. 

We just came back from dinner. We went to a Vietnamese restuarant out in Columbia Heights called Pho 14 and they supposedly have been voted "Best Pho in DC" so we went in with pretty high expectations. And they were met! The broth was good. It was good.

I have been getting better gradually over the past week or so in terms of homesickness. Work is still pretty slow but it has gotten lighter; I am not so nervous anymore. I know I will be later on as I continue to meet new people in the staff and once Congress gets back in session again. But that's ok. I am not heartbreakingly homesick anymore. I am still homesick, but nto as bad. Yesterday was actually the first day I didn't tear up even once at all ha! 

Work has generally been really mundane office work--answering phone calls from constituents, sorting and logging in mail, etc. I was so excited to be sent to buy cardstock at the Office Supply Store the other day, only to find out that I didn't need to anymore because we had some cardstock in the office so I ended up not going. This coming week, I want to make sure to go exploring the tunnel systems of the Capitol grounds. I mean, technically, there is nothing wrong with looking at maps as I go along on errands and stuff, but I wanna be comfortable with this place and really know it. 

As the homesickness subsides, my excitement is still here, if not increasing. Tomorrow, we're gonna go to the Museum of Natiral History and then eat at a Korean place at Chinatown during Happy Hour or something. I am excited--been craving kimchee! 

Huh. Food would be the thing that makes me feel better about being away from home...

Cups of coffee/tea: 3 (I have green tea bags here in my room, plus I finally went into the Union Station Starbucks...BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE PEACH GREEN TEA! Sadness!)
Number of times a creepy guy has said hi to me: 3

Day One Done!

Done with the first day! Whoo! It hit me today that this is now school and the real world at the same time. Summer is OVER. I need to get crackin'.

The first day was pretty slow because Congress is still in August recess which means they are not in session. I got to leave early which I will be doing this first week so that I can go around and explore the Capitol grounds and the rest of DC for a little bit before the big jobs flow in. I didn't get to do that today because I had to do a Target run, but I will definitely make sure to bring either a change of clothes or a pair of comfortable shoes tomorrow so that I can go and visit the botanical gardens or something. That'd be neat.

I guess one thing that's been on my mind lately is home. I can't help but compare what I'm seeing here to what I've been used to seeing at home so of course I am homesick. I have never been this far away from home for this long amount of time before and when my dad texts me or I hear my mom's voice on the phone, I still tear up. 

But I know it will get better. The tricky thing is you THINK that thoughts of home will comfort you when you're homesick, but they don't. They make me more emotional. What works is when I'm listening to stories. Duk does that really well, so when I get to talk to him, he makes sure he goes on and on about his day so I don't have to think about mine too much and how far ahead and far away it is from home.

Okay, off to read! This semester is gonna be a lot of reading...

Cups of coffee/tea: 0
Number of times a creepy guy has said hi to me: 3 (REALLY NOW!)