Ambassadors, memorials, and dogs.

It has been a little while since I have blogged. This is due to a dire combination of laziness, and being worked to the bone. So far, my roles in the Senator’s office have included such important tasks as sorting his photo collection, and walking his dog. To be honest, walking his dog was the highlight of my day on Wednesday, even though it was rather senior in years, arthritic, and I was terrified of killing it. That would not be a great start to my internship.
They are very dog friendly over here; it’s rather disconcerting to see a border collie being walked across the foyer of the main Senate office building.

The weekend in D.C saw a night of excellent barhopping and a rather sore head the next day, invigorated by a stroll round the Martin Luther King Memorial, the FDR Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial. Lots of inspirational quotes carved in marble. The MLK and Jefferson Memorials were grand, but my favourite by far was for FDR. It was gentle carved, low stonewalls, waterfalls, and beautiful bronze statues in amongst Japanese cherry blossoms – trees I am told are quite a tourist destination when they flower. I also had a chance to check out the Smithsonian Natural History Museum – the hall of stuffed mammals was quite amazing, as was the collection of dinosaur skeletons and rare gemstones.

While the working week is not as enthralling as it might be, it is excellent spending time in D.C. Today we had lunch with the ambassador Mike Moore. Lunch was hilarious; he was quite the amusing host. Mum, you clearly have not trained it into me hard enough which side your bread plate goes on – I had an awkward moment when I placed my bread on the ambassador’s plate. Not that he cared. It was nice to hear some Kiwi accents though!!!

This evening I had dinner with a girl who was on exchange at Cantebury in 2010 – the wonders of social media connections! I have a few interesting engagements coming up, such as a Congressional Christmas party, and an Alaskan State Society Holiday party. Missing the sunshine back home – it has got very cold here, very quickly.

My walk home

Photo time. This is a photo essay of my wander home from work yesterday, via National Mall (think MLK’s ‘I have a dream’, or Forrest Gump). The sense of history imbued in even the grit you walk on, is incredible. The mall runs from Capitol, past the Washington Monument, through to the World War II and Vietnam Memorials, to the Lincoln Memorial. I sat on the marble steps on the Lincoln Memorial and watched the sun set and the tourists milling. Each memorial is breathtaking, something I didn’t take a photo of was the wall of gold stars on the WWII memorial – each star represented 100 lost Americans, and there were far too many stars. I aim to check out the Korean War memorial soon – it’s the only memorial that includes New Zealand as well.
My pictures don’t really do the scale justice – everything is HUGE. Lincoln in his chair is particularly impressive, but the Washington Monument is just that – monumental. It’s just amazing to be able to see everything.

 

First Days

Today, I am not posting any pictures of my rather glorious 3 block stroll to work from my metro station. Despite the fact I pass, oh you know, the Capitol itself, the US Supreme Court, and Library of Congress. Mainly because this morning, my stroll was somewhat chaotic as I attempted to navigate my way to my office for the first time, and not die trying.

Naturally our hideous trip over on Saturday wouldn’t have been complete without my bags not showing up. So Alaska Airlines obliged, and left my suitcase behind in LAX. I am proud to say that at this point, despite nearly 20 hours in the air, not sleeping on the plane, and the various other hiccups, I did not cry. I simply listened as the large, jolly, woman made promises about my bag showing up the next day. Unfortunately, in order to reduce my checked baggage weight, my carry on luggage consisted of nothing but shoes. So while I would have a fantastic array of heel options, the fact was, at this point, I smelt. Not nice, ladylike perfume smelt, but rather unwashed trucker with an aversion to showering smelt. Needless to say, I was unimpressed. The silver lining to this particular anecdote is that Alaska Airlines sponsored a $430 shopping trip to Macy’s (I will be more jubilant about this when the cheque actually arrives).

Monday saw us meet the good people of The Washington Centre, the intern facilitators who oversee 1000s of students a year through their programmes. After meeting the relevant staff, we then had a seminar on Corporate Social Responsibility. This is an idea that is nice in principle, but realistically seems like a complete bullshit exercise when put into practice. Anyway, I listened attentively while the nice lady from Microsoft explained how fabulous they were, and kept my mouth shut. Upon returning to our (very nice, even though we are sharing bedrooms) accommodation, I went for a run in the gym to decompress, then jetlag kicked in and I slept. And slept some more. And a little more for good measure.

Today was Day 1 of the Internship itself, so suited up I arrived at the office of Sen. Baucus. My day’s tasks included folding letters to stick into envelopes, gluing shut said envelopes, posting them, and organising his official photo collection into chronological order. I was also introduced to a ghostwriter signature machine, shattering any hope I may have had previously that letters from important people are actually signed by them. Today, on the good Senators behalf, I signed a lot of things. It was fun. I felt, for a glimmer of a moment, almost important. The office itself is quite conservative, so I’m doing my best to keep my head down and be quiet. The other interns so far seem lovely, and all in all, it was a pretty good first day.

Dinner – and I’m not even hungover – was a proper Kiwi pie that I found in wholefoods. Made by an ex-NZ Māori rugby player who is coaching over here, it was nice to have a taste of home, a really good taste of home too. I enclose a picture.

Not too homesick yet, but no doubt it will come soon. Missing everyone, and missing the sunshine, it’s like Christchurch Autumn cold, or Wellington early summer cold, but due to get well below freezing soon.
Rach x

Entitled: Seamus and Rachael nearly miss their flight

After picking up my passport from the courier depot where it had been dropped, visa now securely in place, on the morning of my flight, I happily toddled off  to Christchurch airport, to board a flight to Auckland, and then on to LAX, and eventually Washington D.C. Little did I suspect my entire journey would nearly be derailed by a sour Air New Zealand employee who informed me with pursed lips that my visa expired 2 days before my return flight, and she therefore wouldn’t let me check in. Bugger. After a wee bit of a wild goose chase in very short time, care of the charming, now my all time favourite, Air New Zealand employee (may her soul rot somewhere deep and dank), I finally got on the phone to my travel agent thanks to the calm and collected calling of a friend, as I had a minor panic attack. Many deep breaths later, the travel agent informs me that she can change the flights (for $200, fuck) while I’m in the air to Auckland. Except now I have to pick up my bags, and check back in, in a very tight time gap. After grabbing my bags in record time, Seamus and I dash to a taxi, only to be informed it’s going to be $40 just to be dropped the 500 m journey to international. My Kiwi tight-ass Scottish roots kicked in. We would run. And run we did. About half way before my lack of fitness kicked in. So we would walk. And walk we did. Quickly.

We got there, flustered as all hell, dripping in sweat, smelling something awful before we even got on the plane, and checked in 2 minutes before check-in closed. Now, a slightly more pleasant employee informs me with a smile she must reserve for the most freaked out looking customers, I had to stand in a large queue for a new itinerary. Checked in, but still very conscious of time, my stress levels were through the roof.  Finally, with itinerary printed, it was time to hit customs. Naturally, in the spirit of the evening, my e-passport then refused to work. I beeped going through security and got wanded. Seamus and I, somehow, were now not sitting together. But Godammit, I got on the plane.  An aisle seat right next to the toilets. Someone, for the love of God, hand me a gin.

This update comes to via the most marvellous invention I’ve so far encountered in the States, wifi on domestic flights. Alaska Airlines to D.C have so far been kind; after a mad dash across the roads of LAX, we made it onto out 4 and a half hour connecting flight, while cursing the travel agent for their ambitious time goals. I have a Starbucks in hand, and somewhere deep below is Kansas. We’re getting there. Included, for your entertainment, is a photo of us around the 15 hour flight (warning, not pretty, extreme tiredness included). Next stop, Homewood Suites, Washington D.C, home for the next few weeks!

Packing and Ponies

After a fantastic day in the sun at the 150th Canterbury A&P Show, full of Shetland Pony racing (somewhat akin to midget wrestling) and large machinery, today has seen me attempt the mammoth task of packing for 11 weeks in D.C. This is somewhat of a challenge for a girl whose version of ‘essential’ differs from the ordinary populations. So many pairs of shoes, so little space. First world problems indeed. My love for Kathmandu an all products packing related is possibly a touch excessive, but hey, packing cells rock. I’m going to attempt to keep on updating this blog every 2 or 3 days to let everyone know back home what I’m up to, and how it’s all going. Fingers crossed I meet Obama!