Welcome to Washington, DC!

After thinking about what it would be like to spend a semester studying in Washington, DC, since applying to Clark University my senior year in high school, I cannot believe that I am actually here. I always thought that this would be the perfect place for a History and Government major to spend some time, and I am thrilled to have the chance to explore our nation’s capital. I am spending the semester at American University’s Tenley Campus, a smaller campus about a half mile away from the main campus that houses Washington Semester Program students, transfer students, and other exchange students. Tenley Campus is truly the perfect fit for someone coming from Clark because it has the same feel as Clark’s campus. I have to say that American University’s main campus seemed huge the first time I was on it and I was very worried about getting lost. I guess just like anywhere else you’ll ever go, once you get your bearings it gets much easier.

We moved in August 19th, and at a general orientation were told that there are around 400 Washington Semester Students representing at least 18 countries around the world. It has been a lot of fun meeting students from Thailand, Norway, Germany, Egypt, China, Malaysia, as well as people from all over the U.S. Some of the international students are even in law school, and have come here to supplement those courses of study. Not only are people from so many different places, but everyone came here pursuing different interests. I am participating in the Public Law Program but other programs offered include Journalism, International Business and Trade, and Transforming Communities among others. Of the group of close friends that I have made here, we all represent different programs. My roommate is participating in the Justice Program while other friends are taking part in International Law and Organizations, International Environment and Development, American Politics, and Peace and Conflict Resolution.

This week is our second full week of classes. I have two seminars for Public Law and an elective; our internship counts as the fourth course. The Public Law differs from a general American politics program as it focuses on the processes of making public law, what institutions and organizations are involved, as well as some of the largest issues today. For my elective I am taking a class titled the President, Media, Public, and U.S. Foreign Policy. I’ve only had it once because it only meets once a week but I am very excited for the class; it should be very interesting, my professor seems to be very knowledgeable, and my other classmates seem to be very nice. The seminars for Public Law are unlike any other class I have taken, but that what makes it exciting and something I know I will take a lot away from. We typically meet twice Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and the same professor runs both meetings. Sometimes class is a typical lecture-style class but most of the time, we will be traveling around Washington, DC, meeting with speakers or having them come to American University to speak with us. In the first six times these seminars will have met, we will have already had the privilege to hear from seven different speakers. The speakers have included a worker from the Department of Commerce, a public opinion analyst, a coordinator from the National Rifle Association, an attorney for the Brady Center, and on of the Deputy Solicitors General. I cannot wait until tomorrow to get a chance to meet with the Clerk of the Supreme Court!

Next week I start working at my internship. I am going to be interning at the DC Office of the Attorney General. I am very excited to have this opportunity, but I know that I will continue to be nervous until I start interning. This internship will be the perfect way to discover whether or not I want to pursue law school in the future as I will have the chance to shadow attorneys, assist them with their course loads, and learn about legal writing.

Outside the classroom, we have been having so much fun exploring DC. On our first Friday here, three of us spent the whole day wandering around downtown, seeing monuments, and visiting the National Aquarium. We visited the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and the World War II Memorial, saw both sides of the White House, as well as seeing many other buildings belonging to Cabinet departments such as the Department of the Treasury, Agriculture, and Justice. One night we went to see the Jefferson Memorial; it was absolutely beautiful lit up at night and the heat lightning that night added a special touch especially when looking out at the Washington Monument from the steps of the Jefferson Memorial. Today we visited the Holocaust Museum. It is such a moving experience, I don’t think it’s possible to leave there without feeling shocked at the atrocities and so grateful for the life we have the chance to live today. On a lighter note, we’ve also walked around Georgetown and George Washington and are going to try to go to a National’s baseball game this weekend.

Well that’s about it for now; DC is great and we’ve been having lots of fun!