Week 1 is done...finished...over! It's a blessing in disguise I think. It means that the first introductory week is over, but that next week is not going to be fun because the true test begins, whether you include the 100 multiple choice one or not. Besides getting our official tour guide license, we also have to practice giving commentary about the places we go, or along the routes we travel, sharing history or pointing out landmarks, whichever we choose for that particular time into the city. I'm not scared by any means to do the commentary, because I'm sure eventually I'll be saying it in my sleep, but I'm nervous to be critiqued. Not sure why because it happened the same way for the summer I did tours at home, but I guess here I don't feel as comfortable with the people I'm being critiqued by yet. By next week I will be, that's for sure...
Yesterday we went to Mount Vernon, which is the home of George and Martha Washington. They are both buried there, and the house is amazing even though we didn't go inside this time, I remember from last time. Then we came back to the Center, had lunch, and departed again for Arlington Cemetery followed by the Iwo Jima Memorial. Arlington was powerful as always, but this time it was more powerful because we saw a complete funeral procession. I've never seen one complete before like this one, which started from the chapel on the grounds, and then continued to the burial site. We didn't follow it in the tram or anything, but it was incredibly moving and powerful because the soldier's family was there, and the horses pulling the coffin and everything. It was, just, wow. Having never been to the Iwo Jima Memorial I wasn't sure what to expect emotionally, but I knew the gist of what it would be. It was almost as powerful as Arlington, but not quite. There's a story that goes with Iwo Jima that we are supposed to read to our groups, and that puts it all in perspective. I didn't get a picture of it yesterday, but hopefully the next time I will. I'm excited to get to explore it a little bit more, and read what's on the the actual memorial, because it displays all the battles the Marines fought in. (My apologies for not updating before, oops! Bed called I believe).
Today! We explored the Capitol Hill area. Each of us had to write down the office location of our congressman, and then had to find their office. Kassey and Megan's were in the Rayburn building, so the three of us started there. Amber went on her own to find hers in the Longworth building. After we found Kassey and Megan's, we ventured to Longworth to find mine. We kinda got lost, just a little, down below trying to get from one building to another. As we started upstairs to the third story, we ran into a Washington congressman's office on the second floor, making our life that much easier. There were policemen everywhere, and I didn't even realize it at first. Scary. We followed Capitol Hill with lunch with the VP of 4-H Council (I think that's the correct title. I've met so many people this week it's not funny). He was great to talk with, and again I love how open to our ideas and friendly he was to talk with. In the afternoon we adventured in the pouring rain to the National Cathedral. Like a true trooper I braved the rain, sans umbrella because I am from the east side of Washington State, haha, sorry westsiders, umbrellas are for sissies. The Cathedral was AMAZING!!! I never in my life dreamed it would be like that, and I cannot wait until I have more time to spend in it, just wandering and exploring all the unique and special places. Simply amazing. After that, we stopped by the zoo, not getting out to explore or anything, just talked about where buses would drop/pick up, logistical stuff mostly. I can't wait to go there either, it should be lots of fun :)
Tomorrow the four of us girls adventure into the city by ourselves. When I say adventure, I mean adventure. Three of us have been here before, and have a little sense of getting around, so hopefully between the four of us we can figure something out. Anyways, for homework (I'm working and have to do HW, does this make sense to anyone?) we have to go on a tour of the city of some sort, just to pick up on commentating styles and that kind of thing. We decided to try the old trolley tour, so we're planning on doing that first thing in the morning, leaving the Center around 9:30, giving ourselves a little extra time to sleep in. Depending on which route we take, we could see any number of things tomorrow. I kind of want to go by the Cathedral again, and then stop in Georgetown for some wandering/shopping, but we shall see what the others want to do. I think I might go again on Sunday, just because the tickets are good for three days, so why not use them completely, haha.
I don't think I've talked about the other PAs really...Kassey, my roommate, is originally from Texas, but just graduated from Oklahoma State with a degree focusing on agriculture. Amber is originally from New Mexico, but goes to school in Colorado studying mass communications with an array of focuses. Megan goes to school in Lincoln, Nebraska, studying to be a family and consumer sciences (home ec) teacher for middle and high school. All three of the girls are great, and so far we aren't driving each other up the walls, although it's only week 1. Kassey and I laugh quite a bit about talking out loud while studying, justifying it because it helps both of us study. It's safe to say we all want the official tour guide test done and out of the way.
Time for bed, but enjoy pictures and facts first :)
This is from one of the towers looking out across more of the Cathedral. It was a spectacular view, even today when it was rainy and cloudy we could see quite a ways.
Beautiful architecture! So gorgeous, I just couldn't get passed it. This is at the front of the cathedral, meaning it is in an older section. Construction for the cathedral started in 1907, and when enough was finished to hold services, a door was placed on one side, and services held, even during times of serious construction (to my current knowledge, it could change...
). When another good chunk of a section was done, the door was moved, and so on until construction was finished exactly 83 years later in 1990. Woodrow Wilson is the only president to be buried in the District, and he is just about in the middle of the cathedral, because that is where construction was at the time of his death. Who woulda thought...
I'm not sure how many windows there are, but each window has a theme. This window is agriculture, and if you look incredibly carefully and hard, you can see a 4-H clover. It doesn't show up well in this picture, but you can kinda see it -- far right panel, in the center of the left hand blue-holly shaped piece you can faintly detect a clover outline. Shows up much better in person...
Hopefully lots of pics tomorrow!
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