Another week has already passed, and the amount of things I found to cram into it is unreal! Work continues to be rewarding. . .tiring, but rewarding. Two of my event announcements got published to the intranet and I have a story that's set to be published this week! It's exciting to see things pay off so early on. I also got to meet the Deputy Secretary, John Porcari last week. He was so nice and down-to-earth. We got to chat for a bit about what we've been doing, what he hopes we get out of the experience, and of course UD. The rest of the week was spent writing, editing, taking photos, and interviewing for future stories. It seems that work never stops here, which I'm happy for because it makes the time spent in a cubicle pass quickly.

This past weekend I went to NYC to visit some friends from school. Two of my friends are interning for a marketing company in the city so I got to stay with them, see the sites, and experience the night life. Let me tell you, I wasn't prepared for how unbelievable this trip would be. I got in at midnight on Friday, pretty exhausted, but determined to take advantage of every minute. We ended up staying out till 4 a.m. with an obligatory late-night pizza run with about a million other people.--this city seriously never sleeps. 

The next day my friend, Ali, and I had a picnic in Central Park, walked about Time Square, and wandered around looking at the different sites. I thought people watching was good in Washington and Barcelona--NYC definitely takes the cake. It was so cool to see all the different, interesting people walking down the street. That night we had dinner at Justin Timberlake's restaurant and stayed out till 7 a.m. A bagel run and a long 'nap' were necessary to keep up the New York lifestyle. 

On Sunday my friends and I went to Ground Zero to see the reflecting pools. It was an unbelievable and emotional feeling to be there, in person, after all the times I watched those horrific images on the television. Sitting there watching the water flow down deep into the ground reminded me that we all start from the same place and we all end up in the same place. It doesn't matter where we come from, how much money we have, what we believe in. We're all human, and if we start treating each other with the respect and dignity that every human being deserves, our world would be a much more peaceful place.

Okay, stepping off my soapbox. Overall, it was a once-in-a-lifetime weekend that I will remember for the rest of my life. I got back to D.C. late on Sunday, and it actually felt like I was coming home, which is a promising feeling since at this point last year I was crying via Skype, trying to convince my mom to fly back to Spain and take me home. It is definitely a learning experience, but I feel like I'm getting the hang of it. 

Well, I should probably stop writing this and go write the progress report I have due at the end of this week. Love and miss everyone back home.

Xoxo,

Kate

Well, today marks the start of week two of my internship in Washington, D.C. For those of you who don't know, I am interning at the Department of Transportation in the Office of the Secretary. The Deputy Secretary of Transportation is a UD grad and has allowed for two UD students (one being me) to come and experience the opportunity of a lifetime: interning and living in Washington, D.C. for the summer. It's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

So as I was saying, today marks the start of week two of an eight week program, and let me tell you, I'm being kept very busy (Alleluia!). Laura (the other intern) and I have been working on a number of stories for the DOTnet, the internal website at the DOT. Whether it's writing, editing, or interviewing, it seems like I'm moving a hundred miles a minute from the 9-5:30. This fast pace is just the thing that I need. Although I love Ohio, I've missed the fast-paced life that you find in big cities. I feel so lucky to be doing exactly what I love and it feels nice knowing that what I am doing each day is not only worthwhile for my future, but also something that makes a difference at the DOT. With lots of projects in the works, I cannot wait to see what the next seven weeks have in store for me!

As far as my life outside of work, it's a little mundane, and I'm okay with that! After work I tend to be pretty tired, but I try to go for a run or walk around the city. Not only does this allow me to get in some exercise, but I also get to find my way around this great city. The other day I was running around the Mall and got stopped by a UD alumni. It just shows that no matter where you go you will most likely find someone with ties to UD. . .reason #1000 why I love the University of Dayton. I still can't wrap my head around jogging past the Lincoln Memorial on my way home, or taking a stroll by White House on my way to the grocery. I love that I can say that I actually live here, and I try to play the part of a tough, knows-where-she's-going Washingtonian. . . it's a work in progress.

This past weekend I got to meet some of the other interns in my building. It's so great to see young people out there making a difference and following their dreams. On Sunday, I put on my tourist hat and walked around the Mall. However, with the Girl Scout Convention in town (I kid you not) my trip was cut short in an effort to escape the crowds. Although I didn't get much sightseeing under my belt the first weekend, I'm going to be a little more strategic with my planning next time so that I can see all that D.C. has to offer!

I hope that you'll follow this blog over the next two months as I chase my dreams in a new city. It's exciting, scary, interesting, wonderful, confusing, eye-opening, and a whole lot of other things, but overall, it's a journey. A beautiful journey that I know will have resounding effects on the rest of my life. I feel blessed to be able to jump outside my comfort zone, live in a new place, meet new people, try new things, make mistakes, learn new things, and find myself. Like I said, it's a journey. . .welcome to it.

Kate