Akshay Soman
It has been three weeks since we have moved to the nation’s capital and I am enjoying every minute of it! Unfortunately, due to the government shutdown, I have not had the pleasure of starting my internship just yet, but am scheduled to start with the SEC February 11. During my extended break, I studied for the LSAT which I took on January 26.
In my free time, I have been spending my time exploring and traveling the DMV area. I visited a few friends in Fairfax, VA and Bethesda, MD, experienced the Holocaust Museum, sat in at oral arguments at the United States Supreme Court, and tried new food places around town. I am so excited to see what the rest of the semester holds for me with the start of my internship soon!
Soman submitted these photos:
Alexander Nguyen
After a couple of weeks in D.C., I began to realize that it’s just not the city that ends up growing on you, but how you end up growing with it. From walking through the National Mall powdered with a blanket of sugar-like snow, to the bustling hum of Union Station, or the monumental silence at the feet of Abraham Lincoln, I’ve learned so much from these steadfast scenes. But it’s the people here, with their brazen determination and voracious appetite for more in face of the partial shutdown, who really inspire me.
As I begin my third week in a city that is just waking up from a period of political stalemate, I look forward to being humbled by the vast Smithsonian museums and magnitude of American government in full force. There might be a day when I won’t look up at the sun-drenched, coffered ceiling when I walk through Union Station, or a day where I’ll be exasperated by the snowflakes that seem to suspend themselves in air before they fall. But that day isn’t today or tomorrow. Because it is here, at the axis by which this country revolves, where lives are indefinitely changed and the future is born.
Nguyen submitted these photos:
Hina Uddin
A man rushes by, speeding through security to get to a meeting, a woman leads a foreign delegation, click clacking through the majestic halls of the Department of State, and I stand in the midst, taking it all in.
My internship start date was pushed back due to the government shutdown effecting state department employees. So, I spent three weeks exploring D.C. I visited many coffee shops, went to a pop-up concert in Chinatown, and got to observe oral arguments at the Supreme Court. We even had a snow day and built a snowman on the National Mall!
Though my free time was fun, I am overjoyed to begin my internship. What I have learned very quickly is that when your work interests you, it very rarely feels tedious. I sit at my desk every day and research policy and human rights in the Middle East— and I love it. The hours fly by as I read articles, attend meetings and write memos. Even the freezing D.C. weather can’t get me down!
I have many things planned for the coming weeks including concerts, academic lectures and weekend trips to neighboring cities. D.C. is starting to feel like home and I can’t wait to see what the next few months have in store.
Uddin submitted these photos:
Kobe Terrier
One month down, three more to go! January has been an amazing month full of new experiences and amazing opportunities. Upon our arrival, we made sure to sightsee in Washington, D.C. We explored the National Mall, the White House, all of the monuments, and of course, the U.S. Capitol building!
I am interning for Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (TX 29) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Working on Capitol Hill has been an amazing experience thus far. The shutdown definitely caused turmoil for everyone working on the Hill; however, the experience has been once in a lifetime. I walk to work every day across the grounds of the Capitol, or during the really cold and snowy days, I am able to use my ID badge to access underground tunnels.
Overall, January has been an amazing month full of memories that will last a lifetime. I am so excited to see what the next three months have in store for the 2019 Bauer in D.C. Fellows!
Terrier submitted these photos:
Rahni Stewart
So I’ve been working at my internship now for two weeks, and I am really enjoying it. My bosses are the greatest people, and they have provided a very flexible work environment for me. I spend my day doing quite a bit of research into different non-profit groups, as well as community initiatives and seminars. My favorite part of work is that I feel as if I am actually making a difference there. My research is valued, and my bosses appreciate my input.
I can say though, I do miss that Texas sun, because it gets so cold up here sometimes. But with that cold comes a lot of snow, and that’s the fun part. One weekend we all got together and went to take pictures at the Capitol in the snow. We built a snowman (it was a little small I’ll admit)! Then we even went to Georgetown on a bus, where we then got stranded for a while because the buses stopped running.
Looking back it’s kind of funny that we did something so dumb, but we get a good laugh from it anyway! Overall, I can say that I’m really enjoying my experience so far, and am looking forward to what comes next!
Stewart submitted these photos:
Colleen Davies
Bauer Honors Academic Advisor Colleen Davies submitted these photos:
