DC on Foot!

As part of my going-away present, my wonderful friend Derek (knowing my love for walking) gave me the City Walks box for Washington, DC: '50 Adventures on Foot'!  What could be more perfect for me??  'But what is City Walks?' you might be asking.  I think the back of the box explains it well:

Skip the dull tour guides, ditch those unruly maps, and experience Washington, D.C. like a native--on foot!  Whether you're a first-time visitor or you just want to discover new terrain, 'The City Walks Deck: Washington, D.C.' will give you an intimate view of the city.  Each card in this deck outlines a self-guided walking adventure, with a detailed map on one side and insider information on the other.  From the prestigious government buildings, memorials, and museums in the federal district (like the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court) to the historic neighborhoods like Georgetown and Dupont Circle, you'll discover the locals' favorite places to eat, drink, shop, rest, walk, and play.  Pick any card and start exploring Washington, D.C.!

So I did! :-)  Yesterday I had my first DC-on-foot adventure, and I loved it!  I started with Card #1 (the proper place to start, of course) and was pleased to discover that, though the walks do include the most popular DC destinations, it took me to many places I had never before visited! Yesterday's adventure included the Freer Gallery of Art, Jim Hensen exhibit at the International Gallery, Smithsonian Castle, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (Asian Art), National Museum of African Art, and Joseph H. Hirshhorn Museum (modern art).

Admittedly, a lot of art for one day!  But I figure, I live here now--I should see everything!  It was amazing to me that I was able to do so much in one day, for free, and only just scratch the surface of things to see and explore in DC.  I literally did all that in about a block!  I'm excited to continue going through the cards and explore things I never knew existed in this 10 mile by 10 mile city full of activity!  So be assured, when you come to visit, we will embark on at least one Adventure on Foot!

Friends in the City

As I think back on all of my 'leaving Fresno' experiences, I can see how each of them has been so different.  Sometimes I've left with friends, often I've left on my own, usually I've entered into some type of program living with a group of people I'd never met before, but a community of sorts nonetheless.  The move to DC has been unique as well.  I moved here alone, and there has been no community to receive me, but I have friends here!   It's been fun to move into the city, and reconnect with friends already living here, not having to start from scratch when it comes to relationships--as I am so accustomed to doing when I leave!

For one, this seems to be the place for Talas Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to congregate!  I am the fourth Talas RPCV to move to DC this year.  My good friends, Jess, Joe, and Carli live in the city, and I was able to get together with Jess & Carli for dinner and coffee last weekend.  We're looking forward to September, when Jon, Steve, and Machalla are coming out to visit--it will be a verifiable Talas Reunion!

Another K-13 PC friend (actually the first volunteer I met at orientation in Philadelphia), Megan, just moved to DC as well to start at AU in the TESOL program.  I got to meet up with her and go to her housewarming party last Friday.

Then there's Sarah, a girl I did the American Studies Program with in DC in 2003.  She's been living in the city for a few years now, and is actually in her second year in the IPCR program at AU.  I was able to go to church with her on Sunday and have coffee Monday night to chat about IPCR and life in DC.

I'm also looking forward to getting together with Livia, one of my teammates from my DTS outreach to the Philippines 9 years ago.  I had lost touch with her for several years, but recently reconnected with her on Facebook and found out she's living in Maryland, not too far from me.  We're planning on having lunch sometime this coming week.

I love and miss my friends in Fresno (and those scattered around the world!), and no one can ever replace them.  I also have met several new people in my program at AU and am excited for the new relationships that will be forming over the next 2 years.  But there is just something comforting and exciting about already having friends where you live.  Starting from scratch in the social arena can be hard for us introverts!  So I'm just pleased to have a little head start :-).

Monday Madness!

Here it is, what you've all been waiting for!  The 2nd Monday installment of our YouTube channel.  Make sure to check out the others' videos, too!  There's a link on the left side of the page :-)

Dedicated to the Glory of God and the Service of Humanity

After I decided to attend American University, I had the opportunity to take a trip to DC with some friends and visit the school.  It was during this visit that Becky pointed out a plaque on the wall stating that the School of International Service at AU was established by the Methodist Church, 'dedicated to the glory of God and the service of humanity.'  I already knew AU was the place for me, but when I read the plaque, I was cut to the quick.  I can't think of a better description of what I hope my life is about than the glory of God and the service of humanity.  

This past Thursday and Friday, I attended the School of International Service (SIS) orientation.  Again and again, I heard deans, professors, and alumni note the uniqueness of the AU program's emphasis on service.  Every time it was mentioned, my insides got happy :-).  This was a big reason I chose AU.  I applied to some other great programs in international affairs, but as I studied and researched and dialogued with others, it came to light that American seemed to embody a greater ethos of service than the others.  Now, I like prestige; power and fame and notoriety will never fail to tempt me.  But in the end, there was no question: given the choice between service and prestige, I choose service (and that is a choice--sometimes harder than others--I must continue to make again and again and again).  I know that the International Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR) program may not prepare me for a prestigious and lucrative career, but it will equip me to make a positive contribution to the international community, one that I hope brings glory to God and serves humanity.  

Tomorrow the journey begins as I attend my first class, the oh-so-fascinating-sounding Quantitative Analysis in International Affairs (hey, you gotta be educated in research methods if you wanna save the world!).  I'm nothing but excited.  Here we go!

A Bathroom of My Own

I was just in the bathroom, washing my face and getting ready for bed, when it hit me: Never before in my life until now have I had my own bathroom!  In all my various living situations, from home to dorm to apartment to overseas, I have always shared a bathroom (or outhouse) with at least one other person.  But now I have my own and I LOVE it!  It's so fantastic, I don't know if I'll ever be able to share again! :-)

Walking the Escalators

I love walking.  Many of you know this.  I feel like I could walk for hours and hours without getting tired (and I have, right Bec? :-)).  If the weather is nice and I have the time, I will walk there.  It's my preferred method of transportation.  The woman I live with, Sharon, thinks it's strange that I am from California and I love to walk (she also thinks it's strange that I am a girl and I don't like to shop).  I tell her it's Kyrgyzstan that made me love walking.  My walks to and from school everyday were some of my favorite times, and when I needed to get out of the house or process things with God, I would go across the street to the forest and walk up and down the road.  How I love walking.  Let me count the ways:

1. It's good for me!  I feel so much better when I'm active.
   
2. It's good for the environment.  No harmful emissions to contribute to global warming when you're trekking by foot.
3. It's good for my bank account.  Walking, of course, is free!  No need to pay for that expensive gasoline, or, in my case, a metro ticket.
4. I get to be outside.  I love being outdoors, especially in beautiful places.
5. Walking creates space.  In a culture that rushes constantly from one thing to another, walking puts some distance between things.  
6. I can think when I walk.  Goes along with the space that's created.  My mind can process when I'm not rushing around.  
7. I can talk with God when I walk.  Some of my most treasured times with God happen when I'm out walking.

I love that I live in a city where walking isn't just possible, but necessary.  Everyone walks here!  You walk to the metro station, you walk from the metro station to your destination, sometimes you walk even if you could take the metro.  I live 1.3 miles from school and even though there is a bus that picks up about a 10-minute walk from my house, I'm planning to just walk to school as much as possible.  Why not??

What does this have to do with escalators?  Well, another one of my goals here is to walk the escalators.  Every time you enter or exit a metro station, you take an escalator, and there are 2 distinct ways to do so: standers on the right, walkers on the left (sitters, as in the picture above, are very rare).  I want to be a walker.  Not because I'm in a hurry; just because I love walking, and why not take the opportunity to burn a few extra calories? :-)

Cheers to being a walker!

5 Frequent Failures

So I have never tried posting a YouTube video to my blog before.  Hopefully I'll get better at it with time!  Anyway, I thought I would take this opportunity to announce that Derek, Becky, Rory, Stephanie and I have stared our own YouTube Collaboration Channel: "5 Frequent Failures".  Each of us uploads a 4-6 minute video on a different day of the week (my day is Monday), where we talk a little about our lives and then pose questions or challenges to each other.  We just started this week and I think it's gonna be a lot of fun!

You can watch my first video above and you can visit our site to subscribe to our channel and watch the others' videos:  

www.youtube.com/user/5FrequentFailures

Happy Viewing!

The Next Great Adventure Begins!

It's been 9 months since my last blog post, right after I'd arrived home from the Peace Corps.  In some ways, it's hard to believe that my brief interlude in Fresno is already over and a new adventure begins.  In other ways, I'm so ready.  The last 9 months have been a blast.  There has been so much laughter, so many new memories.  I'm so thankful for that 'in-between' time, to relax and have fun with friends and family I hadn't seen in so long.  But now I am ready for the next great adventure!

This morning I arrived in DC on a red-eye flight that followed a week of little sleep, marathon packing, fantastic parties, and sad goodbyes.  Needless to say, I was exhausted before the flight even began.  Upon arrival at my new house, I promptly made my bed, changed into pjs, turned off the light, and slept for 4 1/2 hours.  It was delightful.  It's amazing what sleep, a shower, and Ibuprofin can do for one's mood.

I'm living with a family here in DC that is giving me a free room & utilities in exchange for 20 hours of childcare for their two children.  Yes, Nanny Lisa has arrived.  It's a good situation.  Affordable housing is hard to find in DC, so this works out perfectly: a room, a job, and furniture all in one.  I have my own room and bathroom down in the basement of the house, so it's nice to have that privacy.  The family is great.  The father is in the Foreign Service and living in Central Asia for the next year; thus, the need for some help (in the form of me!).  He actually did the Peace Corps, knows the ambassador of Kyrgyzstan, and the mother was in the same 5th grade class as Barack Obama!  Yes, I think I found a good place to live :-).  They have a daughter, 12, and a son, 9.  My job will consist mostly of driving them around to to their various extracurricular activities and helping them with their homework, in addition to filling up the car with gas and grocery shopping (my passion in life).  Not a bad gig.  I had dinner with the family tonight and I have a really good feeling about this situation.  

And soon the moment I'm most excited for: the start of graduate school!  I have orientation Thursday and Friday, and classes start next Monday.  I have one class each on MTW: Quantitative Analysis; Theory of Conflict, Violence and War; and Peace Paradigms.  I can't wait.  I'm a little nervous, and I anticipate working harder than I ever have in my life, but I'm eagerly looking forward to being back in school and studying the things I love.

And speaking of love... I love love love DC.  I love the Metro, I love the walking, I love the people, I love the houses, I love the monuments, I love the museums, I love the trees, I love that school shuts down on Inauguration Day, and I love the view of the Mall at night.  I will miss my friends and family in Fresno (fo sho!), but this move is right.  It's the right city, the right time, the right school, the right program.  I'm happy to be here and excited for the new adventure.  

Life is a road and I wanna keep going

Love is a river I wanna keep flowing on

Starting out on a journey...

:-)