"The Real World"

I have put in 40 hours in the past week of work. It seems weird to call it that, but the past few days have been just orientation (how things run, expectations, HR), but I have loved it! Every morning we start out with the Future Leaders team and have worship & devos. We are studying the book of Philippians (my FAV!), which is so encouraging and challenging.

For the 4th of July holiday, I went downtown Washington, D.C. with about 10 of the 13 students in the program. It was an experience! First, we met up at the Metro station (similar to the El, but you have to park-so it's like the Metra), rode to the mall & attended Folk Fest (spread along the mall with 3 ethnic displays of music, food, and items from their county). Why do they have Welsh, African, and Latino folk displays at the nations capital on the country's birthday? That is a great question! I was very confused myself! :) In fact, it didn't even feel like the Fourth of July! I kept asking where the BBQ was, when I was going to hear God Bless America, or even see a family in red, white, and blue? But, knowing that because we are a melting pot nation and we are celebrating freedom, it made a little bit more sense as the day went on. We also went into the Natural History Museum at one point to cool off. Then we had dinner in the "Chinatown" of DC (nothing close to comparing to Chinatown in Chicago!), and met up with the incredible people who claimed our spot by the Washington Monument to watch the fireworks. THEN it felt like the 4th! The way home on the Metro was interesting...VERY crowded and many many MANY people. But we were home by midnight and are able to say we were on the Mall to watch the fireworks of the Fourth of July.