Gakusei Travels

Little Post-Work Adventure

Yesterday, I was so tired after work that I didn’t want to look at anything. I just wanted to go home, get a pizza, get in my pajamas, then go to bed. Today, since I didn’t have much to do, I was able to leave early at about noon, which I won’t complain about, but I told my mom I was kind of mad I wasted a cute outfit on a boring day. So, rather than go home, I decided to just take a little walk around and see some of the nearby monuments. Said “little walk” through the National Mall ended up turning into 11K steps lol.

I have been to D.C. twice before, so I’ve already seen many of these places, but it’s still cool to experience them again now that I’m a bit older. I went to the Lincoln Memorial. Going up all those stairs made me realize just how out of shape I truly am. By the end of this internship, I think I’m going to be extremely fit. This time, I actually paid attention to some of the writing on the walls. In the past, I think I would always speed through the monuments I’d visit. I’d take pictures of the main focal point and just leave. I wanted to make sure I really appreciated the architecture and spent a good bit at the monument before moving on to the next place.

There tends to be a lot of religious recruiters hanging around, and I of course ended up being approached by a random lady who asked me if I was Christian. She wasn’t pushy or anything, and I didn’t see the need to be rude to her. I just gave some vague answers about where I was from and took the pamphlets she gave me. I didn’t read them, but I hold on to them so that if I end up running into another person from the same group, I can say “oh I already ran into someone and I have a pamphlet.” The second person will almost always move on and it saves me the hassle of trying to avoid another long conversation lol.

I have never been to D.C during the winter, so it was so interesting to see all the lakes and water frozen over. It was actually really pretty, and it gives the city a different feel as compared to say summer. The weather wasn’t too cold temperature wise either. Now, the Midwest has had temperatures in the single digits for the past couple weeks, so anything is better than back home, but I was comfortable walking around without my jacket, because the sun was shining. I’m excited to see how the scene slowly changes as it transitions into spring.

One of the next closest monuments was the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. monument. I think that one has probably always been my favorite. Just the attention to detail to the face, hands, and suit, was always beautiful to me. I also took the time to read some of the quotes engraved into the wall as I continued my stroll. My favorite one read:

“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.”

I did skip some of the memorials, but I do plan to circle back! I was a little ill-prepared, because I hadn’t eaten lunch beforehand and my backpack was a tad heavy. Plus, I wanted to see if any of the interns wanted to come with me. I intend to do the same for the museums. As I walked towards the Washington Monument, I saw the African American Heritage Museum and the Smithsonian. I think for those, it may be more fun to go as a group, so it may be best to pick a Saturday or Sunday when we have no work and can spend the whole day at the museum. I think that will make for the best experience.

Overall, my little stroll was nice. I somehow managed to get home by myself. The metro isn’t too difficult to navigate, but I always have that fear of getting on the wrong train. I think Tokyo prepared me well haha. If anything D.C. should be easier, because all the train announcements and directions are in English compared to Japanese. I have also since learned my lesson from being in Japan.

When you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, nice, comfortable sneakers are the best way to go!