summer recap...part I

This summer went by quicker than I ever imagined it would! I had a great time in DC, and even though it was hot, humid, and work-filled, it was also very fun and rewarding on a lot of different levels:
1. I became a pro with acronyms.
2. I spent the 4th in our Nation's Capital at the Watergate.
3. I learned you can find a lot of great furniture on street corners.
4. I realized window fan units are VERY heavy, and can fall pretty easily out of windows;
5. Cockroaches are REALLY big and scary and like to come in any way they can to say hello;
6. Rain isn't always refreshing, clouds don't always equate cool, and shade is always great;
7. The White House is kind of a let down- the Mall and the monuments are pretty fantastic;
8. There are places where you can enjoy and be overwhelmed with art for free;
9. Grantwriting is tedious, but working in the burbs if you like your office mates isn't all that bad;
10. Small apartments don't seem that bad with great roommates;
but most importantly:
11. Our forefathers were nuts to think it was cool to build an entire city on a swamp.

So, for all you who missed your chance to visit, here's where I lived (see pic above)...that was our dining room/living room/ my bedroom/office...yep, all wrapped up in 10 feet by 15 feet and furnished with anything we could find within the first two weeks we were there!

Luckily for me, one of my best friends Vanessa relocated to DC, so I had someone to show me around, chat and hang out with, it was GREAT. Several of my classmates were also in DC for the summer and my roommate was one of them (Amelia/roomie on far left in pic above, then Etienne, Laura and Chrysanthe)!

Amelia cooked me lots of pasta, was up for any of the movies or weekend adventures I planned and really liked yard/garage sales. It was wonderful living and exploring a new city with her, lots of interesting conversation and different perspectives on things...quite possibly perfection in a living situation...except maybe our crazy Moroccan landlord who never fixed anything and subjected us to free haircuts (aka "what the hell did you do to me!!!") every month when we dropped off the rent.

...ok, too be continued after I get some sleep...

Ready, Set, GO!!!!

Yeap, that's right, after all my promising and not delivering, I've finally done it! I've started my blog! I'm in Italy right now, but have decided to catch everyone up where my mass emails last spring left off, so here we go!...

me