Group Photo

Almost all of our group saw Fela! at Sydney Harman Hall on September 22. The musical brought the whole crowd to its feet to dance and groove along with the actors. Overall, the show provided big laughs, smiles and an inside look on the history of Nigeria's fight for independence. The group consensus gave Fela! two thumbs up!

LivingSocial Deal for Saturday, Oct. 1

Looking to enter an "Amazing Race"-like adventure this weekend? You are in luck! This weekend on Saturday, October 1 will be the DC "Gorilla Challenge" which is sure to deliver fun and competition. The Challenge asks you and your team to solve clues around the city, take pictures in silly poses and complete interesting activities. Plus you are encouraged to wear your funkiest costume!

After completing 10 clues, you head back to the start location to win your finishing prize, enjoy live entertainment and food and beverage specials. Prizes include $100-300 for the first three teams, $50 for best costume and $25 for the runner-up.

Registration ends Thursday, September 29 and costs $45, but with the following LivingSocial deal you can register for only $20: http://livingsocial.com/deals/134753-city-race-and-adventure?msdc_id=1. Sign up today!

Check out their website for more information: http://gorillachallenge.com/

Weekend Events!

The weekend will be here soon enough-- and there are, as always, plenty of fun things to do in D.C. Here are a few of my suggestions..

if you want music...

FREE Chuck Brown Concert
(for those who didn't make it to the last one- or just enjoyed it so much you want more!)
Friday 9/23
Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center

WMZQ Fall Fest
If anyone likes country music, this is the place to be.WMZQ is a local country station and they have an all day concert this Saturday.
The event says "all-day" and is at Jiffy Lube Live -7800 Cellar Door Drive Washington DC

If your hungry....

ShopHouse
"Chipotle's Asian-inspired spin-off" that just opened in DuPont Circle. The menu is inspired by street food of places like Singapore and Bangkok.

District of Pi Pizzeria
Award winning deep-dish and think crust pizza with a wide range of toppings and variety.
910 F Street NW


in a studious mood..

Library of Congress-James Madison Building :)
"The Library of Congress is a bit of a misnomer. You don't need to be a member of Congress to check it out. And you don't have to be a literary giant to get a LOC library card in order to use any of the 22 reading rooms and access its 650 miles of bookshelves"
- - Perfect place to get started on our upcoming papers!

Group photos from around the District

Two great outdoor options if the weather is nice this weekend:

1. Eastern Market -- Every weekend, this magnificent historic indoor market expands to the outdoors for a farmer's market and and loads of arts/crafts vendors.  The closest thing D.C. has to a European-style street market.  Probably my favorite thing to do in D.C.

2. The H Street NE corridor is one of the hippest newly emerging neighborhoods in D.C.  And it's hosting an outdoor festival 12noon-7pm this Saturday.  Metro: Union Station, then either take a cab or catch the X2 bus at the corner of N. Capitol and H Street.

Upcoming Events: 9/16-9/23

Greek Festival

• 9/16-9/18, 12pm
• Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (4115 16th Street NW)
• Free! Go for baklava, mousaka and an assortment of other Greek fare. Wash it down with Greek coffee, beer or wine, and hear live music or peruse the books, jewelry and crafts at the Greek marketplace.
• 202-829-2910

The Empresarios Concert

• 9/16, 9pm, $15 in advance and $20 at the door
• The Dunes (1402 Meridian Place NW)
• Spinning Latin beats, dubby reggae and funky house rhythms, the Empresarios are the next name to watch on the city's international party scene.
• 202-436-9118

Fiesta Musical

• 9/18, 11am-5pm
• The National Zoo
• The free celebration will include animal demonstrations, Latino music, dance, crafts, children's activities and Latin American food.
• 202-633-4240

Black Star Concert

• 9/18, 8pm
• Fillmore Theater in Silver Spring, MD
• Tickets are $50-$100
• The widely popular Mos Def/Talib Kweli hip-hop duo have reunited after 13 years, so splurging to check out this concert would be money well spent.
• 301-960-9999

Free screening of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

• 9/21, 6:30-8:30pm
• Center for American Progress (1333 H St NW, 10th Floor)
• “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” tells the stories of eighteen real-life characters and depicts the profound impact of both sides of the controversial policy.
• The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Marc Wolf, the writer, creator and star of the film. Plus, free soda and pizza!
• You must sign-up to attend, so to get more information and RSVP go here:http://campusprogress.org/events/screening_of_dont_ask_dont_tell/

Our Kennedy Center outing is October 13th.  But if you can't wait until then, check out one of the free shows at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage.  There is a free show there every night of the year at 6pm.  Quality varies, so be sure to check the schedule.

Lunch Ideas!

For those of you who get a decent lunch break you must take advantage of the D.C Food Truck Fiesta. There are variety of different food trucks that travel all around D.C from around 11-2 on weekdays and cater to those of us taking quick lunch breaks. They are fierce competition to any local restaurants, as they offer a extremely wide variety of options.

Some of these trucks include: Tasty Kabob, Red Hook Lobster Pound, That Cheesecake Truck, and Far East Taco.

Go to foodtruckfiesta.com to see more of the delicious options!!

Intern Spotlight : Dan Richardson

DAN RICHARDSON

Dan is working for an elite Executive Branch agency and began working a week before most of us had even moved into Wish! He works 9-6 Monday through Thursday and even puts in time on Fridays after class. While interning, Dan has had the chance to learn from and engage with many high-level staff and has already learned a lot. He has also made friends with his fellow interns and has participated in several volunteering events on weekends and after work. Dan is also a Presidential Fellow with the CSPC and spends some of his free time researching financial reform implementation. Dan is very busy, yet he always manages to look extremely dapper when heading out to work.

Intern Spotlight : Jayme Yowell

JAYME YOWELL

Jayme has been hard at work for the Public Defender Service of D.C since our first Monday here, and typically works 9-5. She enjoys her job and is happy it is not a "desk job". She is rarely ever at a desk and is usually traveling all around D.C doing investigative work. Unfortunately she is not able to provide a lot of information regarding her clients because she has to be very discreet. Jayme deals with some very serious issues, in particular Felony 1 crimes. Jayme is always working with a partner and seems to really enjoy her internship! This is an unpaid position, but she will receive reimbursement for metro and other travel fees as well as having gained excellent experience that she can hopefully put to use in her future career endeavors.

Upcoming Events: 9/9-9/11

Adams Morgan Day (see below)

The Final "Jazz in the Garden" Series Friday Concert

• 9/9, 5pm-8:30pm
• National Gallery of Art at the Sculpture Garden between 7th & 9th St, NW
• Free jazz concert series
• http://www.nga.gov/programs/jazz/index.shtm#jun3_2011

The 21st Annual Free Rosslyn Jazz Festival

• 9/10, 1pm-7pm
• Gateway Park at the foot of Key Bridge
• World class jazz artists and street festival
• rosslynva.org

The Washington Examiner's 19th Annual Arts on Foot

• 9/10 and 9/11, 11am-7pm Saturday and 11-6pm Sunday
• 8th Street and F Street NW in Penn Quarter
• Art market, 2 music stages, restaurant sampling, wine gallery
• artsonfoot.org

The 33rd Annual Adams Morgan Day Festival

• 9/11, 12pm-7pm
• 18th Street between Columbia Road & Florida Avenue NW
• Artwork, live music, culture, food
• AdamsMorganDayFestival.com

*Also, be sure to check out the major TV networks and The History Channel for special coverage in memory of the 10 year anniversary of September 11th*

The blog looks great -- thanks Melanie and Becki!  I'll chime in from time to time, mostly with suggestions on things to do, eat, etc.

How about some cheap eats?  Two suggestions off the top of my head:

First, Ben's Chili Bowl -- famous for many things, including D.C.'s own hot dog (the half-smoke) and for being one of the few restaurants to survive the 1968 riots.  The President and former D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty ate half-smokes there shortly after Obama was inaugurated.  Definitely worth the trip to the hip U Street neighborhood if you like greasy diner-type food. 

Second, in Adam's Morgan, Amsterdam Falafelshop.  Here's the menu: falafel, fries, and brownies. That's it.  I think the $10 combo is the best deal in town.  But you gotta like falafel ...

Some pictures of our semester so far...

First week re-cap!!

So far D.C has been great! While a few of us began the hustle and bustle of the working world almost immediately, most of us had an extended "vacation" of sorts and have been busy exploring the city! It all started with our first official group outing to Spices Asian Restaurant and sushi bar. Since then, groups of us have been venturing out to different monuments, the White House, the Zoo, and museums. We also had a second group outing we saw an array of art work including a Kandinsky exhibit at the Phillips Collection followed by a Greek lunch at Zorba's Cafe. Our latest group outing,the National's game, was a great way to spend labor day and the perfect thing to do before heading back to work.There are still SO many more things to do and see, and I know our group is eager to fit everything in!

What to do this weekend: Considering the bleak weather forecast for this weekend I suggest heading out to some museums. I know I will be making a trip to the National Gallery!

Also, as a supplement to our scheduled Friday trip to see the "September 11: Remembrance and Reflection" there are two free shows displaying works inspired by 9/11 at the Washington Printmaker's Gallery throughout the weekend.

If you are hungry ... one of my fellow interns suggested Old Ebbitt Grill "the oldest restaurant" in D.C, which boasts the best raw bar in the city as well as a delicious brunch. Its right near the White House and the Treasury, so you can fit in some sightseeing before grabbing a bite!!

Tips to a Successful Internship

Some of us have already begun their internships, but most will start work after the extended Labor Day weekend. Here are a list of tips to ensure you have a memorable first week and productive semester:

1. Be on time.

This is obvious, but first impressions go a long way and showing up late the first week could make your boss and upper level staff second guess your commitment to the internship. To be safe, put aside extra time to arrive 15 minutes early until you master the metro/walking/bus route to your office.

2. Show a can-do attitude.

Interns are normally dealt tasks that other staff members simply don't have the time for, so understand your placement in the chain of command. Your willingness to complete these tasks will prove you're serious about aiding the overall office structure. Over time you should be given more challenging work but if not, politely ask your boss for more work.

3. Befriend your co-workers and fellow interns.

Get a feel for the office environment and who you'll be most closely working with. Watch closely how things get done and pay attention to how people interact with each other. Never underestimate the power of a smile and firm handshake. Most importantly, try to remember their names!

4. Seek a mentor/source of guidance.

Identify at least one staff member to help you along your internship journey. It should be someone who is willing to take a personal interest in your career development and success. Network wisely, ask questions and get "plugged in" with employees who can share their knowledge. You never know who you may want to ask for a letter or recommendation or who may interview you for a full-time position in your future.

5. Have fun!

Take advantage of all opportunities which present themselves during your internship. Grasp the overall experience as a chance to guide future endeavors in your professional and academic life. Network, make friends and remember your internship in the nation's capitol will be over before you know it!

Sources:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/campus-overload/2010/09/tips_for_conquering_a_fall_int.html

Welcome to the District of Columbia

Welcome JMU students! Our Washington Semester program hosts juniors and seniors from Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey all united in the Nation's Capitol to hold full-time internships. Locations of our internships include everything from private lobbying firms to Governmental organizations to The White House.

We hope that each student will make the most of their time in the District and explore its rich history, interesting attractions (most are cheap!) and festive nightlife. Use this blog as a recommendation for how to spend your free time and contribute with your own stories and pictures! Let's make Fall 2011 the best Washington Semester yet!