All moved in to MBS

Now I actually have something substantial to report! I'm all moved in to Meridian at Braddock Station apartments in Alexandria, VA. I'm on the 10th floor with 3 other girls and we overlook Alexandria which is kind of cool (but not as cool as it would be if we were on the DC side.. Oh well). Anyway, I was the first one to get here so Daddy and I were getting everything moved in when I realized the carpet was wet...Not just damp, but pretty soaked. We opened the closet that had the washer/dryer inside only to find that the washer had been overflowing (probably since the last tenant was here (a few weeks maybe??). This experience makes me think it is basically impossible for me to move in somewhere without some disaster to deal with (5-1-5 couches, vomit beds, broken tables etc...) Anyway, maintenance came and pulled up the carpet and put a fan under it to dry it out. Finally, by this morning, the carpet was dry and we actually look like we're living in a normal apartment (I'll post pictures soon!) My roomies and I seem to be getting along really well so far. We're all pretty different which makes things interesting and I've already learned a lot from each of them.

Tiffany is 23 and a fifth year senior from Iowa (another Midwesterner!) She played basketball for the Iowa women's team for 4 years and now has no more eligibility left but another year of school so decided to come here. She was the second person here after me so I got to talk to her the most of anyone. She's really nice and social which is encouraging (as I was kind of worried about having really quiet people here who wouldn't want to go out or anything). She is a political science major and is interning at a public relations firm in Arlington. I'm interested to hear about the kind of stuff she does at her internship since I've never really had any reference point of someone in PR.

Tania is 21 and from Puerto Rico and is my actual bedroom mate. Like Tiffany, she is extremely nice and I love listening to her stories about Puerto Rico. One thing I've really gathered and learned to admire about students/people I have met from other countries is how much they know about not only their own country and government, but how much they know about ours! US citizens must just look laughable to them (so many of us know only one language, know very little about our country or world events, etc). Having observed this characteristic in Tania among others, I'm really trying to make it a goal of mine to become more of a global citizen and continue being educated on what is going on in all parts of the world--rather than just my state or local area. Tania is here on a program with 18 other kids from Puerto Rico and she will be working at Telemundo (the Spanish television network).

Amanda is 21 (I am the BABY here!) and from Stonehill College in Massachusetts. She is (yet again) extremely nice and outgoing. She is a senior business major and studied abroad in London last fall so it is great to hear about her experience overseas for me to kind of gear up for what awaits me next semester. Her boyfriend is also here and living in our building and actually working in my same office! So that is a great resource for me to have someone I know in the same organization and building. She is interning at the EPA so I'll also be interested to hear about her internship.

Last night, we had our "welcome meeting" for all of the kids in my building with pizza and lots of blah blah blah stuff about rules and everything. I (obviously) didn't know anyone except for my roomies and I did see a kid that goes to u of I who was in my EU class last semester so it was great to see someone I knew from home. After the meeting, I had a little side meeting for the LIFT DC program that I am doing. There are only 12 or so kids in the program (as it is the inaugural semester). Everyone is extremely interesting and we all have something unique to bring to the program I think. We have our big LIFT orientation with a presentation by the head of the service department at the University of Maryland tonight. She's going to be letting us know some pressing issues going on in the DC area that we could address for our community service project at the end of the semester.

FINALLY, I got a call from my advisor as well as my contact from DHS today. Looks like I'll be on extended vacation... My security clearance is apparently not going to be processed by next week so I'll just be hanging out at the Good Ol' Meridian next week (and doing some sight-seeing of course). Hopefully, I'll be working by the week after! But I'm not going to pretend I'm not excited to have a few extra days to explore the city and take some photos before I spend 8 hours a day at work. Oh, also, today we finally got groceries (by walking 5 blocks...) Basically, I've determined I'm not going to eat because it is just such a pain to go get groceries. So, maybe I'll be crazy thin next time you all see me. (probably not. I'm sure I'll find ways to make up the calories--think ice cream). Finally, finally, we're supposed to get the remnants of hurricane Ernesto up here so that will make for some pretty rainy next few days. Hopefully it will clear up by next week when I want to do my sight-seeing and running around.

Alright, phew. Long and probably very scattered post, but just thought I would let you all know that I'm alive and kicking and I now have food. Please feel free to call me or e-mail at any time. I'll post later with my actually address so that you can send packages of love and cookies. :)

Listening to... Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol (all four of us are OBSESSED with Grey's! Thursday night's should be crazy around here :) )


Love,

Amy