Making It Official

Good evening y'all. 

Today was the third day of my internship on the Hill, and I must say that I am enjoying it a lot! Since Congress has been out of session this entire weeks, things in the office have been much more relaxed and the workload hasn't been quite as heavy. But that doesn't mean I haven't been learning a lot everyday. In fact, today marked a day of many firsts for me.

Waking up at 7 A.M. is always a challenge, but it was especially difficult this Thursday morning. Let me explain why. Last night, the bathroom sink in my apartment broke off and hot water went everywhere! My roommate and I eventually managed to turn the water off (the handle was really stubborn and would not turn), but our entire bathroom was a good two inches underwater. We didn't get to sleep until 2:30 A.M., after maintenance came to clean the mess up. Fortunately, none of our stuff was damaged. But still, it was quite an eventful night to say the least. For an apartment so expensive, George Washington Housing sure is a mess!

Now back to the good parts of my day. I gave my first tour of the Capitol today! Beside a few minor glitches, I think we (another intern and I) did pretty well for our very first one. Our guests had a great time! Aside from the tour, I spent most of the day answering phone calls and completing other assignments. Oh, and I finally got my intern badge! It may seem small, but it makes everything seem so real. 

 Feeling kind of fancy! #nametagstatus

This week has gone slow, but I am excited that tomorrow is finally Friday. This weekend, I really hope to check off a lot of things on my D.C. bucket list. My roommate and I are going to make a trip over to Georgetown to do some much-needed shopping.  I may try and visit some Smithsonian museums as well. And of course, I have to check out more of the food scene here in D.C.! As for now, I'm just relaxing and watching this game. Heat vs. Pacers; who do y'all have winning? I'm going with the Heat; back at home and backs against the wall, I think LeBron is going to have a big game. Guess we'll see!  

Goodnight everyone.

First Day On The Hill: Working Girl Status

Well, the title should say it all. It was a long (and I mean LONG) yet exciting and interesting day. I'll give y'all the brief rundown of everything that happened on my first day on Capitol Hill:

• I woke up around 7 A.M, got dressed, fixed some breakfast, and left my room an hour later. Yeah, these early mornings are no joke. I guess this is what happens when you become a working girl! 

• The Metro was crazy! I'm talking hundreds of people running down the escalators to catch their train on time. Fortunately, I gave myself plenty of time so I wasn't in a huge rush. 

• After a short walk, I finally arrived at Rayburn just before 9 A.M. And of course, it wouldn't be a true first day without setting off the metal detector. Noted: Wearing a ton of jewelry is probably not the move in D.C. with this security!

• Upon entering the office, I was introduced to several staff members and three other summer interns. Everyone was super nice and helpful. I guess some form of southern hospitality does exist in D.C.

• Side Note: Of the four interns currently in the office, I am the lone UGA representative. One of the interns is from Tech, one from Emory, and the other from Georgia Southern. Nevertheless, a handful of the staff (as well as the Congressman himself) are from UGA. So, #GoDawgs everywhere I go!

• The first half of my day was filled with trainings! I learned how to answer the phone, sort through the mail, and other administrative tasks. The other interns showed me the ropes! 

• Around noon, Adam (the Emory intern) and I went to lunch in the Longworth Cafeteria. But the word cafeteria does not do this place justice. They had so many choices! There was even a Starbucks and an icecream shop in the next room. But for the sake of saving precious pennies, I brought my lunch and I will probably do so everyday (except on special occassions, maybe!). 

• After lunch, I had to attend a training on how to be the best congressional intern I could be. It was pretty brief (and somewhat boring, I must admit), but I definitely learned a few things. It made the day go a little bit faster, as well. 

• Once I got back to the office around 4 P.M., I continued working on some administrative tasks. Hopefully, as the week progresses, I'll be able to take on more responsibilities. 

• Finally, around 5:30 P.M., I packed up and called it a day. I took the next Metro home and safely returned to my apartment around 6:15.  

So that, in a nutshell, was my day. Tomorrow, I begin my day by attending a class that will teach me how to give tours of the Capitol. According to the other interns, it's incredibly long and a lot of walking! But giving tours sounds like a fun task, so I'm pretty excited. As for now, I am straight chilling in my apartment and watching this Heat/Pacers game. I'm too exhausted to even think about going out tonight (maybe later this week!).

Goodnight and God bless, y'all!                        

& I'm Feeling Good!

Greetings from the Capitol! Man, it feels SO good to say that!

I just finished my first full day in Washington D.C. and I've already fallen in love with the city! My family and I started off the day visiting Foggy Bottom, one of D.C.'s oldest neighborhoods and home to George Washington University (my home for the next nine weeks). After stopping by my residence, we walked a couple of blocks up to the nearest Metro Station (the official transit system in D.C.). A couple of dry-runs later, and I can almost say that I am an expert! And as promised, below I have pictures documenting my journey!

 George Washington University (my home for the summer)

Of course, the day would not have been complete without a walk to the White House and the Capitol. And when I say walk, please know that it was quite a walk! I'm talking three to four miles in the sweltering heat. But it was worth it. Our first stop: the White House. Unfortunately, Barack and Michelle were out of town so I couldn't actually go inside today (maybe next week?). Still, it was quite a site to see. After walking a couple more blocks up on Pennsylvania Avenue, we spotted the Capitol Building as well as all of the congressional office buildings. I'll be working in the Rayburn House Office Building, the newest and largest of them all. Right beside it was the Capitol Building itself! Pictures online do not do it justice; it is absolutely beautiful. Right across the street from the Capitol is my personal favorite building, the Supreme Court. I was a little disappointed to see that the front of the building is still under construction. Nevertheless, it's still my favorite building and hopefully my future office if I become a Supreme Court justice someday.

 Just call it Barack and Michelle's place.

 This is the House Office Building I'll be working in!

 Isn't she a beauty? #purebliss

 Future home, possibly? Hopefully!

But let me not fail to tell y'all about the best part of the day: the food-trucks! There were literally dozens of food-trucks lined up right across from the Capitol! I'm talking Indian and Greek cuisine, Philly cheese-steaks, frozen yogurt, burgers, tacos, pitas, salads, pizzas, and SO much more. I can't wait to get to trying some of them!

Foodtruck heaven! Prices were steep but the food was on point.

It's been a long yet exciting day! Tomorrow, I finally get to move into my new residence in George Washington. As for the rest of the night, I'll be kicking up my tired feet and watching this Spurs/Grizzlies game. My father and I got a little bet going on; he's going with the Spurs and I'm going with the Grizzlies. Winner gets $20 (meaning he owes me if I win, not the other way around!). Y'all have a great night, and I'll be back soon with more updates!

It's A New Dawn, It's A New Day, It's a New Life....

One year ago, I remember envisioning what a summer in Washington D.C. would be like. I recall planning out where I would live, who I would intern with, what all I would do, etc. And now, my vision has become my reality. In less than 24 hours, I will be on the road in route to the nation's capitol! And while my journey was not without a lot of hard work (three interviews, two essays, countless meetings of resume revisions and preparation), it was certainly worth it. I am incredibly grateful to so many people for making this summer possible. Not a lot of students--especially undergrads--get this opportunity so I do plan on taking full advantage of it.

I've been up since 8 A.M this morning doing some last minute packing and finalizing details/specifics. Fortunately, I've had the helping hands of my nephew and my mother with me. As excited as I am to go to D.C., I am going to miss my family. Even further, my sister is set to get married on August 31; as the Maid of Honor, I am a little disheartened that I will miss out on a lot of the wedding preparations. But with great opportunities come sacrifices. I guess I'll have to play catch-up as soon as I get back!

Other than that, today has been a pretty uneventful day. I'm looking forward to my last night in Atlanta! But honestly, my mind is completely focused on D.C. Let's work!

Hopefully I'll have more updates soon! 

Too excited! D.C. bound in the morning!

Need a Laugh?

Afternoon everyone!

If you're a political science nerd like I am, you absolutely have to check out this tumblr entitled Mean Girls of Capitol Hill. Below is just a little sneak preview. If you check out the blog, it will have you absolutely rolling! Add this to the growing list of reasons why I am so excited to be in D.C. Four more days! 

http://meangirlsofcapitolhill.tumblr.com

Cue The Countdown: Five More Days!

Hello everyone!

While I'm assuming most everyone reading knows me, I'll officially begin my diary with a brief introduction. My name is Taryn Winston, and I am currently a rising junior at the University of Georgia. I am a political science and public affairs journalism double-major, as well as a member of the Honors Program. After I complete my undergraduate degree, I intend to go to law school and eventually work as an attorney. However, my dream is to one day serve as a judge or justice.

This summer, I received the opportunity of a lifetime. In December of 2012, I was one of ten students selected to participate in the University of Georgia Honors in Washington program. All ten of us are interning for either a congressional office or a government agency in Washington D.C. for the summer. I am honored and excited to say that I will be interning in the Office of Congressman John Barrow (D-GA). John Barrow (pictured below)  represents the 12th district in Georgia; this district includes cities such as Augusta, Dublin, Douglas, and Statesboro. Congressman Barrow is a University of Georgia and Harvard Law alum. He served as an attorney for several years before entering politics first at the state level and now at the national level. Congressman Barrow's viewpoints as well as stances on several issues align very closely with mine, which is main reason why I am so grateful to get the chance to work with him and his hardworking staff.

 Congressman John Barrow (GA-12)

I will be staying on the campus of George Washington University. In fact, my residence is merely a block or two away from the White House (the President and FLOTUS will practically be my neighbors!). And while I am certainly excited about living in D.C., I must admit that I am a little nervous. Thus, I created this blog to share my experiences with all of my family and friends back home. So please, feel free to contact me whether it be through this blog or via email. Further, I created this diary as a potential resource for anyone contemplating interning/living in D.C. So if any of my peers or family members have any questions about D.C. or my internship, please feel free to ask me.

My goal is to update my diary as much as possible throughout the next nine weeks with pictures and my personal experiences. But keep in mind, there may be a day or multiple days of non-activity due to the lack of time. Nevertheless, I'll do my best! And again, I appreciate all of the genuine support I have received thus far. Please keep in touch with me, and never hesitate to ask my any questions! I love helping others and sharing everything I have learned.

I'll be back soon!

Taryn P. Winston