So I was in DC

I realize that I completely forget to say anything about my visit in DC before our Marshall Orientation began. I arrived Thursday night and had a wonderful visit with Leila and Franna, the friends who hosted me last summer while I worked in the White House. I was also able to get into my office there to visit the staff I had become close with. Luckily, the timing was such that I was able to attend one of the staffer’s good-bye party. It was a true delight to see everyone again.

Friday evening, I met up with Mary’s grand-niece. Mary is a close friend of my grandparents; her niece Amanda just finished a Masters in Conflict Resolution at Georgetown and has begun a job at the United States Institute for Peace. Mary thought Amanda and I might get along very well…and she was absolutely right! We had a great conversation over drinks and an appetizer in DuPont Circle.

I, of course, walked Shammi the poodle quite a fair bit…every time I moved in the house and it wasn’t to take her out, I got in rather serious trouble. When I walked in the door Thursday night, thirteen-pound Shammi nearly took the house down jumping for joy!

Saturday was errand day – and packing panic, as you saw.

(I should mention here that the Marshall Scholars as a whole decided to test our luck…

As the absurd humor of the cosmos would have it, I am virtually the only Marshall Scholar whose carry-on was weighed. So I was made to put my laptops back in my carry-on, and then didn’t have a good way to move around and disguise weight at the gate, so I got the privilege of paying for an overweight bag. Alas for a $50 charge. On the other hand, $50 for a flight to England and two years of graduate school isn’t so bad!)

Saturday was also, however, a lunch meeting with the one and only Chris Heffner, a fellow ADS from Michigan State. Chris is beginning his PhD in neuroscience and linguistics at the University of Maryland and seems to be having quite the delightful time.

DC Orientation

I realize it has only been a little over twenty-four hours since I last posted, but I feel like it's been forever.
Kevin was telling me about the insanity of orientation at his divinity school...I didn't really believe him.  I do now.
I am utterly exhausted.
But it has been wonderful.

Sunday: Becca takes the Metro to the Tenleytown/AU Station, the closest Metro to the hotel.  She naively assumes that a taxi will be incredible easy to find from there.
Haha.
Oops.
I did find one.  But it took more jumping and waving than a girl with orange suitcases just outside a metro stop should really require.
Nonetheless, I arrived at the hotel more or less without incident.  Welcome to the endless parade of "Hi.  I'm x.  I went to y for undergrad.  I am going to z to study a, b, and c.  Who are you?"  It's a really fun group.  I know the majority of them by name and face now, and can give you some indication of what they're studying and where.  For a few, I'm still pretty in the dark...the musical chairs game we've been playing for thirty-six hours simply hasn't rotated quite far enough.

Sunday we checked into hotel rooms around 2.  (The hotel was a bit behind, so some of us got into rooms closer to 2:45.)  3 pm saw us walking to the British Embassy, where we had a lovely discussion about the Affordable Care Act from a legal perspective with Professor Jeff Rosen, Marshall Scholar alumnus.  Jeff also gave us plenty of advice for life as a Marshall.  Then we were off to the Ambassador's House, where we took individual photos with the British Ambassador and a group shot on the terrace steps.
The reception was lovely, and filled with incredible Marshall Scholars.  Folks who were just returning from their two years were there, as was an amazing woman who had gone to Oxford in '57 (talk about epic).  There were also numerous Brits there (embassy staff and visiting dignitaries).  Our guest of honor was Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, also a Marshall alum.  Ambassador Burns' marks were funny and filled with fun advice, but also incredibly poignant at a few moments...he had just returned to the States with the body of the much lamented Christopher Stevens, who died in the turmoil at the Libya Embassy.
After the Reception, we broke into small groups to have dinner with Marshall alums.  A good time was had by all.  (And I got Thai.)

Monday morning began with breakfast in the hotel and a departure of 8:15 am.  9 am saw us at NASA Headquarters talking with an Associate Chief Scientist.  (Yes, you should be jealous.  Very jealous.  I am now aware of NASA's major projects for the next thirty years or so.  Asteroids and Mars and Lagrange points, oh my!)
We toured the US Capitol Building and talked with Congressman John Spratt, whose 1966 Marshall trip included a boat ride rather than a flight...the "Queen Elizabeth 1" hit a hurricane on their way over!
At the State Department, we had a really fun conversation with Legal Advisor Harold Koh.  He's really quite a character...shared with us some of the decision with Libya regarding the War Powers Act and also had a poignant moment recollecting friendship with Ambassador Stevens.
We had a fantastic tour guide at the National Museum of American History...it was quite cool to go through the Presidential and First Lady exhibits again.  I toured them many years ago during a Girl Scout trip, but they have been much altered and my knowledge of the White House has changed just a bit!
Dinner tonight was pizza...our last American pizza!

Tomorrow we will have several more activities at the British Embassy, mostly policy workshops, class project discussions, and the like with returned Marshall scholars and embassy advisors.
The flight to England takes off tomorrow afternoon...when you next hear from me, I should be posting in English.  ;)

Oh, luggage

Many of you have probably never seen me pack.  Let me say that I have inherited at least these skills from my father, if none else...I know what is necessary and what isn't and I know how to make things fit where they simply shouldn't.
Luggage restrictions on flights have never been a problem for me.  No checked bag?  Fine!  My backpack can fit two weeks worth of clothes; my briefcase can hold my laptop and all additional items. (I have made obscene amounts of things fit in my "briefcase/purse" that goes under your seat in US flights.)
Heading out of the condo, I was not too concerned.  I have a beautiful expanding suitcase and rolling briefcase given to me as graduation presents from my Granna, Uncle, and Aunt.  Clothes, toiletries, and the necessary items I had to keep in the condo go in the suitcase.  The disgusting amount of computers, DVDs, and paperwork I am taking go in the rolling briefcase.  Everything fits.
(I should take a moment here to explain that two months ago, I shipped off several other cases of clothes, shoes, and living equipment via the Marshall Shipping Container.  So I will have more for two years than one suitcase worth, but I had to be able to live out of the suitcase and briefcase for about three months.)
Come Thursday, we receive a letter about our flight itinerary and final details.  So.  Virgin Atlantic.  I'm sure you're delightful.  BUT A THIRTEEN POUND LIMIT ON TOTAL CARRY-ON HAND LUGGAGE IS JUST NOT GOING TO CUT IT.
Thirteen pounds.  I don't know if you can visualize that.  Thirteen pounds is what the average five-month old baby weighs.  It's nothing, in terms of luggage.  It is my briefcase and a laptop.  A single laptop.  Power cord, wallet, movies, other computers, camera equipment, paperwork, books, candy, Kindle...nope.  One Macbook.  One briefcase.
So tonight has been some fun scrambling.  I'm apparently leaving a bit of a bag at Franna and Leila's in DC, to be retrieved someday.  Because while I can make everything physically fit in my suitcase (again...I want it to fit, it's going to fit.  It doesn't have a choice in the matter), I can't magically make two laptops and a ton of DVDs weigh less.  And, of course, checked baggage has a weight limit of 50 pounds.  (This is reasonable.)
Five hours of packing and repacking later...it's close.  My suitcase is right on the edge.  I have taken out all of the clothes, etc. I can reasonably bear to part with (part of the problem is that I need to be clothed appropriately at fancy receptions on the way...).  The briefcase is going to be close.  I have two ideas: one, either they'll be nice (I did some research online to see if they actually weigh the things.  Apparently they do), or, two, I will happily rooming with some other Marshall Scholar who magically has a lot less and is happy to take ownership of a computer and case of DVDs for a few days.
Hope springs eternal.
I am also allowed a "purse," which may only be used for "normal" purse items, not things that are actually luggage.  I am going to consider heavy candy, DVDs, and several other items "normal" for my "purse."  Since I never carry a purse, I think I get to define what is normally in it the day of.  I'll also be wearing a hoodie with some rather bulging pockets that day.
Good grief.
Thirteen pounds.
This is how they keep flights within the EU cheap.  I applaud them.  But I would have preferred to know a bit earlier in order to have made other arrangements.  Alas.

Absentee Ballot!

With no little trepidation, I filled out an FPCA in an attempt to receive an absentee ballot electronically while in England. Doubt was present.
But, shock of shocks!  Today I received a ballot.  This means I was able to fill it out and mail it back while still in the United States...I have been enfranchised fairly cheaply!  Huzzah!
Voting in my second Presidential election: check.

Hello, DC!

I am happily installed at Franna and Leila's in DC (well, Rockville, Maryland, to be precise).  We caught up tonight over a delicious Thai dinner in Wheaton and are now happily relaxing with the adorable mini poodle Shammi.

Good-Bye, New Haven!

The taxi comes in 45 minutes for the next adventure...I am training from New Haven to Washington, D.C., my last stop in the US.  I will be staying with the friends I stayed with last summer while interning.  Tomorrow I'll go downtown to pop into my office and say "hello" as well as meeting up with a family friend's granddaughter...Mary Hammond thought Amanda and I would get along well.
Saturday is laundry and frantic chores day, as well as meeting up with a certain Chris Heffner for lunch (Chris is at UMD for grad school).
Sunday, I head to the Savoy Suites to begin my Orientation with the Marshall Scholars program. This includes lectures from former Marshall Scholars who are now politicians, heads of NASA and similar programs, etc., as well as a reception with the British Ambassador.
On Tuesday evening, we take Virgin Flight 22 across the pond!

Hello, New Haven!

I am happily deposited in New Haven, and Mum and Granna are on their epic road trip (with a primary stop at Niagara on the Lake, including a dry jet ride through the Falls and tea at the Prince of Wales Hotel).
In one week, I will be in DC...and come the Tuesday after that, I'll be jetting off.
Loose ends are getting tied up.  It is my hope to arrive in England with virtually nothing on the to do list other than moving in.  I'm not really sure it's going to happen...