Day One

Welcome to my little blog. This jump from snowy Minnesota to Washington D.C. has been in the planning/wishful thinking stage for a while. Luckily (and rather suddenly) I have been given the opportunity to make this a reality. And what better way to chronicle my experience here than an online journal? I'm not sure how often I'll update or what shape the content will take, but here it is...

So here I am, in our national Capitol. Travelling went remarkably smoothly, with only minor challenges along the way. First...I misjudged the weight limits on checked baggage, which resulted in a little panicked, last-minute repacking (after also repacking prior to leaving for the airport because I has GROSSLY underestimated the weight of my suitcase...by about 30lbs, who really needs shoes anyway?). No worries. My suitcase and backpack ended up weighing in at 50lbs and 49lbs, respectively. I was only delayed for a short time in ATL on the way to DC because some other plane was parked at our gate when we arrived. The only other mishap was truly minor - my shuttle driver inputted my address wrong into his GPS (NW instead of SW). End result: a slightly longer ride and the opportunity to see the Capitol and Washington Monument glowing against the night sky. I'll take it.

I fell into what seems to be a pretty great temporary housing arrangement. I am renting a bedroom in a townhouse, with my own bathroom, hardwood floors and wood-burning fireplace (I don't know why I'm so excited about this, I may never use it). I am easy walking distance to a grocery store and three Metro stops. Oh, and the National Mall - more on this in a second. I even have four big north facing windows. All in all, I am pretty happy with this arrangement so far.

A quick word on DC: I have been here a handful of times before. I remember a family vacation, when I was much younger, that involved DC. The memory from that visit that stuck with me most was walking around the National Air & Space Museum. It was very cool, especially since I had plans to be an astronaut (who doesn't, at some point?). I was also here in high school for National History Day, my group did pretty well in the state competition and got a trip to DC to compete at the national level. Well that was fine, but I was more interested in the time we got to spend in the city, touring museums, seeing the Capitol, etc. I've been fascinated with this city for years, and now I am finally here.

I had big plans for today, my first day in DC: obtain my SmarTrip Metro card and unpack. Success! My thought was to head to Metro Center to buy my pass because it would give me the opportunity to walk around a bit and get my bearings. I got side-tracked. I ended up on the National Mall (which is a very easy walk from my new home), sitting on a bench about halfway between the Capitol and the Washington Monument, reading the newspaper and sipping coffee. That didn't last very long because it was a little chilly and windy. I've found it is a little difficult to read the newspaper when it's blowing around and you can't really feel your fingers. Oh well, it's the thought that counts. After I gave up on the bench-sitting, I again headed toward Metro Center. Only to be distracted by the National Museum of American History. I stayed strong and just walked straight through it, but came back immediately after procuring my Metro pass. I happily spent the next several hours wandering around various exhibits and learning - Science & Innovation, the Presidency, Abraham Lincoln just to name a few. 

Plan for tomorrow: running on the Mall.