So I guess D.C. is a lot like home…the internet is very unreliable.

Yesterday we traveled around D.C. to a variety of different neighborhoods. We learned a lot about the differences between the areas and also about the problem of gentrification. We started out the day by going to the National Building Museum, we arrived early and took the chance for a photo shoot with some lions..

The Museum was great, we had a docent named Seymour who was very nice. I learned a lot of cool stuff about the beginnings of Washington D.C. and why it is set up so confusingly. Didn’t get enough time there to read everything…

Next we walked through Chinatown…lots of Asian cuisine, probably gonna go back and eat some. This is the friendship arch.

From there we went to U Street which is an African-American/jazz type district. We ate at Ben’s Chili Bowl, it was DELICIOUS! Pretty much everything on the menu had chili and cheese on it, my kinda place. I had a plate of chili/cheese fries the size of my face.

Our group then split into two and my half went to an Islamic center. It was really interesting. We had to take our shoes off, cover our bodies, and wear head coverings. The place was very beautiful inside. Much of the walls were covered with painted porcelain squares.

Next we drove through Georgetown (which is very yuppie it seems) but didn’t have time to stop. We went over to the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Museum. It was also very interesting, it really showed the changes in a neighborhood over

time and how the people are trying to save the area from gentrification. After this we went to the Eastern Market area but not getting there until 5ish we didn’t even get a chance to walk around. Came home and enjoyed the sauna, and now I need to do my homework.

Today we did mock interviews and a writing workshop which were all very helpful. We ate at Cosi which is really tasty. This afternoon we got to go the Newseum which just opened–for free! Love free stuff, nothing else on the trip seems to be free! The museum had a lot of really interesting things to read and look at. The Pulitzer prize photograph area was really powerful. First is the wall of front pages from when 9/11 happened and at the bottom, pieces of the Berlin Wall, neat.