Being the first intern to arrive in Washington, DC by almost a week, I must admit that I was a little nervous coming into a big, unfamiliar city by myself, but I stepped off the plane at Washington-Reagan International Airport with great anticipation and excitement to start my summer off as an E. Fleming Mason Memorial Intern. After I checked into the George Washington University (GW), I decided to go out into the city to explore and to find where I would be working the next day. I walked the National Mall and saw the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial, the Smithsonian Museums and the Lincoln Memorial, eventually finding my way to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station. Riding the Metro for the first time was an experience. I got lost and had to ask for directions at every stop. I think the Metro Officials were glad to see me get off the Metro. After that fiasco, I decided to head back to GW and to get a good night sleep before my first day of interning.

My internship started smoothly, even though first days can be a little hectic (learning names, agency policies and what I would actually be doing this summer). The first week went along without a hitch, and my supervisor was already giving me tougher assignments. I intern in the Policy Department of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, and I do a number of different tasks such as analyzing data and generating graphs to be used in staff meetings and doing research for my supervisor. I am really satisfied with my internship this summer and foresee not only a summer of hard work, but also a summer of learning about the Department of Labor.

The social scene in DC has been great too. I have been fortunate that many of my fellow KAs at Duke have moved to DC after graduation and they have shown me around. Going out in DC affords many interns a chance to meet other interns outside of a formal working environment. My favorite areas thus far are Georgetown and Capitol Hill.

I am looking forward to my busy week coming up. On Wednesday, we are volunteering at the President’s Dinner. This will be a great opportunity to hear the President speak, and I am especially excited because I’ve never see the President in person. This weekend, we get a behind the scenes tour of the White House. At work, I have a big project due Friday in which I have to put together a PowerPoint presentation and research paper to present to my supervisor. Therefore, I will be putting in long hours in the Department of Labor’s library to finish this assignment by Friday.