18 Boxes and 2 Suitcases Later…

I am finally all unpacked and organized! It’s felt very strange being home – it feels as if I’m only visiting and will be back in D.C. next week.

Towards the end of the internship, I couldn’t wait to go home. I counted down the days and hours until my plane left from Ronald Reagan. Now, I really wish I could be back. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so glad I could finally see my friends and family, but I really miss everyone back in D.C. This whole week has felt odd since I could sleep in until whenever I felt like it and do whatever I wanted. I didn’t have to wake up at 6:30am every morning to get to work by 8:30am (although, to tell you the truth, I do miss it a little). I miss seeing my office and all the attorneys, especially the three women I worked so closely with all semester.

If you are planning on coming to D.C. to intern, then be ready for it to change your life. You might not realize it at first, but this experience really does have a huge impact on you. I can’t believe the decisions I have made for my future (hopefully for the best) based on this internship and the friends I have made. I will be back one day!

The Beginning of the End

Yesterday was the TWC commencement ceremony. It was a two hour event that involved speakers, civic engagement projects, and photos of various interns. I usually felt like I did not know anyone here, save for my small group of friends. As I watched the slideshow and saw other interns at the program, I realized I knew more people than I thought. I have made great friendships that I hope to continue for a very long time.

As stated in previous posts, I have been volunteering with Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) on a consistent basis. I really love the connection I made with volunteers and clients alike, and I love the feeling of knowing I helped someone achieve something. Last Thursday was my last day to volunteer since I have to pack this week. The coordinator, Richard, gave a small speech to the group of people at OAR that night about me, and I was really touched. Here was someone I had only met a couple months ago, yet he was speaking to me and about me as though he had known me my whole life. I already feel like a piece of me is missing.

This last weekend I took time to walk around The District and take in some museums and monuments. I am really going to miss this city, and all it has to offer. I like the Metro, but I can not wait to have my car back!

Oh, and that class that was extremely difficult to me? I made an A- in it!

Newseum

I visited the Newseum this weekend and I had to blog about it! People say this is one of the best museums in D.C., and it definitely is. The downside is that it’s not free, but for $18 (the student discount), you get your money’s worth.

My only motivation for really going to this museum was the featured exhibit “G-Men and Journalists: Top News Stories of the FBI’s First Century” which is about the FBI’s top crime stories and its first 100 years. I took a course last semester about organized crime, where I learned about the FBI and its role in organized crime. Although this exhibit wasn’t solely dedicated to OC, it was very interesting.

The exhibit started with toys of G-Men, then infamous criminals such as “Machine Gun” Kelly and John Dillinger. Next was a small display on organized crime, with the badge and credit card of Donnie Brasco, aka Joe Pistone. Then, the displays showed espionage, KKK, and the Civil Rights Movement. The Lindbergh Baby was covered, as well as Patty Hearst. The Unabomber’s actual cabin is on display in the Newseum, which Ted Kaczynski did not want on display. After the Unabomber was the Waco, TX case involving the Branch Davidians and finally, the Oklahoma City bombing case.

I decided to enjoy the rest of the museum since I did pay $18. I got to the top where there is a patio to walk out on, and there is an amazing view of the Capitol. The rest of the Newseum is dedicated to journalism in every aspect – newspapers, radio, television, and internet. If you have a chance to go, I definitely say do it.

On top of the Newseum

Donnie Brasco’s credit card

Part of the 9/11 Memorial…this wall was full of headliners from all over the world.

You can go and record yourself reading the news with a fake background.

Looking Back

I can not believe I have spent the last three-and-a-half months living in Virginia and working in D.C. It seems like only yesterday when I called my roommate back home in a hurried voice full of worry, “Oh my God, should I take the Metro by myself? It’s getting dark! I want to get out of the apartment but no one is home and I’m afraid to take the Metro by myself. Should I? I don’t think I should. I think I should wait for someone to come home.” Missy, my roommate, calmly said, “Take it. You’re going to have to the entire semester by yourself.”

Three-and-a-half months later, I am (almost) an expert at riding the Metro and getting around D.C. I was so worried back in January about this Metro experience, and all it took was a few words from one of my best friends to encourage me to get out and learn. I am sure I would have done it without talking to her, but she definitely helped.

This experience has been an amazing one. While I did not get invited to huge dinner parties with big head executives, or attend think tank organizations, or even network extensively outside my building (The Child and Family Services Agency, “CFSA”), I had the best experience fitting to myself. I did not come to D.C. with expectations of going to political activities or lobbying movements; I merely came with an idea of what I might want to pursue on a personal level – expanding my basic knowledge about politics, discovering my options for the near future, and exploring D.C. while learning responsibility.

I now know more about politics than I ever imagined (and more of the Republican side since most of my friends here are Republicans). I could not get away from the politics in D.C., even if I tried. I read The Express every morning on the commute to work, and watched news channels whenever I got the chance. My roommates and I engaged in political discussions where I was able to get a part of the Democratic side.

For the future, I am planning on joining AmeriCorps after graduation, then pursuing my Masters in Social Work. I networked and met social workers in many different positions – a few in the Office of Youth Division, where the teenagers’ goals are Alternative Permanent Planned Living Arrangements; one in Child Protective Services, which is the intake and investigations arm of social workers; and one in In-Home Rehabilitation that works with out-of-home children with a goal of reunification. I also met a reentry advisor at my civic engagement, Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR). She helps ex-offenders find housing and employment. Even though I determined that I would like social work more than law, I also spoke with a Guardian ad litem who represents the child or teenager in the neglect or abuse case, and talked extensively with my attorneys (the assistant attorneys general, “AAG”) who represent the social workers and the CFSA. One of my AAGs began her career as a social worker, then attended law school and became an AAG. In fact, a good number of the AAGs began their careers as social workers or as Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN) attorneys. The CCAN attorneys provide counsel to any party in need of attorneys – such as children or the parents. From all of these experiences and talks, I know that I can now change my career – I do not have to be stuck in one position my whole life.

I visited almost everything and every place I planned on in D.C. Next weekend, the very last one in D.C., I plan to visit the Holocaust Museum. This is the one museum I really want to see before I leave. Other than this, I experienced a lot of the nightlife and the day life. We went to numerous clubs (which I have never really been to before this) and bars, as well as Happy Hours around the city. During the day, we explored the monuments and museums, as well as just walked around the District to get a feel for it.

My civic engagement also changed my views. As a criminal justice major, I know the realities and tragedies of ex-offenders who are not fully prepared to reenter society after prison. I helped clients at OAR work on employability and literacy skills. I spoke with them and felt a connection – we talked about anything and everything. I worked with a wide range of people, from ones with misdemeanor charges to felony charges. I even rode the Metro back with a few and had the chance to really talk to them more. Had I not known their backgrounds, I would have never expected them of anything criminal. They were the nicest, most eager people to learn. I am going to miss them once I leave.

My time here almost feels surreal, like an out of body experience. Would I have changed my placement if given a second chance? Probably not. I know I said I felt like I should have chosen the OAR, or that the work at the OAG was not challenging enough, but I am glad I stuck it out with OAG. I met new people, learned of new careers, and had a great time with the other interns as well as my attorneys.

Would I have changed my class knowing how hard it is now? Probably not. It was a very tough class, not having any knowledge in international relations or political science, but it was very enlightening. International humanitarian law is complex and intriguing, and I am glad that I had a professor who was very knowledgeable about the subject (His name is Max Hilaire – anyone should look him up if they would like to know more about him. He has given numerous speeches around the world on the subject. Here is a small article about him on the Embassy of the United States in Prague’s website, and Morgan State University’s biography.).

Would I have chosen new roommates and friends? Definitely not. While all of our experiences, backgrounds, and opinions differed, we learned from each other. I will come away from this with a new understanding of how to relate to people, and how to speak to them. I appreciate all their differing views on the world and our political system.

I have grown in so many ways that I never knew I could from this experience. Last spring when I was accepted, I assumed I was only going to come for a semester and learn what the child abuse and neglect law is like. I am going to come away from this with so much more than a simple understanding of the legal side of child abuse and neglect. I am so thankful to my university and my professors for allowing me to spend a semester in D.C. to learn and mature as a student, as well as a person.

A Weekend Getaway!

The time here is still flying by! The past few weeks have been a little stressful, what with my class papers and finishing my TWC portfolio, as well as attending class, civic engagement, and work. Work has been work, and while I do not want to pursue law as a career (yet!), I have made valuable contacts for my future endeavors.

A few weeks ago, the Law and Criminal Justice program toured The Pentagon. The tour was interesting, but I felt it moved too quickly. There were numerous displays along the way, and we were not afforded enough time to read them over, in my opinion. In the POW/MIA hallway, we learned that more than 74,000 military men and women are still missing and have been since the Vietnam War. This is distressing to me because I never imagined that many people were missing.

We then entered the wing where Flight 77 crashed into The Pentagon. In this hallway, it dawned upon me that I was standing where 184 people were killed by a terrorist attack. This sat heavy on my shoulders, until we entered the memorial. The memorial is housed in a small room off of a chapel inside The Pentagon. It has the names of every person killed aboard the flight and who were inside the building at the time, as well as a Purple Heart medal and a Defense of Freedom Medal, the medal given to the civilians.

It was very touching and awe-inspiring to see the books of the victims, in which family members placed a picture and wrote about each individual. There was not enough time to peruse the victim book, but it was saddening and encouraging at the same time. I did not have time to see the benches outside, but I would love to return. This tour was interesting and worthy of anyone’s time.

After all this, my friends and I decided it was time for a break. We needed a mini-vacation before they started their portfolio work, and I needed a break after all my hard work. We settled on Virginia Beach, VA because it is only three hours away, and it was going to be 90 degrees!!!!! Whoever knew???

We packed up and left Saturday morning (after a few bumps in the road that included our friends not waking up on time, even though they set the departure time AND Yes and I had been up since 5 A.M.!), arriving in VA Beach around 12:30 P.M. We checked into our hotel rooms and headed to the beach. Sand always makes or breaks a beach to me. The sand here was a little rough towards the hotel, but finer and smoother near the water. We pretty much hung out on the beach all weekend, and ate dinner at a seafood restaurant on a marina. It was a great trip, and we ended up leaving around 4 P.M. on Sunday.

I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking….

The view from our hotel balcony!

Jumping for joy at the beach.

Yes and myself in the water…The Atlantic is COLD!

Random artwork on the beach. After this picture, we noticed a sign that says, “Do not climb on artwork.” That doesn’t count as climbing, right??

The beach at sunset.

One of the Best Days of My Life

As I have stated numerous times before in this blog, I am at a fork in the road in my life. One path leads to social work, and the other leads to law. This internship has afforded me various opportunities to see social justice enacted in different ways. I have seen the legal side of abuse and neglect cases, and I longed to see the social work side. Fortunately for me, I was able to ride along with a group of three, young social workers to their home visits. The social workers are in the Office of Youth Division, which deals with teenagers between the ages of sixteen and twenty, whose goals are Alternative Planned Permanent Living Arrangements (APPLA) and who are aging out of the system. They ensure services have been set in place that will help these young adults live life after the system.

The visits would go like this (generally) – we would walk in, greet the client, joke around, and then ask what they have been up to, whether they have done what the social workers last asked of them, and whether they are following court orders. I met seven teens who were polite and ranged from ecstatic to see the social workers (one girl asked if she could come along!) to indifferent (one boy texted on his phone as the social worker spoke to him). One teen even asked if I would become his social worker (because his current social worker is moving to England soon).

It does not sound like much, but as I watched these women interact with their clients, I became enthralled by their work. They had developed a sort of friendship with the clients, not just a “you’re-the-client-I’m-your-social-worker” relationship. Each woman worked well with the clients and listened to what they had to say before telling them what needed to be done; they respected each person as a person. They celebrated in their clients’ successes and scolded clients for failures. They joked with each client, and a few were invited back to the office for the next day. Each social worker connected on a level with their client because, in my opinion, they were young at heart and could find a nexus to relate to their clients. These broad explanations do not do these women justice; they are the epitome of the best social workers.

They have influenced my decisions on the near future, and for the time being, I have decided to pursue a career within the social work field.

Civically Engaged

Last week and this week have been crammed with civic engagement! I recently had my volunteer training at Offender Aid and Restoration, and then volunteered the night after. Let me just say this: I LOVED it. I was offered an internship position at OAR a while back, but I had already taken the OAG internship so I had to decline. I wish I had taken the OAR internship in some respects because this organization is a hands-on, direct service type of organization. I’m not entirely sure what the interns do there, but I love the volunteering.

My first night after training, another volunteer and I helped a man in employability readiness. I know as a criminal justice major that I shouldn’t have preconceived images of people, but I was a little anxious about this man after the volunteer coordinator told me he had done ten years hard time in federal prison for conspiracy to traffick and distribute drugs. That is HUGE! So, this big man with very white teeth, a nice smile, a soft face, and who was dressed appropriately with his jeans pulled up to his hips, a t-shirt tucked into them, and a leather jacket on top rounded the corner of the OAR office. He looked to be around thirty-five years old. I assumed he was another volunteer until the volunteer coordinator told me this was the client. My mouth tried not to drop as he shook my hand and introduced himself politely.

All three of us worked on his résumé, reference list, and mulled over job search engines. The client was soft spoken and polite the entire night. After he left, I sat in with yet another volunteer on a literacy tutoring session. They were going over different sounds that letters make, such as “-ou,” “-ie,” and “-ir,” and reading them out loud in paragraphs to recognize certain words that contained these sets of letters.

Last night, there were no clients, so the volunteer coordinator, another volunteer and I had some training on how to instruct a client to disclose their offense. There’s a three step process to it: disclose the offense, take responsibility for the crime, and show that you have paid your debt; describe what you are doing to improve your life; and make your employer feel at ease in hiring you. This sounds easy to do, but harder in practice. One client had been convicted on attempted malicious wounding, and had anger management problems. This presents an obstacle in trying to disclose the crime. Eventually, the coordinator and client worked it out so that the disclosure was appropriate for the client and employer.

On to my weekend in pictures….

Ultrabar Friday night…let me tell you guys, Yes and I got in free cover, open bar, and VIP! All thanks to Sabrina!

Yes, Sabrina, and myself

Cherry Blossom Festival Saturday afternoon...

The Tulip Library was seriously even prettier than the cherry blossoms.

Advice for the day:

If you live in D.C. in the spring and want to see the cherry blossoms, wait a week or so after the cherry blossom festivities. They will probably be prettier than they are that weekend, and there aren’t as many people there gawking at them. Seriously, we had to sit on the Metro for at least two minutes before the doors opened to let us out because the platform had to clear of all the people. Then, there was a LONG line to get back into the Metro station.