Sometimes I am taken away by how extravagant my God is. I have felt called for almost all of my life to come and work in Washington, DC but I never dreamed I would ever have the means or opportunity to make that happen. But God had a plan, and provided the perfect opportunity through TWC. I hope this blog will be helpful for other students in your decision to experience life here and live out your own calling.

The transition from a relatively quiet suburban lifestyle to an altogether independent urban environment has been unique, to say the least. Aside from the obvious learning curve indicative of my transplant status, there have been several subtle nuances to metropolitan living that you simply don’t notice until you experience it. For example, while the Metro is easy enough to master – from its schedule to its direction – there is no way to prepare for the way people will force themselves past you to board or exit, or even along the escalators.

Hey everyone!

My name is Kaitlyn Ryan and I'm a sophomore Political Science major at Xavier University in Cinncinati, Ohio but I'm originally from Great Barrington, Massachusetts (see map below)

It would be safe to say that the idea of an internship was something I had never considered before, let alone one in Washington, DC. Yet that is exactly what was proposed to me when I visited my advisor in the early weeks of the fall 2011 semester. I was set to graduate with a degree in American Studies - an interdisciplinary field of study equal parts history, humanities, and anthropology - but with no clue as to what type of a career I wanted.

Our time in London has come to an end and there is so much from this experience I get to take home with me.  An internship opportunity that expanded my professional skills, a great set of friends and memories of a lifetime are now a part of who I am.  It's been a great few months and I am so sad to see it come to an end.

Washington, D.C.'s flag:

Washington, D.C. became the nation's capital on June 11, 1800

Located 90 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean and 233 miles south of New York City

Area:  68.25 square miles

Population (2000 census):  572, 059 (which is more than Wyoming but less than Vermont)

Highest point:  Tenleytown (410 feet above sea level)

Origin of name honors George Washington and Christopher Columbus

Happy Holidays!

I managed to fit everything into my suitcases, we scrubbed the apartment, and I am back in Minnesota for Christmas and some much needed rest. Since this will be my last blog for the semester, I want to reflect on my time in DC. Stick with me, I might ramble a little, but there is plenty to reflect on.

I've spent much of the semester telling you about all of the festivals that London has to offer.  But if you want to check out something a little different, give the riverboat tour to Greenwich a try.  Get on at Westminster Pier and spend an hour taking in panoramic views of all the different parts of the city that were only previously viewed as you visit each location.  You will have a wonderful experience on the Thames River and even get a slight history lesson along the way.  Here are a few of the places we saw.

Hi, and welcome back to my blog. Don't know if this is my last blog, so until then, I’m going to treat it like it is and touch on a few things that my fellow students want me to cover before signing off.

Graduation

Well, within the past two weeks, I must say that I have had the most memorable times in my life. I graduated from the University of South Florida, finally finished my TWC program, and had good times with friends while enjoying the rest of my stay in D.C.