"It's a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize the only thing that has changed is you."
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
As you learned in my last blog post (20 Facts About Me) I love traveling and have been adoring it from a young age. I started to truly remember my travels when I hit my sophomore year. One of my first trips without my parents, just a few friends and a teacher. I was heading to Washington D.C. for the DECA Powertrip. The purpose of going was the leadership conference being held. But, while we were there we also were able to see the sights with a little fun mixed in, and we did just that. Please keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times as I take you through my first adventure.
Day 1:
Let's start with the plane ride. Now, this was not my first time on a plane but it had been a while since I had stepped on one of these babies and I am not going to lie, I was freaked. I had repacked my bag 3 different times and quadruple checked the TSA rules and regulations. The plane ride out of Arkansas and into Washington D.C. was quite smooth. Surprise, surprise... Josephine was worried about nothing. But, once those wheels hit the ground it was time for the fun to begin.
Day 2:
The Arkansas DECA Officer team and I were in Washington D.C. to talk about how Career and Technical Education was benefitting students in Arkansas. Our first day was full of "hill visits" where we visited Arkansas Cogressmen to talk about this important matter. At each stop the offices were different and fun. Some had Rice Krispies and others had coins and collectibles. Each office had their own touch of the representative that was in it. It was cool to see, it was almost like getting a sneak peek of this person before you met them. Not only did we get to visit the Arkansas Congressmen but our group also got a tour of the Congress building! Not something you get everyday! Best part, it was lead by Congressman Westerman! We were able to see parts of the building that only people of congress get to see, talk about once in a lifetime! While we were making our rounds through Arkansas Congressmen we also met some important people from other countries, how exciting!
After a long day of advocating for Career and Technical Education the team went to see some of the sites! The Washington Monument, The White House, the center point on Washington D.C., and the Trump International Hotel. We were able to see most of them right at sundown which was not only bitterly cold but really pretty! Golden hour looks good on buildings as well, my friends.
Day 3:
We were thrown into a tour of the U.S. Capitol and The Holocaust Museum. Both of these stops were very immersive, humbling, and interesting. Throughout the tour of the U.S. Capitol you would find yourself standing in the middle of these rooms where important decisions were made and you find yourself feeling almost haunted. What threw me was that it didn't feel haunting because of the lighting, or the smell, or the creaks. They could have honestly played it off to have being built not long ago. There was just a feeling when you walked in that made you think "oh my goodness, history was made in this building." There were also some fun moments. For example, did you know that if you stand in a certain spot in the rotunda of the capitol that you can hear conversations from across the room. It is all in the dome like ceiling but it still has me in awe. (I am also and architecture nerd...) The holocaust Museum on the other hand... was breathtaking. Not for good reasons obviously but this museum is so well put together to make people truly reflect and be shown what has happened in the past and what should never happen again. This museum is hard to put into words, and I do not think I can successfully do so. The holocaust museum is one that you have to see for yourself because when you are there you will even doubt your own eyes. It’s hard to imagine that people could ever be so cruel.
That evening we started the conference with our opening session. This is the kick off of every DECA Conference, to give you updated references, a little inspiration, and some entertainment. Oh, and lets not forget about the breakout activities to get people from different states into the same room to network and reach a common goal, a skill much needed in todays society if I do say so myself. Team work makes the dreamwork!
Day 4:
This is the first day of conference. You wake up early to stand in the ridiculously long line at Starbucks because sadly, we are all caffeine addicts at a young age. Next, you rush up to your first session about what college you need to pick that is best for you. After that you go to a second breakout session to help you learn something new about marketing, writing, publicly speaking, or giving a quality presentation. All of these breakouts taught me something and were used in my upcoming presentations and reports. This day there were also food trucks parked on the outside curb of the hotel to serve all the DECA students lunch. There were so many different things to eat and there were many people to network with while sitting around and talking about the next bite you wanted to try. When the conference day was finished everyone was back in the conference room to go on a Washington D.C. monuments night tour.
Let me start by saying, if you are ever in Washington D.C. seeing the monuments in the daytime is an experience to remeber however, I beg of you to go back when the sun sets. You will not regret it. The night tour was my favorite part of the entire trip. Do not get me wrong, I regretted not bringing the jacket that my mom told me I needed to bring; I was shivering so bad that there was no way I could keep a straight face, the only expression I had was a smile. On the night tour we visited everything. The Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Gulf War memorial, and the World War Two Memorial. All of these memorials and monuments were gorgeous during the day but absolutely breathtaking at night. Again, if you ever have the chance.... you have to.
Day 5:
This was our last day and we had it jam packed full of stuff. We went to see the declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and other famous documents. Sadly, this was a spot that did not allow pictures. So all I have is the memory of that very aged piece of paper, signed by names I had memorized in history class, and put into a case that had more security than a wealthy home. Later, that day we headed back home and I would not say that we were super excited about it.
Washington D.C. is a trip that I will always consider my first "Big Girl" trip. Where I did not have my parents with me and I was trusted to behave as an adult even though I was the youngest one there. I loved visiting Washington D.C. and would not mind another quick visit.
My goal is to be sharing one trip I have taken every two weeks. I love traveling and I want to share what I love about each place I have been, with you!
So, here are the 5 MUST DO things if you ever make it to Washington D.C.
1. Go on a night tour of the monuments. You will not regret this AT ALL!!!!
2. Make sure you soak in the atmosphere. Yes, it can get a little crowded but just soak up all the history around you.
3. The food trucks.... some of the best... you have to stop at one.... at least....
4. Visit the House of Representatives and the Senate. Even if you are not big on politics, it is really fun to learn about and you will not regret expanding your brain in that direction.
5. Do not be afraid to go out and wander a little a night. I know, big city = scary/ dangerous people. But, just make sure you are being smart and paying attention to your surroundings. You should go explore the nightlife! There are street performers, lights, honking, and a lot of fun things to see!
Absolutely love the Fitzgerald quote, Josephine! Have a few more recs for DC if you ever head back!