Settling In.

So the beginning of my D.C. experience is turning out to be much more interesting than I ever thought it would be. After taking Amtrak across the country (yes, Amtrak) to Chicago, we missed our connection to D.C. by one minute. Literally. One minute. But it ended up being ok! We got to spend an entire day with Alyssa in Chicago, and honestly that was fantastic. If I take Amtrak across the country again, that's definitely how I'm going to plan it!

But so after we get onto the train in Chicago I get a call from my mom about the shipping company which is bringing all of our stuff our here. The long and short of it is that there was a GINORMOUS misunderstanding between all of us. They weren't shipping our things until the day we moved in instead of having it there within a couple days after our arrival. What this means is that while we got into D.C. on Tuesday, it is now the following Monday and we still have absolutely NOTHING in our apartment. No internet, no tv, no beds, no real dishes or silverware, no cooking utensils.. NOTHING. While this has made for an interesting week of food and entertainment, we're all getting tired of going to Starbucks for two hours of free internet per day. Why no internet in the apartment at least? Because Comcast screwed up too. When they came out to install everything, while they were unable to install cable because we don't have our tv yet, they didn't bring a modem for the internet, so we're out internet/cable until this Thursday! Oh man what an entrance to D.C.

On the brighter side, orientation was on Friday, and I got to meet the other students in the program. They all seem really neat and I'm really looking forward to taking classes with all of them. Speaking of classes, I registered today and I'll be taking the two required courses (Analysis of Political Data and Approaches and Topics in American Politics) as well as two others: Psychology and Politics and Executive Branch Politics and Policy Making. It's going to be a lot of work, but they sound like fantastic classes, and I can't wait to start. First day is tomorrow!

Otherwise, I'll be commuting about 30-45mins a day each direction total, which really isn't bad at all, and it'll give me some down time which I think I might appreciate once it gets started.

Also, the swimming pool at my apartment complex isn't shutting down until October! This means I'll have about one more month of swimming at home than I had originally planned!

Now that life is calming down I'll do my best to keep you all updated. Enjoy the rest of the summer, and I'll let you know how everything goes as I get further into this!

Until next time,

Let the Adventure Begin!

Well, the next phase begins. I've arrived in D.C. and I'm beginning the training week for the JSA program here at Georgetown.
I've done this twice before so it's nothing really earth shattering for me, but it is still fun nonetheless. I know three of the people here, so I'm also not starting from scratch. I'll certainly get to know the others before long too!
My red-eye flight took me from Oakland to Boston, and then I went from Boston to D.C. All told, maybe two or three hours of sleep. It could have been worse?
After getting settled in we got together as a staff (there is still one more person who has yet to arrive) and did introductions and a quick icebreaker. Then went to Five Guys for dinner, which was amazing, and then to Thomas Sweet Fudge and Ice Cream. All I can say? Yum.
Came back and talked a little more, but now I have on the Giants game as I finish settling in. It'll be off to sleep soon.
I have a busy week ahead, but I'll update when I can!

Until next time.

And I'm back where I started!

Well all, my whirlwind tour has come to a close. When I arrived back in Spokane around noon today, I had been gone for 70 hours. Of that, 21 hours were spent in the air, flying. (And that doesn’t include airport time, just the time in the air!) I apologize for not updating throughout the trip, but I really never got the opportunity! The one chance would have been last night, but even then, I needed to be up in about six hours to fly again, so please forgive me. Anyway, here is how the trip went:

After my Portland post, I flew back to Oakland, arriving around 8:45p. I met up with Amanda and Hal and the three of us got In-N-Out. It was glorious. After meeting up with my mom back at the airport, we hopped onto the jetBlue red-eye flight, which was also a bit delayed. Got us into Dulles around 7:30a, and really only got about an hour’s sleep on the plane Went to Enterprise Rent-A-Car and got a BRIGHT yellow car (ugly as sin, but we never lost it in a parking lot!). Navigated our way through the D.C. traffic and had enough time when we got to our family friend’s house to eat and shower before heading out to Georgetown.

I met with three professors while we were there, learning more about the quantitative methods and research class, the program itself, and what to expect from Georgetown. One of the directors of the program took us both out for lunch, which was really neat. I also got the chance to sit in on a graduate seminar for the Presidential Electoral Politics course, which was comprised that day of three student presentations. It was actually quite interesting! From there we waited for our friend to get into Georgetown, and once she was, the three of us went on an adventure to find some food. Ended up eating at a French bistro on M Street. Not my favorite dish ever, but it certainly wasn’t bad! Got back to her (typically small) D.C. "burb" home in Maryland around 9:30p, and I was completely out by 10:30p.

Yesterday, after sleeping for about 10 hours (tired much?), we went to American University. I am glad we visited, for I would have always wondered in the back of my mind, but it was not the place for me. The university would have been fantastic for undergrad, but it was not what I would want from a graduate school. If you ever get the chance to visit though, it is a really nice campus! The three of us then went downtown and met up with person for lunch at the Waffle Shop, followed by a little bit of walking around. We tried to get in to see Ford’s Theater, but no such luck. Mom and I headed back to Dulles and were through security by about 5p. Flight took off at 6:00p, and we arrived back home at 9:00p. Couple interesting events on the flight home, but nothing really big to report.

Anyway, it was quite the whirlwind tour, but I’m really glad I did it. It definitely confirmed that Georgetown is the place I really want to go. I still can't believe I got in, but I think I'm going to do really well in the program. It's going to be a challenge, but I think I'm up to it. =).

Until next time,

Dan

First leg of the trip. Thank you Portland for your free Wi-Fi!

Well, I am on my way for my first venture into the graduate school world. I'm red-eying across the country tonight with my mom, arriving in D.C. early tomorrow morning. (Woo JetBlue!!) I'll be meeting with Georgetown professors all day, including the directors of the MA in American Government program, and I will also be sitting in on a gradate seminar course in the afternoon. I'll spend tomorrow night and most of Friday in D.C. as well, flying back to Oakland Friday evening, and back to Spokane Saturday morning. Kind of a whirlwind tour, but it's also giving me the chance to get a lot of schoolwork done, which is nice.

Hopefully these meetings will give me a better idea of what I am getting into, helping me find out what the brochures and websites don't say. If nothing else though, I'll get a chance to see where I'll be going to school next year, and I might even get the chance to spend some time in Georgetown itself! You know, scope out the area ;).

Thanks for joining me in this adventure. I'll be sure to keep you updated as things happen!

Until next time,

Dan

Georgetown University!

So welcome to Dan In The District, "Putting the D in Democracy Since 1987." Consider this the obligatory "first post.' =).

As of this point in time, it looks like I will be attending Georgetown University beginning this fall, as a student in their Masters in American Government program. I am really excited!

Through this blog, I will do my best to chronicle my experiences going to school, working, and living in Washington D.C., and I invite you to enjoy these experience with me. =)

I will continue to update this with more information as it becomes available, so please stay tuned!

Until next time,

Dan