Summertime on the East Coast: August 2014

Well, it’s coming to an end! I am leaving Virginia tomorrow morning. It’s almost like a whole other study abroad in itself. Saying goodbye to places and people I have been seeing everyday will not be so fun!

I have been so privileged and blessed to have been able to see and do everything I have in the past 8 months of my life. It’s almost like an 8-month vacation. I really can't believe how much of the world I have been able to see. I have taken the best pictures of my life this year! So, its time for me to get back to the hard work of being a full time student, trying to figure out where life is going to take me after I graduate college in May (gulp..).

Jason and I took a spontaneous trip to Virginia beach a few weeks ago. It was perfect weather! We woke up early to make it to the beach for the sunrise and I can just say, God must have so much fun when he creates the sunrise everyday. It was so beautiful and unique and oh yeah, over the ocean! We were able to spend the whole there realizing on the beach and enjoying just being together.

The most recent adventure I went on was a trip to Washington D.C. This was in the works for a long time, ever since I knew what my summer plans were. My roommate, Cristina, for this coming school year has been interning out there this summer so we knew we wanted to meet up this summer at least once! I was able to get a good chunk of time off from work and hang out with her for a weekend, and then Jason joined me for a few days once she had to start work on Monday.

So! She lived about two blocks from the Capitol, so that was casual! So generous of her to let us stay with her. We were able to bring our own groceries and save money by not eating out much so that was also such a blessing. It was awesome to tour parts of the city with a ‘local’ and have a place to stay that was so close to many of the main attractions. I realized how much I missed walking everywhere while being in the city! I won’t bore you with all of the details of my trip but I will share a few of my favorite moments, sights, and foods while I was there.

My favorite museum was actually the National Archives! This is where the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence are located. D.C. is cool because most museums and attractions are free. Well, they are paid by our tax dollars, but hey we don’t have to pay anything while sightseeing there! Anyways, my favorite part about this museum was actually a section where they had original copies of letters written by famous historic Americans usually writing to the current president. For example, Amelia Earhart wrote a letter to the current president inquiring about receiving help from the Navy with her flight around the world. There were also things like a football and soccer ball signed by winning teams that were gifted to the current president. There was also a Jersey signed by the Iraqi soccer team that won their league that was gifted to President Obama. I had not really planned on going here but I am thoroughly pleased with our impulse decision to spend some time here!

A favorite moment of mine is from one morning when I was waiting for Jason’s flight to get in, I decided to get up for an early run. I wanted to be up and around the monuments for the sunrise and although it was pretty early, it was so worth it. I think the hour before and after the sunrise is my all time favorite time of the day. There is something so special about watching the sun peek up over the horizon and begin its journey for the day. I made it to the Washington monument just as the sun began to shed light onto it, and the silhouette of the monument against the rising sun is quite a sight to behold. I loved being out and about during this time because there are no tourists. It is a stark difference from the middle of the afternoon when the mall is crawling with people. The quiet of the morning combined with the beauty of the monuments, the Capitol and the sunrise made for a morning I will not soon forget.

Another one of my favorite moments is after Jason arrived, we spent some time touring the capitol and walking around the monuments and such. We stumbled upon the white house at dusk and then headed over to the Lincoln Memorial. We ended up walking past the reflection pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial right as the sun was setting and the colors that were reflected in it from the sunset was so pretty! We ended up sitting on the steps of the memorial for quite a while, resting out feet, chatting and casually gazing on the Washington monument all lit up when it got dark. The walk back to Cristina’s was probably at least 2 and a half miles which was fine but we had probably already walked 5 miles that day! Our feet were so destroyed, so Jason lent me his shoes because I had blisters everywhere and I looked like such a clown. It was still really fun to slowly make our way back there and laugh about how silly I looked.

I think the best thing I ate while I was there was a milkshake from a restaurant called Ted’s Bulletin on a dinner date with Cristina. I guess it’s quite an establishment among D.C. locals and I can see why! It was a cool atmosphere and really good food. The street it was located on had many other restaurants that were busy with nightlife and people like us getting milkshakes J So it was a fun area to walk through and just observe what a typical local might be doing on a Tuesday night. My milkshake was toffee almond flavored, it was unique and delicious!

Before we left we also made a stop at a bakery called the Sweet Lobby. It is famous for its gourmet cupcakes and macaroons and for good reason! The woman who owns this little shop won the show called Cupcake Wars on the Food Network, so I basically had to go and get cupcakes when I heard about this place. And Jason patiently came along and kindly humored me and my sweet tooth. There were so many flavors and varieties I just wanted to try them all. Maybe I will just open my own shop and learn how to make gourmet cupcakes, yeah? Good idea Steph.

So, D.C. was awesome. Jason and I commented on how we could never fit in there because we just don't know politics. It would sure be a fun city to live in but I just don't think I could handle all of the constant politics!

The last noteworthy thing I did was to visit Jason's grandparents in Pennsylvania and see an old friend from camp. It was a short trip and I went with Jason's incredibly generous mom. We had a good time and it was so good to finally meet those grandparents and learn more about that side of the family. And seeing Lisa was awesome too! I got to see the Amish farms and houses and see them riding around in their horse and buggy.

I have been so blessed by the things I have been able to experience this past year. I have seen more than most people see in their lifetime, and I need to keep pinching myself to make sure that it was all real and I actually saw and did all these things! Thank you to the people who have been a part of these experiences and mostly a huge thank you to my wonderful loving and supportive parents. None of this would have happened if it weren't for your encouragement and support. I love you!

Well, I think thats all I need to say about the end of my summer. This will be it for posts from VA, thanks for following my life for the past 8 months!