Internship in Washington

D.C. 'Intern'al affairs

Hill insider--On the Capitol steps in my last seconds
as an intern.

For six weeks during the summer of 1999, I interned in a local congressman's Washington DC office. During this time, I opened a lot of mail, transfered a ton of important calls, and gave enough tours of the Capitol to recite one in my sleep.

I loved every minute of it.

I saw a lot of famous people: Teddy Kennedy...Trent Lott...Barbara Boxer. Even the president riding in his limo down Pennsylvania Avenue. I hated the guy, but I was so surprised when I realized it was him that I said, "Hey, it's Bill!" In the Capitol, Sen. Jesse Helms even beeped his motorized scooter at a tour group I was leading.

My internship started two days after the Fourth of July, but I got to Washington a week early to sight-see. By the time I got myself and my four bags off the plane, to the airport shuttle, onto the metro, and then on and off the college shuttle, my clothes were soaked with sweat. (Who knew it was humid in Washington in June?) It was a good thing I met a guy like Ted Karpynec because I would still be stuck on the shuttle without him.

I was looking forward to being awed by the enormity of our government, and I wasn't disappointed. Everywhere I went I saw giant marble buildings with important-looking people coming in and out. Soon I was one of those imporant-looking people (at least on a smaller scale).

Stars and stripes--The Reflecting Pond and the
Washington Monument.

During my internship I stayed at a small college in Northeast Washington called Trinity College. Everyone I met there was great, from Beulah the shuttle driver to the cooks that let us eat for free.

There were about twenty other interns who stayed at Trinity that summer, and by the end we had grown into a little family. We did a lot of stuff together, like going to see The Blair Witch Project, King Kong, and out to a couple of bars. (Island Jim's, anyone?)

Down on one knee--With a
sign that reads "Chelsea, will
you marry me?" I wait for an
official White House response.

I toured a lot of Washington during my seven weeks there and got a good idea of "city living." I even proposed to the First Daughter with a "Chelsea, will you marry me?" sign (picture to the left). I'm sure the Secret Service had something to do with the demise of our relationship.

One of the most fun things I did on the trip (besides hitting a double in the House Ways and Means Committee's softball game!) was to watch the Fourth of July parade with a good friend I met named Steve Collier. Click on the picture to the left to see some of my pictures.

In short, that was my trip to Washington. Who knew the big city could be so much fun?

A torch passed--The view of Washington from John F. Kennedy's grave in Arlington Cemetery, overlooking words from his innaugural address.

Fallen hero--The grave site of Sen. Robert Kennedy with a single, white cross, respecting his will.