Like the Miscellaneous Drawer in the Kitchen. . .

Like the miscellaneous drawer in the kitchen, I want to mention a few random things.  These random things have filled me with imaginable joy and awe while being here.

I'm coming up on my seventh week here.  I only have four more weeks left, and I'm already getting a little nostalgic for DC even with four weeks remaining.

I've loved running to the Capitol and around the national mall at dusk.  It's breath-taking to turn the corner and see the Capitol in all its majesty with the rotunda lit up and its grand entrance steps.  I just feel close to democracy and the true brain of all the policy intiatives of our country.

My run starts at the Capitol, and leads me to the national mall.  The national mall is always active.  There is a kickball league, and, if I was to permanently stay here, I'd be in the league.  People standby and cheer.  It's just happy.

Then, I run by all the Smithsonian museums.  If I push out my run, the halfway point is the Lincoln memorial.

Although our government is frustrating (more than most of the time e.g. the recent, discord over the federal budget), being here has given me a sense of national pride I have never felt before, which was unexpected. 

The think tanks are a favorite activity for me.  During the week, I go to about 3 think tank events around town.  My most favorite think tank is the Woodrow Wilson Center.  I attend all the Middle Eastern program events at the Woodrow Wilson Center, and have been able to chat people up as I see familiar faces who attend all the Middle Eastern events.  Some of the events have been Arab social media in Egypt, U.S./Pakistani economic relations, and Saudi Arabia's kingdom striking back against the surrounding revolutions in the region.

I love to go to the United States Institute of Peace too.  I can say that the building is phenomenal.  I like to say that if Steve Jobs decided to design an Apple building, it would look like U.S.I.P. with its glossy windows, skyscraper high ceilings, sloping steps, its assymetrical-ness, and its whiteness.  Topics of discussion have been the turmoil in Balochistan and what it means for Pakistan, and a real time discussion on what is happening on the ground in Yemen.

As I've gone to these events, I see the frustration, desperation, and upset that so many countries in Southeast Asia and the Middle East cope with daily.  I'm closer to it all when I go to these events, and the mood becomes palpable for me as people talk about the problems their countries are facing.  But, then again, at the same time, they are able to be upbeat and positive, which is uplifting.  Their resilience is inspiring.

Another favorite thing is just walking into the State Department for work.  I always enter through the Diplomats' Entrance.  The Diplomats' Entrance is the main entry, and there are alway protestors across the street with their loud chorus of voices making demands in unison.  There have been Iranian groups, Mexican groups, and others.

The Diplomats' Entrance is art deco and there is so much hustle and bustle.  You hear foreign languages being spoken, see people being whisked in and out, and then each country has a flag hung at the back wall.  It's unbelievable.  And then there are always those black Cadillac limos or shiny Mercedes coming in and out of the parking garage.  I always wonder who is riding in those.

I also like Friday evenings when I push and shove on and off the metro, and then arrive in Union Station where it slows down some, and I can get ice cream or eat at my favorite Indian restaurant in the food court or Chop't (a salad lover's delight) while deciding my weekend activity, and then wander about in the shops.

All in all, it's been remarkable, and I'm happy I got to have this opportunity.  There have been challenges along the way, but challenges keep your brain active, right?