Favorite Moments of My Summer Interning in D.C.

August 8, 2017 Navneet Gidda

Enjoying Brunch with Friends in Washington, D.C.

My summer in Washington, D.C. wouldn’t have been the same without the friends I made along the way.

Whether I was having brunch that was way over my budget or getting lost in a random part of D.C., I’m so grateful that I got do it all alongside some of the most hilarious, caring, and dedicated people I have ever met. Here are a few snippets of our adventures together.

One morning we decided to try out D.C.’s infamous brunch scene and, of course, ended up at a place that was way too expensive. By the time we figured out the prices, we were already sitting down and there was no escape! But it was definitely worth it in the end - the pancakes there were delicious. They were served with blueberry jam and icing sugar on top, best pancakes I’ve ever had. And they were even better in the company of new friends!

Boating in the Tidal Basin
Boating in the Tidal Basin

Boating at the Tidal Basin

After brunch, we decided to check out the Jefferson Memorial from the tidal basin. We bought a four-person pedal boat and ventured out into the river. The view was surreal and the hour-long ride was very relaxing—partially because I made my friends do all the hard work of directing the boat.

Visiting Obama's New Home in D.C. 

After brunch, we had nothing planned and randomly decided we wanted to see Obama’s new home. Against my friend's logical reminders that there would probably be security everywhere, we called an Uber and went to Obama’s neighborhood. The houses in the area were enormous and most of them had beautiful red brick exteriors. We walked around for a bit admiring the architecture, then headed over to Belmont Road. As expected, we were immediately stopped by a police officer at the end of the road who denied our request to see the house. Nevertheless, we enjoyed getting to know that part of the city. 

Protesting on Capitol Hill
Healthcare protest at Capitol Hill - "skinny repeal" was blocked by the Senate

Protesting at the U.S. Capitol

A few nights later, we had just gotten home from dinner when I received a notification about a protest going on at the Capitol. People were organizing to protest the “skinny repeal” of Obamacare which would be voted on in the Senate later that night. Since it was our last week in D.C., we decided to grab our bikes and participate in the protest. We raced down the Capitol streets laughing and chanting in the middle of the night to watch a historical vote happen—I felt like I was in a movie! We even saw Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren! What a night!

Stargazing at the U.S. Air Force Memorial

This memorial was so worth it at night. It was a warm night with a bit of a breeze when we went and there were surprisingly few tourists around. The stars were amazing from the hill where the memorial is built and the view of D.C. was phenomenal. We visited the 9/11 memorial by the Pentagon, which was also very interesting as it’s right beside the Pentagon’s main building. I had no idea it even existed until a friend pointed it out while we were in the area. Both memorials are definitely worth a visit!

These are just a few of the great memories we made this summer. I wish I had met my close group of friends earlier on so we could’ve done even more spontaneous things together. We’ve already planned a road trip to the Rocky Mountains next year!

About the Author

Navneet Gidda

Navneet majored in political science at the University of Alberta in Canada. She participated in TWC’s Summer 2017 Academic Internship Program, where she interned at Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), a non-profit that fosters supports for democracy and human rights in Bahrain and the Middle East.

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