Whoa guys! Dream was dropped to earth. I actually making it right now. Well, if that's kind of make you bewilder, well I'm in Washington DC right now, attending ECA workshop -you're not necessary to know what ECA workshop in which could make this post would like a long story-. But then, I make these little adventure in the two separate parts, Day 1-2 and day 3-4. So I'll be much more focus what I'm trying to share with you since a lot of fun are about to write.
We -my hostparents, Jordan, Joshua and me- were leaving from Michigan on Thursday (3/18) at 10:25 am. Anyway, Jordan's birthday is the same day when we're depart but we celebrate earlier from it used to be. Aunt Dawn (Hostdad's sister) taking us to the airport and start hectic-ing ourselves in airport since 8:00 am. Waiting for half an hour for flight and finally we flew, weww!
Arrive at Ronald Reagan National Airport. God was gratefully kind that day, sunshine was showering us. Nice day for the first day at DC. Then we're going to bagagge claim to take our lugagges and trying to find the volunteer who picked us up / chaperoned us to the hotel at Alexandria, VA. So, that was tough, we found nobody with the red shirt with AFS logo on it around the airport. With a little bit call-making to people who run the event, we found out that those volunteers are waiting in certain spot somewhere. It doesn't take any long time to find 'em. Then we transfered to Alexandria via Metro Subway.
As the subway stopped by at Kings St Station, Hotel's shuttle bus was ready to picked us up. Checked in to the hotel. We were really fatigued so we just chillin out over the couch for little awhile but in advance we had lunch, re-registered and started mingle to anybody. I met Kak Putra, Kak Yurika and Kak Nita, which are the alumnus from YES '06-'07 who come back for volunteering in this workshop/convention/whateva' as well as I met Kak Diar and Kak Asmir.
Nicy weather came down and starting a understandable-chilly weather at night, though I didn't feel it since we just stayed at the hotel for the rest of the night. 'Twas warm though, we made it warm with chit-chat all night long, superb international bazaar which I took part to helped out at Indonesian stall and much more fun we did apparently. Clock ticked to another matter of the day, so super greatest first night over. Had fun was a good phrase.
The IndonesiansDay 2, was very tiring though. Well, our agendas were going to meet Congressman and Senator which represent Michigan in Congress and basically just say thanks and giving a feedback for them as a funding resource for those exchange programs. Sounds boring, eh? But 'twas definitely not, at all. Though the suckest part when we had to WAAALLK in sunny day (thanks God!) in couple miles from the Subway's station to Senator's and Congressman's building which are separated miles miles away, literally.
Stand : Kak Diar, Mom, Dad, Joshua, Jordan and LindseySit : Mr. Dingell and myselfThose second day agendas actually very great since I've never talked to a government administrator before (I did. I was interviewing Minister for Indonesian Nation's Forest couple years ago. But ugh!), and you know what they were spent their spare time to talked to us which they were really busy on passing the healthcare bill. Salutation sent to you guys!
Joshua and Me @ Union StationSecond day also got my nerves. This how the story goes, my hostfamily and Kak Diar was done eating at Union Station and we were ready to get in to the station, packed in the subway which tok us to the hotel. It didn't go smooth though for me, when we were really in a big confusion which lane we took to go back to the hotel, I began to asked couple old ladies which had a conversation. Politely, I jumped into the conversation and started to ask. in ENGLISH They were completely answering so corteous and there was a guy stood behind me and gave a shot to our conversation, "Hey young man, if you wanna ask somebody a question, don't ask 'em in Chinese neither in Spanish!". I was burnt, I left the crowd and went back to my group. I got offended and lost what I had to say abruptly. But soon I apologized to those old ladies and they said that guy was such a douche. Keep an eye, ignorant people are everywhere, even somebody who stood behind your back!
That was a long trip back and forth from and to hotel from downtown Dictrict of Columbia. I promise to hit you guys up with a lots of picture and continue this part!! Peace out home dawg.
Capitol Hill, baby!
