DC Connections

I have had the opportunity to meet so many great and amazing people in the short span of my three weeks in the DC metropolitan area. My time at George Washington University, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the city, and CrossFit Balance Gym have allowed me the chance to talk and get to know a large number of people.

Within my first two weeks of arriving in Washington, DC I was able to meet a female Captain from the United States Marine Corps that would be the Marine Officer Instructor for the NROTC at George Washington University this fall which for me was a great moment since having the opportunity to talk to very many female officers is a rare coincidence at Arizona State University. Having the opportunity to exchange contact information was helpful not only to just receive guidance from another female in the military but also discuss different aspects that the ASU NROTC does next to what GW will be doing this coming fall. Joining a CrossFit gym, called CrossFit Balance, was a great decision on my part due to the different types of people it has been exposing me to. I was able to meet an intern that was living at GW and was taking the same CrossFit class that I was in. Not only did I have a chance to meet another intern that was from Alaska but I was also able to get to know the members of the gym that work in all types of positions and areas in DC. Having locals as acquaintances allows me the opportunity to get to know some great places to eat and some local advice on places to visit.

OFAC does a great job at allowing the interns to get to know one another. The intern that shares a room with me has by far been one of the best connections that I have made this summer. Having been an intern in Washington, DC for the past three years over the summer she has given me a lot of advice on different locations to go to. Since she is a law student at Villanova Law School she has listened to my aspirations and helped me plan out the rest of my time at ASU and not only that but she has taken me to a Pro Bono Fair with her where I was able to get in touch with some lawyers in the DC area and meet other law students. As the oldest in my family it is nice to have made a connection with someone that is willing to assist me with my educational and career aspirations and listens to where I hope to end up in a few years. Through her I was able to meet with some of the law interns that are located in OFAC and through them met the other interns working on other floors. Every Friday all of the interns meet for lunch outside of OFAC and go to the food trucks together. This has allowed me to get to know the other interns from different floors and create great friendships with them as well. As a group of interns we all have organized our own BBQs and weekend activities that we can do as a group. Many of the interns that I am working with are from the DC area attending American University, George Washington University, and Georgetown and have introduced me to their friends that live in the local area. Enjoying the company of the people that I work with make my daily workdays even more enjoyable and allow me an opportunity to step out of my ASU comfort zone and meet new and interesting people.