Monuments by Moonlight – Postcards from GW

AdminNovember 7, 2017

Halloween is a huge thing here and last weekend wasn't everything, not at all. On Monday the exchange leaders prepared an event in the rooftop of 1959 E Street with pumpkins, music, and candy. It had been a long time since all of us were together, now all of us have things to do and I only see some of the exchange students and leaders. So it was really great to meet with everyone again. We had a really good time carving pumpkins, it was my first time and I really had fun, now I have my little pumpkin as decoration in my room.

Tuesday was the real Halloween day, and of course we went to do trick or treat. A group from the university planned everything for us, and when we saw on Facebook it was going to be in the embassies we thought there was no better way to spend the day, and we did´t need costumes. So we met in Kogan Plaza and walked to Embassy Row where we started going from embassy to embassy. Some of them only gave one candy per person because we were many people, but others gave us tons of candy. In most of them there were people disguised, and you could take photos with them. I wasn't that exited about trick or treat at first, because in Spain only the kids do that, but it was a good time to get to know more about Washington DC. What most surprised me was all the university students that were doing trick or treat on their own, dressed up with costumes, as I said, in Spain this is not something a university student would do.

During the night there was another event in 1959 E Street, with free pizza, cotton candy, and cupcakes. I really love when they do things like this, because is the only way we have to meet people in the hall as we don't have a dinning room to meet with the rest. Another crazy thing about the United States is that they really have a thing with free food. There is always some type of event with free food in it. You won't see that happening any time soon in Spain. I think that is probably because we don't have clubs as they have here, so no one is up for preparing anything. After all, students are much more invested in university activities here.

The rest of the week was as any other, although we went to Georgetown on Thursday to buy clothes for winter as the weather is finally getting colder, the rest was all about writing all the papers I have for next week.

However, on Saturday we tried something different and went to a coffee shop to study. It is especially prepared for that, with books everywhere, and enough space for you to study. It is called Busboys and Poets, and you can also have lunch there. In the afternoon we went to Arlington National Cemetery. I had never been there before, and I have to say I was impressed. There were so many rows of tombs creating a beautiful picture, being autumn made everything even better with the beautiful colors of the trees. Visiting it is a must of the things you have to do in Washington DC.

On Sunday we went to have brunch. We went to a place called Ted's Bulletin, and I love this place. The food was amazing. But it was crowded, so maybe you need to make a reservation beforehand. Anyways, it was one of the best brunch I have ever tried.

Other exchange students had told me about running in the National Mall, and how awesome it is. So to finish my week I decided to go for a run instead of going to the gym. I'm not used to running, but I enjoyed it anyway. Of course I had to stop to take some photos because the monuments at night are breathtaking. I'm definitely doing it again.

President’s Day Weekend in DC

AdminFebruary 21, 2017

By audrey

While most of my friends are exploring the East Coast over the President's Day weekend, I stayed behind in DC to do some sightseeing and bring some friends around who were visiting from out of town. Sun's out guns out - woolly coats and puffy jackets were replaced by shorts and dresses in the sunny 70 degree weather.

Recreating some of the magic I experienced at the Monuments by Moonlight Walk during orientation, we did it in the daytime this time round. National Mall was bathed in sunlight with plenty of people playing casual baseball, football and having picnics. Crowds milled by the reflecting pool and filled the steps outside the Lincoln Memorial - it was a challenge trying to get a good picture. Word of advice - if you're planning on photographing the monuments on the national mall, it would be a better bet to go later at night. Not only will you be able to get an unobstructed view, you will also enjoy a breathtaking rush of unparalleled tranquility in the company of historical heavyweights.

Food dedication

Remember how last week the spot I was planning on having brunch at had an hour's wait? Well, I remembered to make reservations this time round and went during dinner hour.

Medium Rare is a steak diner located in the chic Capitol Hill neighborhood. The menu boasts a grand total of 1 main dish which is served in 3 courses: baked bread, rocket salad and 2 sets of steak and fries (refillable). It also has a great wine menu and whenever in doubt, ask the waiter for tips on how to get the best wine-steak combo. The best part is, it only costs 20 dollars (minus tax)!

Also, if the night is still young and you desperately don't want to go back to good ol' Foggy Bottom just yet, head across the street to Banana cafe and piano bar for some sweet treats. Located on the second floor of a yellow building by the road, the puerto-rican and cuban style diner serves up some fancy cocktails (and mocktails if you're not of age) and there's always a jazz pianist available to entertain. On the weekends, pop piano is available at certain hours.

Midterm week is coming up so all the best everyone! Don't forget to study and play hard.

DC Life

AdminFebruary 14, 2017

By sophieheard

This week I got to relive one of my favourite British pastimes - talking about the weather! When coming to DC I expected freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. However, the winter has been extremely mild and this past week people were walking around in shorts and a t-shirt as temperatures reached up to 21°C (70°F). The good weather did not last long and there were reports of a snowstorm hitting the East Coast. DC was relatively unscathed compared to up north but temperatures still dropped below zero and there were a few snow flurries. As my professor observed in class, ‘it’s February and I’m not wearing a jacket - but hey, climate change doesn’t exist’.

One of the top recommendations I received upon arriving in DC was to visit the monuments at midnight. Exploring a city at night is a completely different experience. There are no workers around, no tourists and only the occasional security guard. Being only a few blocks away from the National Mall we decided to make the most of the warm weather and head down to the Lincoln Memorial. It’s one of the most iconic views both historically and politically and one that I have seen countless times before moving to DC. Sitting at the bottom of the memorial with a view stretching the length of the reflecting pool and reaching all the way up to the Washington Monument in the early hours of the morning is perhaps one of my favourite moments thus far. It was nice to have a peaceful moment to fully take in being in DC.

Later on in the week we attended a basketball game between the George Washington Colonials and the VCU Rams. According to full-time students, GW is not big on school spirit especially compared to other universities. Coming from the UK I find that hard to believe. The game fulfilled all my expectations of a school sports game. There were cheerleaders, a school band, free t-shirts, chants and a mascot (George, The Colonial). We were neck and neck the whole game. With twelve seconds left on the clock, we were trailing 52-50. Just as a win seemed impossible number 12 scored a three-pointer pushing us into the lead and winning the game (at least so we thought). The whole stadium erupted, the band started playing and we jumped and cheered in celebration. It was like something out of a movie. The game was not yet over. 0.4 seconds were put back on the clock in order to finish out the game. In less than a second GW received a foul, sending the Rams to the free throw line to score four more points and win the game.