APAICS | Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies

DC Fever

Share This »

---

by Kasey Wang, 2010 APAICS Intern

As someone from the suburbs in the Midwest, I got hit by D.C. fever a few weeks into my internship. Not only do I love my internship on Capitol Hill and the people in my office, but I also love the excitement of everything that is happening around me.

The city of Washington, D.C. really takes care of its interns, giving them plenty of events to attend, new people to meet, and great food to enjoy.

With such an energizing atmosphere, I want to savor every moment of my experience in Washington, D.C.

I have had quite an adventure three weeks into my internship. On the Hill, I attended briefings and hearings on hot topics such as immigration and the oil spill. Yesterday, I jumped at the opportunity to attend special events like the confirmation hearing of Elena Kagan.

 
In the office, I am immersed in the legislative process; I speak to constituents about the issues and research relevant subject matter when responding to constituent mail.

The work in the office, combined with the excitement all around me, is what makes this experience so great.

The excitement does not stop outside the office; after work, I love attending different kinds of events, whether they are networking or educational or social events. At events like the Higher Education Summit and CAPAL (Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership) and the WLP (Washington Leadership Program), I found people who are extremely nice and willing to talk to others. Among the people I met were Members of Congress, White House directors, artists from New Mexico, and businessmen from Hawaii.

Rep. Mike Honda	Kiran Ahuja, White House Initiative on AAPIs

The people I met in D.C. come from all different walks of life—it is so interesting listening to all their stories.

Of course, no visit to D.C. is complete without going to the tourist traps and having a ton of fun. I enjoyed seeing the giant pandas, geckos, and otters at the National Zoo.

I also traveled to the top of the Washington Monument, where I picked out my office building from the spectacular view.

I sat on the banks of the Potomac River at night in Old Town Alexandria, with a peaceful dark river in front, a crescent moon above, and the fireflies in the background.

I went to the Congressional Baseball Game where some new-found friends and I cheered on Members of Congress at bat.

Attending all these events and doing the most that I can here in the city is the most amazing experience ever. Life is a journey, and my philosophy is to live life enthusiastically for the experiences. I cannot wait to see what more is in store for my D.C. adventure!

Kasey Wang is a 2010 APAICS Summer Intern placed in the office of Congressman David Wu (D-OR). She is currently studying Business as a rising junior at the University of Michigan.

 

---

D.C. is fantastic. I spent a little over a year there and had one of the best years of my life. Your pictures are great too.
… by Tony on 11/15/10

---

 

Name:

Email:

Location:

URL:

Please enter the word you see in the image below:

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?