Pre-Departure Post (probably the first of many)

So it's exactly one week until I arrive at our nation's capital. It has been so crazy to me that I am FINALLY making this trip and doing an internship up there that it is just now starting to hit me (albeit, very slooowly) that this is really real! Ever since my last trip to DC in 2009, I left with a feeling that I would most definitely be back. 

I truly feel that there is a time and a place for everything. I have pushed for this trip to happen for a few years but it never worked out. Now that I finally will be up there, I've realized that I probably had to wait for a reason. I think (and hope) I'm finally more mature and prepared enough to handle the challenges of my internship, living in a big city and essentially not knowing a single person up there.  But I do think I'm still very naive about people and the good I expect of them; so I'm pretty sure that the dirty and doggy world of Washington D.C. is going to show me a lesson or two in that arena. Nevertheless, I'll be ready!

This trip will also be one of the first times I have gone into something with basically no over-the-top expectations. I am excited for it and I can see the potential for this to be an incredible learning experience. But I also don't have this romanticized idea of sparks flying, dozens and dozens of opportunities knocking at every door and Natasha Bedingfield's Unwritten playing in the background the second I step out of Reagan National airport (which I'll admit is what I used to imagine not too long ago). I have wanted to do an internship in DC for so long now that I feel completely open to whatever experience I get out of it-- whether it's good or bad, I'll take what I can get!

Anyway, I want to use this blog to keep track of everything I do on my first real big girl adventure ever!! I constantly think and think and over-think everything so I'm pretty sure this is going to be a better outlet than all of the poor ears of my family/friends. I'm so grateful that I'm getting this opportunity but I'm going to miss the easy comfort of my family and friends which I've had so close by my entire life. Thankfully it'll just be for about seven weeks and I'll know I'm coming back to a great environment. But for the next two months, I'm ready to work hard, walk a lot, sweat a lot (yeah I know, icky), see a lot and experience everything I possibly can to the fullest!