It's my first week in DC, and it's shaping up to be an interesting week. I don't actually start at my internship until Thursday (and then we have Friday off), so these first 3 days this week our group is visiting different organizations around DC. Today we kicked things off by visiting International Justice Mission and The Institute for Religion and Democracy. IJM was a great visit. I know a decent amount about IJM and what they do, so it was really cool to get to meet with some of their staff members and hear about what they do in their jobs. The Institute for Religion and Democracy was, well, interesting. As we were talking about it afterwards a friend of mine described it as "The Institute for Criticizing Liberal Christians," which seemed fairly accurate after spending almost an hour listening to and questioning the president of the Institute. The organization actually started in the 80s as a response to Christian denominations who were supporting Socialist/Marxist regimes in developing countries. It served as a watchdog against this type of action, ensuring that Christians supported democracy. After the collapse of the Cold War it had to search for a new mission, which it did, but as far as we could tell that mission was a little bit less clear, and seemed more intent on making sure the Church remained conservative.
Tonight in class we had some interesting and intense discussions surrounding the Faith Based Initiative, and what types of organizations/services should be publicly funded and which should not.
As much as I enjoyed our visits and all, I'm really looking forward to getting started with my internship. I'm really excited to get to learn more about how Development, Politics, and Advocacy all intertwine, especially at a non-profit in DC.
And for all who are worried about my eating while I'm here, no worries, I'm keeping myself well fed.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
1st Day
I am officially living in Washington, DC. Wow, I'm not sure the impact of that has quite hit me yet, but I'm incredibly excited for what this city brings. As Uncle Tom was driving me downtown (after picking me up from the airport and bringing me home for pancakes and coffee, which i greatly appreciated) I got more and more excited seeing all the awesome buildings, the memorials, the different departments of our government. I can look out the window of my apartment and see the Capitol building and the Washington Monument. Last night a bunch of us walked a few blocks to see the Capitol at night and we also walked by the Supreme Court. Just to be in a city where all of that is so close is mesmerizing.
The Heritage Foundation is an interesting place. It will be fun to see how things are living here. It's a very conservative organization. In fact, if I were to want to write anything in support (or opposition to) any political candidate in this blog post, I'd have to leave the building, because we aren't allowed to use Heritage resources to support or oppose any political candidate. But the room is nice, and the kitchen is nice, and being a block from Union Station pretty much everything is super easy to get to, just have to hop on the METRO.
More to come in the next few days...
The Heritage Foundation is an interesting place. It will be fun to see how things are living here. It's a very conservative organization. In fact, if I were to want to write anything in support (or opposition to) any political candidate in this blog post, I'd have to leave the building, because we aren't allowed to use Heritage resources to support or oppose any political candidate. But the room is nice, and the kitchen is nice, and being a block from Union Station pretty much everything is super easy to get to, just have to hop on the METRO.
More to come in the next few days...
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Ready to Go
Two weeks. That's how long until I make the move to Washington DC, where I will spend the spring semester interning at InterAction. It will be my last semester as an undergrad student, and then I"ll probably end up working in DC (or maybe Chicago, etc.).
College has been great. I've loved almost every minute of it, but these past 2 weeks I've realized something, I'm ready to be done. The monotonous routine of getting up and going to class every morning is getting to me after the thrill of getting to get up and go to my internship this fall at Opportunity International. Whenever I'm sitting in class, I'm thinking about the positive work that I could be doing instead. Even if I was still just interning, there's so much I could do instead of sit in a classroom for hours every day.
I've always been one to look forward to the next big adventure, and I can see that being true now. Washington DC provides the prospect of a thrilling environment, a great professional opportunity, and a lot of fun with friends. There's a lot that I will miss in Grand Rapids when I leave (and I will miss it a lot), but I need to go, and I'm ready.
Two weeks...I can do this.
College has been great. I've loved almost every minute of it, but these past 2 weeks I've realized something, I'm ready to be done. The monotonous routine of getting up and going to class every morning is getting to me after the thrill of getting to get up and go to my internship this fall at Opportunity International. Whenever I'm sitting in class, I'm thinking about the positive work that I could be doing instead. Even if I was still just interning, there's so much I could do instead of sit in a classroom for hours every day.
I've always been one to look forward to the next big adventure, and I can see that being true now. Washington DC provides the prospect of a thrilling environment, a great professional opportunity, and a lot of fun with friends. There's a lot that I will miss in Grand Rapids when I leave (and I will miss it a lot), but I need to go, and I'm ready.
Two weeks...I can do this.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Classes?
Tomorrow interim starts here at Calvin, and I'm not exactly looking forward to it. I didn't have classes (well, not real one's anyway) in Chicago, so this is going to be my first real class since last spring. I'm also kind of stuck in a transition here, because I really just want interim to be over so that I can be in DC and start my internship at InterAction, but at the same time I don't want it to be done because I'm enjoying being here with friends and family.
On top of that I'm getting to the point of starting to think about what I'm going to do after I graduate, and at this point that just adds stress because I can look all day for jobs, but not really do anything yet because I won't be able to actually work until June.
In the meantime I sit here at the pool, lifeguarding, earning some money, but feeling like it's mostly a waste of time. I'm ready to go, ready to do something, ready for God to use me. I realize that He uses me in all times and places, but I'm ready for adventure.
Maybe that's part of the lesson. Maybe I need to learn patience, and learn to let God use me here and now, not always looking to the next thing.
God, give me patience. Open my eyes to see how you're working in my life.
On top of that I'm getting to the point of starting to think about what I'm going to do after I graduate, and at this point that just adds stress because I can look all day for jobs, but not really do anything yet because I won't be able to actually work until June.
In the meantime I sit here at the pool, lifeguarding, earning some money, but feeling like it's mostly a waste of time. I'm ready to go, ready to do something, ready for God to use me. I realize that He uses me in all times and places, but I'm ready for adventure.
Maybe that's part of the lesson. Maybe I need to learn patience, and learn to let God use me here and now, not always looking to the next thing.
God, give me patience. Open my eyes to see how you're working in my life.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The Final Analysis
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway
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