Week 9

It’s week nine…wow, it’s really week nine. The time has really flown by; and while I have been working at the EPA, going to class, and venturing out in the city, spring has begun. This is a strange concept for me since it’s only March. In NH there are feet of snow remaining at this time of year, with more expected to come. Along with the springtime, the tourists have arrived in the nation’s capital. In my short time here I already become somewhat of a “native” in my own mind.

In other words, the tourists stand out, even from the perspective of this back woods hick. The tourists just don’t quite fit in. They don’t understand the escalator etiquette in the Metro, they always look lost, and they do not have to submit themselves to the same torture of wearing a tie everyday. I don’t really have any animosity towards them, although I have been warned by locals to heed their arrival. I just wonder if the true DC natives can pick out my naiveté of the city with the same observational ease. Does the way I wear my tie stand out? Does my slightly miss-fitting “professional attire” attract the eye of a true professional? Do I always look as amazed and stunned by everything new as the tourists do (and as I truly feel in my head)? Oh well, I am enjoying myself, I don’t really mind if I constantly look like a rube.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival, DC’s biggest annual event (I imagine the inauguration every four years is more significant) begins this weekend. This is a huge tourist event, one that the tourist in me is looking forwarded to anxiously. The main festivities take place at the National Mall—a field/park in downtown…not a shopping mall. Hopefully some great pictures will come next week.

Some gifts from the Japanese...I wonder what we gave them in return? (Photo source:
http://www.aolcdn.com/features/blossoms-monument)

Also this weekend I am excited to report that I will be participating in another DC tradition--The Suntrust Capital Marathon and Half Marathon (I'm competing in the latter). Despite my ankle injuries I feel that I will be able to participate. This will be my longest road race thus far, a milestone that I am happy to accomplish here in DC. I also feel that an unintended consequence will be a great look at the monuments and downtown DC from the street level as oppose to the tunnels of the Metro—a welcome opportunity with warmer weather approaching! If I write again next week, you will know that I survived this venture…we can only hope injury free.

At work, I’m steadily making progress on my projects. I feel really good about my own professional progress as well. My boss had to leave on Monday, and left me alone to complete my work. This is the first time he has done so relatively voluntarily. In my head this says that he trusts in my abilities and competence, and has faith that I will not ruin his good name when left to my own devices. I feel as though it is a gratifying milestone.

Until next week…

Week 8

I am going to preface this next statement by expressing that I have a genuine love for New Hampshire. Now with that being said, Washington D.C. is able to do things on a much grander scale then in the granite state. I have been attending the Environmental Film Festival here in D.C. this past week and it has been great. I have seen all kinds of movies ranging from Roman Polanski’s Chinatown to the documentary Galapagos: Born of Fire. Not only are there 118 films being offered, most of which are free, but they are at venues that are as enticing if not more so than the films themselves.

The festival has venues all over the city--The Museum of Natural History had many playing all day, the Library of Congress had a few showings, and tomorrow I will attend a screening and reception at the Royal Netherlands Embassy. I have seen film festivals in NH, and I have thoroughly enjoyed them, but you can’t have films of this notoriety at an embassy in New Hampshire. It just can’t happen. Not to mention the fact that in NH you would probably get charged for something like this, even though we are the "live free or die" state. It's events like this that makes Washington D.C. so appealing.

A Blue Footed Boobie from the Galapagos film, actually considered one of the most skilled hunters on the islands…I know they kinda just look goofy to me too. (Photo source:
http://z.about.com/d/animals/1/0/h/9/shutterstock_304958.jpg)

In the last week at the EPA I have had two fulfilling opportunities. I attended another Congressional Hearing for the House! I really didn’t imagine I would get the chance to go to two hearings. This one was very interesting; it was a hearing of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. This was my first opportunity to see how charged this issue has become in Congress. The hearing was centered on the testimony of EPA Administrator Steven Johnson. Everyone participating was eager to get their opinions heard. In order to get a seat at this notorious event I had to arrive an hour early, at which time there was already a line. I was amazed at how many people attended the hearing. It felt like the most significant governmental event I have ever bared witness to first hand, and I am from New Hampshire--First in the Nation.

Steve Johnson (EPA Administrator) and Rep. Edward Markey (Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming) playing nice before they meet in combat during a hearing. (Is there even a smile here!?!)

(Photo source:
http://www.daylife.com/)

The other opportunity I had was to conduct my first Informational interview. I spoke with a Director in the Office of International Affairs at the EPA. The woman was very helpful, She very amiably told me my resume is basically in its infant stage and that I have a long way to go if I want to work in the OIA office. It served as a good motivator, plus me providing me with ample ideas for opportunities to build my international repertoire. Overall, I thought the interview was very helpful, only in DC could I have the chance to check out such a unique office! I am now excited to follow up on her suggestions.

Until next week…

Week 7

We are almost halfway through this internship/semester and, as always, time flew by without my noticing it pass. Certainty this semester has been very different from any other I have had, at the very least I have been busy five days a week from 9-5 p.m. Additionally, there have been museums, events, restaurants, and monuments to see during my time off. Given those differences it is easy to see how such a packed schedule has allowed time to slip away so rapidly.

In terms of my internship, I feel that I couldn’t have been placed more aptly. I am learning exactly what I set out to learn. I have absorbed lessons on the science behind policymaking, the policymaking process, office politics and etiquette, and gained valuable career perspective. Coming to Washington I wanted to know whether the EPA and/or the capital were places where I wanted to peruse a job in the future. To be honest, I have not entirely answered that question as of yet.

Reflecting on my time at the EPA I have seen the inefficiency of the government first hand, I have also observed the impact and power that an administration has over policy making; at times this can be a negative or a positive. The only thing I have concluded is that it is a challenge and sometime even a battle to make progress working at the EPA. However, it is also rewarding and empowering. I have seen the influence that the EPA has in passing adequate legislation. I have also seen the brilliance of those who work at the EPA.

Seeing both pros and cons to employment at the EPA, and knowing that any career will contain some of the same conflicting characteristics, I really cannot conclude whether I want to pursue a career with the EPA or not. There is not doubt, however, that I have gained valuable insight.

As for Washington D.C. itself, being that I am a small town boy born and raised in New England, this city experience is very new to me. Maybe I am just indecisive, but I cannot determine if this is the atmosphere for me. I enjoy being busy and having a variety of things to do at any given moment, such as only the city can offer. At the same time I value quite, nature, and country life. The museums and culture are phenomenal here, but the constant pace and social politics are not appealing to me.

Perhaps by the end of the semester I will have more conclusive feelings regarding my future, the EPA, and the nation's capital. But for now I will just continue enjoying my time here and take in everything that I can. After all, there's no doubt that this is the opportunity of a lifetime!

Until next week…

One of the many sites of interest D.C. has to offer!

Week 6

This week I had some great opportunities come my way...

The professor for my Science and Policy class took us on what amounted to a private tour of the Library of Congress (LOC) Jefferson Building. Now, I must say I spend a lot of time at the UNH library studying, and I like to think that we have a nice library, but to compare it to the LOC is to liken grape juice to fine wine.

The LOC is so much more ornate that I had initially expected. After all, its main purpose was to serve as a library for Congress...how nice did it really need to be? I was way off; the LOC is one of the most elaborate buildings I have ever toured. The ceilings all have beautiful art covering every inch, the walls are filled with moldings and enclaves with statues, and everything seems to have a deeper meaning. In the main reading room, although books were absent from view, there were several intellectual themes represented. For example, philosophy was illustrated in the space where the wall and ceiling met with art and continued down a portion of the wall. Each theme was depicted in two statues--one representing a figure related to the theme in the “Old World” and the other representing the same theme in the “New World."

Some of the ornateness

The juxtaposition of the Old and New Worlds was evident all over the building. There were different colored marbles used, the colors being based on the marble’s origin in either the Old or New World. There were also some interesting representations of sports in the LOC. As our teacher explained (he gave the entire tour, providing us with information that I doubt the other docents even knew), the Old World way of depicting athletics--i.e. the Olympics--traditionally showed competitors in the nude. So, there were images of nude men playing both football and baseball--the two American or “New World” sports. It's funny because I find it hard to believe that either would ever really be played without a protective cup...nude seems out of the question.

Babies, representing the occupations of Americans (pre-Child Labour Laws?)

Overall I was very impressed with the LOC, I hope to obtain a reading pass before I leave DC so that I can go there to study, which in any case would be exciting, but for me would also being convenient given its general proximity to the EPA headquarters.

Minerva, goddess of wisdom (and war, among other things) and the "mascot" of the LOC.

At my internship, I had the opportunity to attend a significant meeting of the Science Policy Council (SPC). My experience working with the Science Advisor to the Air Office of the EPA has allowed me to see a great deal of interesting deliberation at the high management levels. Thus, I have had the chance to see some very real decision-making in action. There were representatives from a number of offices at the SPC, and it was interesting to see how they all interacted and discussed issues as a result of their different backgrounds. After all, some were more administrative...others came from the Office of International Affairs, the Office of the Science Advisor (for all the EPA), and others still came from the Superfund Office. So the conversations covered a wide array of issues pertaining to the orientations of the different offices.

I am glad to report no injuries this week, just some positive experience here in the nation's capital.

Until next week…