A Fast, Crisp DC Visit

Yes. It's been a few days since I last updated my blog...but I have been very busy. I finished up my work at the Crisis Center a week back from today. Even though I was sad to leave, I learned a lot from my experiences there that have taught me a lot. I think I talked about this in an earlier post, but the Crisis Center was one of the big factors I decided to pursue my dream as a pilot. I know I wouldn't be happy working at a 9-5 desk job and my love to travel just cut to my core even more this semester.

This past Thursday, I left to go to Washington, DC with some classmates. For our practicum class (the class for which I worked at the Crisis Center), we had to go to DC and give a presentation to the Appalachian Regional Commission. We proposed that empty school buildings throughout Appalachia be used for community centers. Not to brag or anything, but we had the best presentation by far.

Thursday night, I was able to meet up with my friend Jordan from over the summer. If you read my blog or kept up with my pictures from this past summer, Jordan was mentioned or pictured many times. He has been a great friend to me ever since we met 2 summers ago in California and it was great to catch up with him. He is currently working with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Washington, DC. He has a good blog going about his experiences in DC...if you're up for some more reading, here is it: http://jodoggsblog.blogspot.com

Funny story. I have a fascination with airplanes...if you didn't already know this. It's bad. I could sit and watch airplanes for hours. So, there is this park in DC called Gravelly Point. It is at the end of the runway at Reagan National Airport and the planes take off right over your head! I was there about 10 years ago but never had the chance to go back. On Friday after we gave our presentation, I sat aside my whole afternoon to go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum and to ride the metro to the airport and go to Gravelly Point so I could watch some planes and take some pictures. Holocaust Museum...success. Gravelly Point...not so much. I ended up walking around the airport for an hour and a half. I finally found the trail that goes to Gravelly Point, but it was across a 4-lane highway. I walked around the airport on the verge of tears because I could see where I wanted to go but I just couldn't get to it. By this point, it was 5:00 and getting dark, so I just rode the Metro back into the city and roamed around some. It was very frustrating.

Tomorrow is my last day of classes. I only have one class left. Today, my time is going to be spent eating lunch, working out, writing a paper, and then relaxing! I have a paper due tomorrow, 2 due on Monday, and a final exam on Tuesday. Then...I'm off to Arizona to visit Colton and his family! I'm really excited about that. It's been over 4 months since I've gotten to hang out with him and I can hardly wait to Arizona to do stupid stuff and not have to worry about anything in Virginia.

I'll leave you with a few pictures from DC.

Until next time, Zach will leave it at that.