There is nothing like running around in muddy woodlands to bring a group together!
Since Hemlock, the mood in the group has shifted for the better. Once you’ve been sweated on by a sizeable proportion of the group, ‘coffee conversation’ is a lot less reserved.
Monday mornings have never been a ‘happy time’ for me, but this Monday, there was a level of excitement as the Irish Ambassador, Michael Collins, was coming to visit us – as he does, sure what else would he be doing.
He spoke at length about the various positions he had been in before becoming Ambassador and how he came to this prestigious role. Being ‘fame and glory hunters’ we exalted in the fact that he had met so many important people and could recant personal stories of them.
That evening, we went to a lecture in Georgetown University. Being late in the evening, I’m not 100% sure of what it was about, but we played name bingo and it transpired that not one person in the room had ever been to the National Aquatic Gardens. Imagine that!
We went to management team dinners and I managed to nab the elusive 'Midnight Metro' home.
Our Wednesday at work was cut short by a tour of the White House. I mean honestly, how are we meant to get anything done with all these distractions? I had emails to check, bebo photos to upload… Our verdict of the White House was that the interior was slightly garish, but it definitely had potential. Understandably, a lot of the gaff is off limits to the prying eyes and souvenir thieving hands of tourists, but it was still very interesting. Also, we got to look really important walking out the front door.
That evening, WIP held the inaugural Media Forum, which I was lucky enough to mediate. Mark Leibovich of the New York Times, Nell Henderson, Senior Editor at the McKinsey Global Institute and former economics editor of the Washington Post, Craig Gordon, NewsDay Bureau Chief and James Coomarasamy from the BBC were the esteemed journalists present. Like a fleeing gazelle through rugged grasslands, I managed to maneuver the discussion from the jaws of disaster; timekeeping and being PC are not really strong points for me... Stretching out questions and provoking the panel were not as easy as my flash cards would have me believe. However what felt like a mere ten hours, the forum ended, sixty minutes after it began.
After the panel, WIPpers argued in favor of closing Gauntanamo in a debate against the Georgetown debating team. An hour table banging, dirty looks and what appeared to be some sort of calisthenics routine by a Georgetown speaker ensued. In a typical Irish fashion, we agreed to disagree and went to the pub.
The forth of July allowed us to take a day off from our grueling internships and rejoice in the USA National Beer and BBQ day!
We started off playing Ultimate Frisbee, which is, as I figured out, an actual sport. One shouldn’t turn up wearing a dress and flip-flops because you look like a fool. A damned fool. Also, for the record, ‘magenta shorts’ should also be avoided. Not mentioning any names here at all, Jonathan. We then were treated to the culinary delights of Alan, Colm and Heather for breakfast. We read the Declaration of Independence and fought over who was better, Blur or Oasis. In a typical Irish fashion, we agreed to disagree and went to the pub. However, before this we had a BBQ in the world’s most American house. It was a fantastic day and we were all delighted to have been invited, although in fairness our hosts probably had little choice…
Watching the fireworks from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as they frame the Washington Monument on July 4th is one of these ‘postcards of America’ moments. The rain was ignored as we sat huddled up on bin-liners is reverend silence. From the White House to bin-liner bedding in a mere three days… American dream in reverse, but we were happy! The ethereal display ended, we walked hand-in-hand, exchanging flowers to a bar in Dupont. There was me, there was you, there was dancing! At home time, there was me, there were no metros, there were weird taxis, but I had such a brilliant time I didn’t care! Paddy’s Day should be ashamed of itself.
Saturday was a lazy day – went for sherbet smoothies with Ginny- a paradoxal concept; Coca cola is healthier, but anyways. Went to see what we thought would be an arty French film, but turned out to be a mild-mannered Rom-Com. Went out. Stayed out. Broke a flip flop. Woke up the next day, Cliona and I had eggs.
Later that evening, the 'Virginia Seven' went to Andy’s host family for a BBQ. It really seems like all we do is go to BBQs, but this is America, after all. I played my first ever baseball game against trainee players. With wine in one hand and a bat in the other, I held my own despite the competitive efforts of Luke and Andy. Ralphy and I showed them what was what. I later passed out from all the fresh air and exercise.
