Entries by Andrews, Christopher

Whatever life it is – personal, social or professional – remember that it is too short to be nervous; too meaningful to worry; and too precious to waste.
Earlier this week I went to watch the astounding story of Philippe Petit in the amazing docufilm ‘Man On Wire’. A French tight roper, who shot to fame in a forty-five minute stunt at the World Trade Centre in Manhattan, August 1974. The feat almost defies belief. With no safety harness, support or permission, he crossed the North and South Towers eight times.
It is a true inspirational tale of human perseverance and achievement, and a documentary that I could not recommend more. He had no point to prove or banner to wave, rather it was a moment he lived for. To me the poignancy of this documentary falls in the natural conclusion every onlooker must have mused over – ‘why?’; just why would someone risk their life in such a way.
His response is perplexing, yet I believe comforting – why not?
He claims, “When I see three oranges, I juggle; when I see two towers, I walk.”
More importantly he tells, “sometimes there should be no ‘why’.”
I remember being apprehensive before applying to WIP. This has easily been the most adventurous and intense scheme that I have been involved in. I have found that you truly get out of it what you put in, and when I reflect now on ‘why?’ - why did I apply, and why should another; I’m so glad I did.
I see the answer as simple as it is obvious, that you have to make the most of your time, your opportunities.
I advise those who hope to apply next year to take very seriously what they are getting into. If you hope for a subsidised holiday, meeting famous people and a good summer away; you are misconstruing the idea.
When I first applied, much the same as everyone, it were the glamorous internships that carried the most weight. When I was told that I could intern with BBC America for the summer, I’m not sure how many times I re-read to convince myself it was true. From orientation to tomorrow night’s graduation, I remember my colleagues as first a name on a computer screen, now it is as though we’ve known one another for years.
I recall too the night before my interview as vividly I do typing up the online application. It isn’t a simple process, and I truly appreciate how difficult it was to get on. I don’t quite know why I should have deserved my place over others; I believe I would rather not know. Something was seen in each of us, that we would be good people for the program, but that in one way or another, it would be good for us.
In truth, you know, the internship wasn’t the main part of it. I may name drop and have enough stories to tell, but I have as many tales to proclaim from our WIP experience. I had the chance to see Obama speaking, that was my unrealistic goal somehow achieved. I sneakily interviewed a former Iraqi Prime Minister for my college magazine. I co-produced footage and a report for BBC’s Newsnight, and relayed tons of information about the upcoming Presidential election. Still, in WIP, we visited the United Nations, I spoke to the Catholic business network of Virginia, and listened to many a fascinating speaker. I have learnt much of U.S. culture, which I believe is often misunderstood. I have appreciated the many faults in its idealised system, and seen first hand how well regarded Ireland is held, and its role in building the nation. I have been involved in days out at Hemlock, Habitat for Humanity, and recently in Ballymun, Dublin, and I believe learnt a lot from others in this years team.
I will offer the following advice to potential applicants – be open minded.
If you believe in a United Kingdom, a United Ireland, or are rather apathetic to both, be open minded. Understand that there are great differences, and be prepared to celebrate that fact, not undermine. Look past the flag, the faith and culture of another, and see them as fellow citizens, fellow countrymen and women, friends, and welcoming neighbours.
WIP offers a testing summer. It is highly self-analytical, tiring, and requires everyone to give their all. It is amazing how easily you take for granted the opportunites it opens. For the summer we were VIP’s, coasting about Capitol Hill, our offices, and the city as though we owned the joint. The generosity is incredible, and could not happen without the support of host families, volunteers, the MT and many friends of the venture; again – never take this for granted. We pestered the MT all summer, but they may have done the same in their Class; they know truly how grateful we are however.
A Congress sponsored tour of the White House, a reception in the Capitol, the U.N., the National Press Club – if we went near those places now, we would be laughed at and turned away.
If you are not the most confident person, this summer may help; your nervousness could be evaporated, perhaps your ego enlarged further, who knows. Identify in yourself what aspects of your life may require a fresh perspective, and I’m sure this program will help you define what kind of person you are, what kind of leader you can be, and what values you hold dear. I don’t feel much different after the summer, but I sense I have grown up to a great extent. Above all else in the application process, be yourself, nothing comes across clearer than insincerity. Do not be discouraged by age – there were four first years on this years team, and a diverse mix of age that really we didn’t think of much. Even if an unnamed Edinburgh student did feel like the grandfather of the team….(there’s a test to see how many people read this from the Class of ‘08).
I echo back to the need for open-mindedness, this should be an engrained attitude in any applicant. So too, must be the degree of service that you actively pursue in your own community. I repeat – this program should not be a CV filler. I am proud to come from a working class family and background, from the Sandy Row/Donegall Road part of Belfast City. I like to hope everything I have got is through hard work and acting according to conscience. There are many problems my local community faces – mass redevelopment requirements, a youth without cohesion or belonging, a community spirit dwindling by the day, an inflow of foreign workers, vandalism, and still a culture of blatant sectarianism and paramilitary distruction – but does that mean we give up?
Giving back to your own community is where this program begins. Not every area faces such issues, I understand, but yours will face problems unique and different. Perhaps more pressing or less so, but worthy all the same.
We have major problems in Ireland of youth suicide, binge drinking, drugs and gang culture. In the North, I know we have an education system in turmoil through ministerial incompetency. Healthcare too questions the control of MRSA and funding shortages. So many elderly will die this christmas because they can’t afford basic provisions or heating. I could go on…
We have got to the stage, forty years too late, where people are actually able to swallow their pride and sit down with enemies, not friends, and sort out problems. I’m not entirely confident that many are capable of dealing with such issues we face, I have ample evidence, but that’s a side issue where my impartiality is compromised!
This is a new definition of ‘the troubles’ we face, and revolve around the need for leadership and progressive thinking. If you hold such values dear and want to advance our society, I am confident WIP will enhance your skills, and if you are sincere about the way forward, I’m sure you will have a decent chance of getting on. Do not be discouraged too if turned away the first year.
It really comes down to taking opportunities. I used the example earlier of Philippe Petit. His achievement will, for obvious reasons never be repeated. I have twice visited the site of 9/11, most recently this July on WIP. What happened there still resonates profoundly. You feel it in the echoing hallways of Trinity Church, and around the construction site where steel and metal once more will rise. I have said so before, but it was where I really began to take notice of the media, and like millions, watched every report and commentary about that September morning in 2001. I appreciate, however, how much this brought people together, not tear them apart as the terrorists had intended.
No matter how far you have to search, find the positives in life, and see the merits in this program. It is growing, and I am sure next year will be better than ours, although I will be prepared to argue with you that it wasn’t!
Think of the opportunity – in the grand scale of things, have you really anything to lose by applying?
However, whether or not you get on – have you really anything to lose by doing your bit in serving your community?
It is rather sad to think this is my last web journal entry.
Good luck to one and all.
Please feel free to let me know, by contacting candrews06@qub.ac.uk if there are any questions or advice I can help with.
Final advice if you get to D.C. – emphasise your accent – the Americans love it!
And, seriously, take thousands of photo’s!

Justin Webb – BBC America


What were you doing when you were my age?

At 19 I was working in a Black and Decker power tool factory in Maidenhead, taking a year off before university.

How did you get to where you are now?

I went to university at the London School of Economics and at the end of my course I applied for the BBC News training scheme. I got a place although delayed it by a year so that I could work for a political PR company, but basically went straight from university into the BBC; which nowadays is quite unusual.

What are your memories of reporting during the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland?

My first proper job was with Radio Ulster in current affairs, working mainly for Good Morning Ulster. It was around the time of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, so needless to say it was quite a busy period indeed. I still have very strong memories of living there, and a great fondness for Belfast. The sight of the city in those days, with pouring rain and helicopters above, troops and police on the ground, and the whole infrastructure of how it looked, but also the warmth of the people there. I was always shocked by how easy going people were about English reporters coming over, naturally trying to advance their own careers, but reporting none the less, they didn’t seem to mind. It was definitely a great time to be there and experience the whole atmosphere.
I was covering such interesting times, but as an outsider not involved. I got to know people like George Seawright, Gregory Campbell as well as quite a few from Sinn Fein that I perceived had quite obvious connections to violence; but to me there was never an issue about which side you were on. Us Brits were just so completely outside of the loop.
It was strange to me that these were people living risky, sometimes criminal lives; on the fringe of or inciting violence, and yet to someone like me they could be incredibly warm and interesting, and you felt both repelled but at the same time rather attracted to them.

Is journalism becoming increasingly regarded as a fame-seeking career?

Anyone who goes into journalism to become famous is probably wasting their time. It was possible 10-20 years ago. Kate Adie is a famous person; her equivalent in 10 years time won’t be anywhere near as famous. People view less news, different things and have far more choices than ever before. The BBC is at present being challenged to work out what we can offer to separate us from the others. Nowadays users can click on yahoo to know what’s going on. So we need to put forward those who, whether or not you agree with them all the time, can put across a sense of integrity and be respectful to the audience.

How much have you enjoyed the opportunity to keep a successful web journal, and how integral will it be in the coverage of the impending election?

When I was first approached with the idea I viewed it with real trepidation. I thought that it would be a lot of work and not much reward. It has been the complete opposite. It has been enormously rewarding to engage with people, and know that those on the Internet are not just complete nutters, but have real knowledge and interest in the subject.
The problem with this election as a news story is the extent to which everyone in Britain feels they have heard it all before. Arguably the biggest election for Britain was Obama-Clinton. To put it bluntly, what we have to do now is persuade people that John McCain is as interesting as Hillary was, and he is. We have to put it to Britain the very real possibility that McCain could win, a fact that it perhaps not that widely thought of outside the U.S. It may be less Shakespearian but fascinating all the same.

With the headline grabbing aspects of the Obama campaign, has it been difficult to maintain fairness and equality with respect to both candidates?

If he makes more news you have to cover it. When Obama speaks to 200,000 people in Berlin, that may have resulted in a net loss at home. McCain may or may not have persuaded more votes that day, who knows. McCain was at the same time in a German restaurant, but might have won more votes that day.
I have just written a book called ‘Have A Nice Day’, which comes out this September; it looks at how the US is semi-deliberately misunderstood as a country. Now, post-Bush, there are many people now taking a new look at America, and these are two candidates that both represent great change. There is a public awareness now that this is a moment in history to re-evaluate the United States, and that things are changing.

Do you prefer to be reactive to current affairs, or proactive in searching out a story?

I like to have a mix. To be frankly honest we reporters do little research. There is just so much out there that needs to be reported that the idea of me making calls to sources is slightly unrealistic. The best you can hope for is to embellish and add to stories through your own contacts, but the idea that I may go out and discover a plot to do something is very unlikely

Who do regard as the most influential person in your life?

John Humphreys. An incredible character; I first knew him when working on ‘The Today Programme’ and was always impressed by how approachable he was. He has this unstoppable enthusiasm for doing his job that is very important, and a real example to anyone who wants to be a reporter.

What do you value most in life?

I think Radio 4 actually. I feel that it is Britain’s most valuable cultural institution. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world and you truly realise that living here.

What advice do you have for university graduates hoping for a career in the media?

My advice would be to do it, but to be very, very aware that it is a time of enormous change. It may well not be the career it looks to be. You will have to be very flexible to this change, but I do not doubt that the world will still need to have reporter.

Mike Nesbitt- Commission for Victims and Survivors


What were you doing when you were my age?

At nineteen, I was at Jesus College Cambridge studying English. After that I came back to Belfast and signed up for the business management course at Queen’s for a year.

How did you get to where you are now?

Around that time I wrote to the BBC to see if I could get the presenter to read out a report that I would do on the weekends sport. They contacted me about being short of people on the radio side, and that’s how by total chance I got started.
That first year I did weekends and got offered some weekday shifts as holiday relief. I became a freelance sports reporter by accident, until 1986 when the presenter of ‘Good Morning Ulster’ went to work for RTE, so I put myself in for that, got the job, and was there for five days a week on my own. Then I took a break for two years, working as MD for a PR firm, then UTV brought me in and did all news and current affairs for thirteen years, then left, wrote a book, did some media consultancy work, and then applied for this job.

How did your coverage of the troubles influence your decision to apply for the role of Victim’s Commissioner?

Well that was obviously the Genesis of it. I was thinking of a programme we did a few days after the Shankill bomb and it was live TV where we just allowed people to speak. The first we talked to, Charlie Butler, who was a taxi driver, had been parked around the corner when it went off. He did what any decent person would do and helped in searching through the rubble. He said he lifted a particular piece of brick and he got a glimpse of a bright-multicoloured girls coat, the sleeve of it. He knew two things immediately. First it was the same coat he seen given to his niece on her birthday a couple of weeks before, and second that he knew there were no two coats like it on the Shankill Road; so he knew he was about to pull his niece’s body out of the rubble. We just let him tell his story, and although it may not seem an awful lot, but on ‘Good Morning Ulster’ you would speak to someone for three minutes and then go on to the weather or sport, so I wanted to get in a bit deeper and longer and that’s why I'm here.

Originally you had applied under the assumption there would be a single Commissioner, so what were your views in hearing there would be four?

After being very surprised and having the proposition put to me I got looking at the work programme and it is clearly more than a one-person job.


Whenever the legislation is implemented, what will your day-to-day duties involve?

The first thing we have to do; and it is a legislative imperative, is to agree a work plan with OFMDFM. We cannot spend a penny unless it is part of that work programme. My particular interest lies in education and opportunities that should be available to victims and survivors. There’s also the question about teaching and learning the conflict, and business links.

Do you recognise the problems in encouraging victims to come forward, especially those who for years have been left to grieve on their own without seeking recognition?

Reaching individuals is probably the biggest challenge. The problem also comes that we are talking as if they are a homogenous group of people. They are absolutely different. If you take Omagh for instance, there are some people who have dedicated their lives in pursuit of justice, and others have taken nothing to do with it, the legal action or the support groups. You can’t put a valued judgement on one group over the other; they are both equally valued outlooks. There are others who don’t want you to reach out, but as long as they know that you’re there for them then it is perfectly valued to say thanks but no thanks.

Is this the right time for a Victims Commission to be established?

I think it is decades too late. Quite simply we should have been doing this right from the start.

What do you value most in your life?

Family. I have two boys, a wife, my mother is still alive, and my brother and sister.

Who was the most influential person in your life?

A teacher, his name was David Young. He taught English and lit a fire within me for English literature. He convinced me to try being better than the mediocre middle of the class kind of student.

Where do you see Ireland in 10 years time?

I see it wherever you want to take us. I would be very keen now that I am fifty to see my children’s generation take it forward. Politicians are there to provide leadership and address the concerns of their constituency, but also to take things forward, and possibly for once the last of those is now being realised.

Mark Carruthers – BBC Northern Ireland


What were you doing when you were my age?

At nineteen, I would have been fairly similar to where you are now. I studied Politics at Queen’s and then a Masters in Irish politics.

How did you get where you are today?

When I decided it was journalism I wanted to follow, I started writing for the Gown and did hospital radio from Musgrave Park. Towards the end of my time at Queen’s I was Assistant Editor of Theatre Ireland Magazine. I also started contributing on a freelance basis to Radio Ulster’s ‘The Bottom Line’ which was a youth programme, where I was then offered a short term contract as a radio current affairs reporter in 1989, and I’ve been here ever since as they say.

In covering the aftermath of the tsunami on Sri Lanka, how has this influenced your own approach to reports on recent disasters in Burma and China?

Maybe it’s easier. Two years before I had been to Arissa in India after they had been affected by a super cyclone, virtual identical to what happened in Burma. Those trips were very character forming, and I do feel I have a better grasp of what’s going on having witnessed the effects. I was there 3-6 months after those disasters, but the devastation was still clear to see.

Had you ever considered being a foreign affairs reporter?

I’m primarily interested in the Irish situation, but the good things about this job are that you can go away. I reported from Romania after the revolution, Saudi Arabia just before the first Gulf War, and I was speaking at a conference in Colombia last year looking at conflict resolution. So there is still a fair bit of travelling. I’m interested in foreign affairs but I don’t know if it would suit me to live my life that way.

What do you value most in life?

There’s no question that my priority has to be my wife and three kids, but I do feel a commitment also to this place and how it has changed so much in the last twenty years. A lot of my peers went to University across the water and never came back, but I have always taken the conscious decision not to go away.

How vital are programmes such as Let’s Talk to politics?

On one level I believe it’s important to have a platform where politicians are held to account on a regular basis by ordinary voters. There are lots of other discussion programmes, but few of them really put key decision makers on a programme where they can’t hide. Occasionally you do get those who will state the obvious or simply sit on entrenched positions, but there are a lot of people who clearly demonstrate critical thinking and you do see politicians shifting, or interesting alliances being formed that are quite surprising.

As a journalist, you may have your own views on health, education, policing etc. however, to what extent can it influence your reporting?

I don’t feel I have ever found it hard, but it is wise to remind yourself often. I have fairly set ideas, but my views aren’t really relevant. I don’t want to betray my position, or be open to the charge that I am being less than bi-partisan in my approach. I would hate to think it would lead me to be fearful of ever articulating my opinion, but at the end of the day as long as I articulate both views then that’s fine.

Who would you say is the most influential person in your life?

On a day-to-day basis it would have to be my wife, and I couldn’t do what I do without her support. I suppose what has shaped me into being a very questioning individual was my Dad. He would be my biggest defender but also my sternest critic. If he doesn’t like something he will say it.

What advice would you offer to a University graduate?

My advice would be to do what you most want to do. Of course, get the best possible degree you can first and foremost, but if you want to be a journalist, there are an awful lot of people out there who want to be journalists. If you’re prepared to work and you have the talent then you’ll do well.

Where do you see Northern Ireland in ten years time?

I’d like to think it would be peaceful as it is now, and I suspect it will be. I feel the distinction between North and South will have blurred round the edges. I certainly don’t think we will go back to the dark days of the violence, but it’s like looking into a glass ball, I’m not absolutely sure.

It is a sad reality of our time in Washington that we are now entering the long goodbye.
With our internships coming to a close and our minds focusing on home, it is easy to lose track of living in the moment and enjoying what remains.
The many times this summer I have felt ‘this is my highlight’, or wait, ‘no, this has to top it’; I’ve simply lost count.
It may be presumptive to talk about highlights, for they are constantly being overshadowed. It does not involve development, or within the curriculum we are following. Those are separate, and perhaps harder to evaluate.
On a professional basis it is perhaps obvious, attending the Obama speech. Personally it was in New York. Within the Program, however, it was the South-African Congressional Forum.
Where WIP and SAWIP are entwined, I have felt the focus was always centred on WIP, and on Irish issues. This was a night where SAWIP came into their own, and provided a stunning insight with their speeches and a fantastic event to behold.
I enjoyed it because it was staunchly separate from the UK/Ireland. In those events we sometimes hear what we want to hear, ask the obvious question and generally have our thoughts reconfirmed. This event was completely unique to the summer.
With the Democrats meeting oil-magnet T. Boone Pickens, we had twelve Congressmen and women speakers, delaying their attendance, and remarkably Rep. Donald Payne staying almost through the entirety of our proceedings.
I was able to spend a few minutes discussing with Payne of his role in the Northern Ireland peace process. He had been the one who first allowed a Sinn Fein delegation to be granted U.S. visa’s, where the first real talks of decommissioning were started in the 1990’s. He has also attended services at Drumcree church during the marching season stand-offs, and was a key figure in the origins of the Good Friday Agreement.
With due respect to the other speakers, the one who stood out was clearly Rep. John Lewis from Atlanta. I have studied the history of the civil rights movement, the march on Washington, the oppression and struggles which ensued, and so I acknowledge just how much of a coup it was to have such an esteemed guest. His role in leading student activism and as effectively one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s equals laid the path for his stunning testimony. The passion with which he spoke and the personal direction of his message was startling, and I must say he is by a distance the most powerful speaker that I have seen in person. The room was virtually silent throughout.
The evening was important in another way. While the SAWIP 2008 team were to leave on Thursday, it was Christo’s last night before travelling to Paris. Thereby, it was the last evening of our entire group together. With the reality of timing and distance, reunions are possible, however, I would doubt that we will ever have the whole group together, in fact, that is almost a certainty.
It is strange to say such emotional goodbyes to a group that we’ve only known for six weeks. The experiences we have had, the people we have met, and the summer which has gone before has united us all. To listen and discuss the problems facing their continent has been eye opening, and I feel important in reflecting on our own. We have learnt a lot, and shall never forget.
I won’t pretend to be an Afrikaan speaker, well not fluent at any rate. In fact I can’t speak a single word of it.
Although it is only right thereby to conclude by saying this - 'Totsiens my vriende'. Goodbye my friends!

It had been a very unrealistic goal of mine for the summer, that if the slightest chance arose, I wanted to go to see a speech by Democrat presumptive nominee, Senator Barack Obama.
There are many things that I both agree on and disagree with his policies, and if asked honestly, I would prefer his brand of politics. However, since I’m an impartial observer as a BBC intern, I wanted to view it as a spectacle.
I had been told earlier in the summer that I would need officially recognised press credentials and to be reserving my place to get in, so the opportunity seemed a distant dream of ever getting there.
On Tuesday though, I went along with a producer and cameraman from the bureau to conduct vox-pops (interviews) outside the Woodrow Wilson Centre where he was due to speak. A few supporters and the odd McCain protestor were all we needed, and then we were to head back to the office. Fortunately, our Arabic Services correspondent wished to do a piece to camera, and asked us to meet her there.
As Obama’s convoy drove past, it was interesting to see the window down, and he relaxed in the back seat. The car behind not so, with armed personnel pointing sub-machine guns at anyone with the mere thought of trying something. I thought this quick glance to be good, but little did I know that we would be granted access to the conference hall. By sheer fortune I had chosen today to bring my passport with me, knowing that, as time draws near to the end of the internship, if something came up, I wasn’t going to miss it.
By the kindness of the lady on the press registration, we were able to convince her that I was an intern accompanying them into the hall, and she somehow gave me a press pass.
As I say, reporting this purely as a spectacle, it was some event to behold. Usually you expect to see reporters recording the speech, yet writing down quotes and summaries, they weren’t. From what I seen, many were captivated, clearly having had to put their names down quick to gain entry. I had never seen the like of it before.
I was standing alongside representatives, and who knows, maybe some of the top men and women of ABC, CNN, CBS, PBS, and also some non-journalistic organisations like Fox News. Nobody had taken the place at the dead centre camera position of the podium, and I was able to sit there. With the press pass the freedom to roam and also to take photos was incredible. Our guys left to cover reaction from outside, yet thankfully phoning back to the bureau they let me stay on to watch the rest of the hour-long address.
It was to go up as the BBC’s leading story, where it was argued to be his most significant to date. It related to foreign affairs, Iraq, the Middle East, and nuclear weapons, with his intention to portray his image as Commander-in-Chief. I have since recorded the tape to DVD as a momento. While he used an autocue of course, his pace and control was astonishing. It was practically a master-class in how to deliver a speech. At the start and end the cameras were flashing, yet if one went off during the speech, it almost pierced the tension and hold he had over the room. That isn’t to describe it as a cult; there were no banners or wild supporters, it was a very serious speech, about very serious problems, and I can say I could hardly believe my luck being there.
Later that afternoon, with the New York tiredness completely taken away after the morning, I went along with Adam Brookes, Defence Correspondent, to the Iwo Jima Memorial to record a concluding piece to a package on the Obama/McCain stances on foreign policy. Also including the footage from the speech, it went onto the 10 O’Clock News back at home, and it was great to see how it was put together.

Furthermore, Matt Frei graciously allowed me to speak with him for a while on the success of BBC America and his own views on the media. I was to stay in and watch from the studio his recording of BBC World News America from 6-6.30, and had an awesome photo taken with him inside.
After all this came the celebrations for Lauren’s 20th Birthday in Dupont Circle.
If ever there was a day that defined the summer for me. This was, is, and will be my highlight. It was a great experience to see the behind the scenes set-up, and how the media were organised, but I truly felt, as I stayed by myself at this speech, that I was looking at the man who will probably become the next President of the United States of America; that for me was quite special.

What an incredible couple of weeks we’ve just had.
I said at the start how I would not believe I was in Washington until I stood at the Lincoln Memorial and looked down the Mall. At this stage I’m not sure what I have to do to realise the significance of the events and prestigious opportunities that are coming our way.
For everyone (not to be overly presumptive), this summer will go down as one of the most memorable we’re ever likely to experience.
From the heights of the Congressional Forum and our meeting with Senator Clinton, if we thought our summer was reaching a peak, it was upped another gear.


So, metaphorically we grabbed our vagabond shoes, prepared to make a brand new start of it, and felt, if we can make it in Washington, we can make it just about anywhere; so… New York, New York, we were on our way.
After a gruelling four hour bus journey we arrived bleary eyed, soon to be pierced open by the sights and sounds of the metropolis that is the Big Apple. Our hotel was incredibly two blocks from the Empire State Building, a corner away from Times Square, and an avenue down from Fifth. After the shopping was done and we were fully refreshed, the group reunited for dinner under the State Building. I’ll be fair, the dinner was definitely up there, as one of the worst. The night, was interesting to say the least.

Paddy McGaughey, a WIP old boy kindly donated his apartment for the evening to us complete strangers. Paddy, if you’re reading this, I speak on behalf of the group how insanely jealous we are of the view from your balcony and rooftop!
The view across the skyline was indescribable. The word ‘unbelievable’ is overused, but in these terms, the photo’s don’t do it justice at all, it was breathtaking almost.
The indecisiveness I have often referred to was out that evening in force, with our group barely capable of agreeing to, or settling on a place to spend the night.
With my experience in New York last year I knew the one thing I wanted to return to was the setting of Times Square at night. At around 2 a.m. there are actually more people there than during the day. The lights and scope of the advertisements is truly a sight to behold, and was one of the lasting memories of this trip as it was last.


On the Sunday, we had to meet at a ridiculous time in the morning. With many a war-torn face amongst the late arrivals, we travelled to Bethesda Fountain in Central Park for breakfast. Afterwards, upon everyone else dispersing to shopping, boating or otherwise, myself, Phil, Matthew and Luke made our way to the site of Ground Zero, and of the World Trade Centre.
It didn’t resonate with me as much as my first visit, but it is still something very symbolic. I can vividly remember the coverage of the time, and I believe it did push me on to take a much greater interest in the media. The international circumstances that have derived from what happened there are remarkable. It is now simply a construction site. Freedom Tower will soon replace it by 2012, but as I said in my speech last Friday, it was a moment where the world stood still, but stood tall together.

The momento’s, cards, poems and memorabilia laid inside St. Paul’s Chapel are perhaps the most emotional aspect of the area, and I’m happy to have seen some of them. It was almost disgusting last year to see people taking photos of themselves at the site as though it was a star attraction. While I did take photo’s, it is a site of disaster, and one that should be respected. I would do the same at Auschwitz.
I was similarly amazed at the nerve of the street trader who offered Matthew a photo album for sale showing the images from the time. This was a man so desperate for a sale that he was using this tragedy to sell as a souvenir. I would like to point out to this person that there is no WTC gift store; instead there is only a donation box for the victims and survivors. Yes, we went as tourists to see the site, but there are lines you do not cross.

Taxiing it back to Pier 83, we were about to experience about the most polar opposite side of New York… ‘the beast’.
A 50mph speedboat racing down the Hudson, alongside the landscape, to reach the statue of liberty, and to be soaked to the skin, this was quite an adventure. It isn’t a typical tourist venture, but I would recommend to anyone. We were properly drenched, each and every one of us, with the crew contributing with buckets of ice cold water to add to the salty residue from the river below.
On we turned then to Harbour Lights, a restaurent in Pier 17, one of my favourite areas during my trip last year. With spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge, which we later walked across and back, and great food by an Irish staff, it was nice to dry off and kick back. After Brooklyn, Times Square was for the second night in a row our destination as we followed on to the hotel, a little tired, a little sunburnt, and a little bit wrecked.


On Monday, it was time for the real reason we were here. Credit for the seemless organisation of the trip resides with Colm and Aileen, although notably Mr O’Siochru, and with Col. B. Fitzgerald, Military Adviser to the Irish Mission, who laid on a fantastic assortment of events at the United Nations. Little did I think I would ever be back in this building, let alone within a year.
Unfortunately we never had a chance to tour the functioning buildings of the U.N., but we did get meeting with some senior and insightful figures therein.
First of, was Paul Kavanagh, the Irish Ambassador to the U.N., who spoke with us at length about Ireland’s role within the U.N., both historically in its earliest days, to todays commitments where it clearly punches above its weight in many spheres.
Afterwards we made our way through to the concourse of the General Assembly building, where we met with Eva Busza (Strategic Planning Unit – Secretary General’s Office), Steven Feller (Peacekeeping Operations), and later with Ted Maly from UNICEF. It was a superb day, very memorable, and did bring back a lot of great memories also.

The trip back was fun. With the bus to ourselves this time, the sing-songs were possible, although with many sleeping, it mightn’t have had the same force as the return trip from Hemlock. Still, it was above average, and made it seem a lot shorter than our first gruelling journey through Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and NYC.

I could never live for an extended time in New York. It is a claustrophobic place, and I imagine the novelty would wear off pretty quickly. People are a lot more individualistic I feel, the streets are awful, the traffic is shocking, pollution is ridiculous, and the commercials are suffocating.

It is an astonishing place to visit, and I will be back many a time again, but little more. I was almost relieved to get back in D.C., which feels quite strange.
It does go without saying though… New York, New York, it’s a helluva town.

Following on from the eventful Fourth of July, breaks or respite has been few and far between.
I am searching around for what I actually have left to do in Washington, I must be close to being granted citizenship...

Here follows what has been a very memorable week -


Saturday - 05 July
A Day At The Zoo...

One of the greatest things about Washington, and there are many, is the Smithsonian institution. The parklands, museums, events and festivities that are all laid on free not only save a fortune, but are an amazing asset to tourists and locals alike.
On Saturday, we took advantage of this by heading to the zoo. Not having been to the one in Belfast for years, I'm not sure our little one in Cave Hill can compare. It was Gary, Heather, Mary, Alan and I who jumped at the chance, and we weren't disappointed. The sloth bears were legendary, and the orang-utans were putting on a show. I wasn't too keen on the panda's. Just because they are near extinction they seem to think they own the place. Bit too arrogant for my liking, someone really needs to give them a reality check or their fans will fast turn against them. Besides this though, no complaints...

Sunday - 06 July
A Day At The Gallery...

Thanks to Joyce, we were treated to an expert guided tour of the National Art Gallery. Seeing works by Rembrandt, Picasso, Matisse, Rodin and Jackson Pollock, it was a great introduction to some very recognisable pieces. Of course it must be noted that the gallery contains the only Da Vinci painting in the Western Hemisphere, Ginevra de'Benci. I found it great too that photographs were allowed, and there were no guardrails, only guards, so it was easy to look in detail at these priceless works of art. As I have often said, I have doubts over the virtues of modern art. Drawing a dot on a page and passing it off as talent, or creating a cube and describing it as genius is beyond my appreciation I'm afraid.
Afterwards we went up to Mount Vernon Estate, the original, and renovated home of George Washington. Containing the original bed in which he died, his writing desk, the key to the Bastille that he was presented with by France, and his tomb; it was fascinating, and a great day out.

Monday - 07 July

It was a long day, but it was worth it. With some high profile speakers, it was a day of great organisation from our MT.
First off, the humour of Mark Shields (PBS, CNN), the experience and Harold Ickes (Bill Clinton's Deputy Chief of Staff), and the knowledge of Dotty Lynch (CBS), provided a superb day for us media students, and I hope the others as well. Enough said about the South African reporter who followed; how someone so clearly pressing several agenda's can think of themselves as a journalist is beyond me.
After all this, and as if it weren't tiring enough, we travelled to St Albans school, where we took part in a mock debate, completely non-serious and a good laugh. The American who deliberately spoke near 200 words a minute had us in stitches, and if anything, probably won the argument that Obama would be better than McCain.

Tuesday - 08 July

Taking my lunchtime to work on my speech, I should probably describe what I have been asked to do. The 'leadership moments' that each of us are required to perform involve speaking at a high profile function during the summer. The evening previous I had been informed that I would be speaking on friday, at the Association of Catholic Businesses Breakfast.
I will joke that I am the token prod on the panel, but if anything that may enhance the value of speaking at this. At first glance I would say I am comfortable with whatever they chose, although again, as I say, it is an odd venue for me to address.
Meeting in the evening with Peter, Aoibhin and Fiona, with Colm overseeing, we discussed on the subjects, and reviewed what we already have. I am quite convinced we have an excellent group. Bring it on!

Wednesday - 09 July
A Day Of Clinton's, Congressional Forum's and Baseball

This may just be the best day of the summer. Working with Defence Correspondent Adam Brookes on the Irani testing of Shehab missiles, and the possible implications this may have on Israel and the U.S., it was a day of juggling several things. I did, however, have to leave early, meeting Gary, and randomly Richard Schwartz and Dave O'Brien, as we had ventured into their building on pure coincidence. I was taken up to the balcony, with an incredible panoramic view of the city.
At 2.30, WIP '08 met in the Senate offices, to meet Senator Hillary Clinton. Organised fantastically by Aoibhin, I'm sure the whole class want to thank you a lot for your efforts.
We had all of 10 minutes with Hillary, with a photo opportunity and the briefest of brief comments from her, but in fairness, we hardly expected 'An audience with...'
As we overcame the jealously of Peter running off to meet big Barack, I did actually see Obama's car head off into the Mall, not that I realised it at the time.
At the Congressional Forum, it was remarkable to see several Congressmen filing in and out, keen to speak with us. I thought that Patrick Kennedy was a great speaker, while being able to bring along figures such as Donald Payne, Peter King, Jim Walsh, Caorlyn McCarthy, Joseph Crowley, Patrick Murphy, and others, was quite an achievement. It truly shows the Irish-American connection in U.S. politics, and furthermore that these people are not untouchable, and are willing to take the time to help. Our speakers, Lauren, Catherine, Luke, Fiona, and Laura, were superb, and again, very fair in their comments, and fluid in their delivery. It makes Friday a hard task to overcome... ie - follow that!
After the Murphys pub quiz winnings, the Nationals tickets against the Arizona Diamond Backs were ready to use. We missed the first few innings, however, we seen the Nat's win their first game in six, and one of their only ones of the season. The atmosphere was shockingly poor, almost non-existent; but as a spectacle, seeing fireworks jet off for a home run, and t-shirts fired into the crowd, it was a great night out, and some of the best seats in the ground.

As we reach the halfway point I feel it is only fair to properly cast the mind back on what I feel has been the most constructive and worthwhile elements to the Program.

First off, our trip to Hemlock.
I will confess to being slightly apprehensive, mostly through lack of knowledge, about our trip into the depths of woodland Virginia. An outdoors adventure place with zip-wiring, mud pits, mosquito’s swarming around, relying on others for your safety, and a forecast of mid 30’s Celsius didn’t give me much to go on.
In truth, the activities weren’t that stretching. It was not the army assault course I had expected or had been described. It was though, an example to see our leadership in action.
Others may have described the activities in detail, however, there were a couple of points I wish to dwell on which I feel developed at Hemlock.
It can’t have escaped the opinions of others too that this is perhaps the most indecisive collective of people I have been amongst. It took us close to 15 e-mails to arrange a bus from Belfast to Dublin airport; any time we plan to meet it becomes an ordeal, and in fairness, the simplest of organisational plans tend to run amok in some way!
As a group of 26 (plus seven South Africans and MT), it is near impossible to get consensus on logistical grounds, that is understandable; but I have been very impressed by the lack of cliques and smaller groups, which I feel unnaturally haven’t developed. Of course that doesn’t mean everyone knows each other on an equal level, but we are very inclusive and not at all disconnected. That may have just jinxed it, but I feel it is nice to reflect on the unity within the group. Credit must go to the MT and the original interviewers for their efforts. Hemlock can be seen as a catalyst to genuinely getting the group to interact constructively. Any other time it has been as tourists, or for business, this time it was to get a practical task sorted.
It is true that competitiveness and determination arose a little too strong in the group I was part of, where the challenge to mount a human pyramid upwards of 14ft proved a step too far. We had to somehow place a bar through hoops at such heights, whilst involving the whole group. It is the reality of the situation that it took the guys to structure things in terms of lifting others, so arguably we may have dominated the challenge, though again, this was sometimes out of necessity. I did appreciate the many that were not included or felt their voices weren’t being heard. Metaphorically this challenge showed a lot to us, and we reflected on this afterwards.
I have to say we made a good job of the tightrope challenge, where we had to split an already large, merged group, and get both to reach opposite ends, passing one another. It seemed impossible to me right from the start, and took forever before anything advanced, but once a system was established to get people through, it all became clear. Fully relying on each other for support and balance, this is where the element of trust was courted and exploited out of necessity. Necessity; as otherwise we would fall. See how I work on those metaphors…!
Afterwards I can only thank the O’Hara family for kindly opening up their stunning home to us. I was quite sad to leave! Talking of that unity in our group, there were about 40 other people who would say the same!

As we entered week four, one of those events I looked forward to came with Mt Lebanon Baptist Church. In what proved an overtly political, pro-Obama sermon from Pastor Edmonds, I do acknowledge he may have wished to avoid a scriptural discussion due to the secular, diverse make-up of our group. Instead he placed emphasis on the need to remove labels from our mind, where we look past race, religion and culture to see people for what they really are. That, in theory, is a fundamental cornerstone to WIP, and something I hope we can bring back. The gospel choir was incredible of course, as were our own musical performers.

On Monday it must be noted the meeting with Irish Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Collins. As a career diplomat, his stance was predictable on issues such as cross-border cooperation, and on encouraging U.S. investment, however, he was keen on the issues being tackled by WIP, and was very decent in taking the time at the end to go round each of us which I thought a very nice touch.
I posed the question to him that as the Northern/Southern businesses develop competition, will this conflict with the Republic’s desire to stabilise the Northern economy. He interestingly agreed with this premise, claiming that it does show a great conflict of interests and a fine line for the Irish government to tread as the ‘Celtic Tiger’ boom appears to lull.

Briefly touching on the rest of the week, it became an increasingly slow time at BBC Washington, with news appearing to slow to a halt ahead of the Fourth of July celebrations. On Tuesday as a group we had a slightly underwhelming tour of the White House. I suppose it is quite significant post-9/11 to be granted a tour, and I appreciated it, but it was incredibly short, and being self-guided took the experience down a dimension. It was a shame too that George W. wasn’t able to fit himself into our schedule. Busy people that we are, George mate, you need to give us more notice.
Earlier that day I was able to interview Jamie Coomarasamy, from BBC World, who also kindly agreed to attend the following evening’s event at the D.C. Bar Association. This was a fantastic event, where a highly distinguished media panel were quizzed by Zelda as host and the floor on issues ranging from technology, to journalistic responsibility, bi-partisanship and coverage of the ‘War on Terror’. I found it good on personal grounds, but speaking with others it seemed to be a much wider success. Afterwards came the real success, when Matthew, Phil and Cliona took on three of Georgetown University’s brightest debating champions on the contentious topic of closing Guantanamo Bay. As someone who watched every minute of the weeks Senate Hearings into the issue, I have to say you three certainly held your own. By a mile you had the best side of the argument, but that only means so much.

When it came to Thursday, much credit must be paid to John for suggesting a meeting to focus on the real reason we’re here, constructively embracing the diversity of our group. We talked of the future of Ireland as a whole, and both North/South, with each person permitted three minutes to share their views before a more open discussion developed… and pizza arrived.
On a serious note, the night was very insightful and there were a number of issues raised that I found quite interesting. Certain things deserve to stay unsaid, though it was clear that our generation is adopting a more engaged dialogue view rather than extremist, polar opposite stances. To many from the Republic, the relevance of the Northern situation to their daily politics seemed a distant news story; while to we Northerners, a reality check seems to be the consensus, that a British connection or united Ireland move must have the overwhelming support of the people, and in a stable society.
I found it very constructive. I had reservations of people feeling they couldn’t speak openly so as not to offend; but really, the more open we are, the better for all.

Again, back to the more touristy side of our trip by the Fourth of July, where following a game of ultimate Frisbee and afternoon barbeque we travelled down to the Lincoln Memorial for one of the best spectacles in the U.S. calendar. With over half a million people lining the national mall, the rain easing off, the concert finished, the camera’s at the ready, and the excitement mounting, thus began the most incredible firework demonstration I’ve ever seen. It was a clear showing of U.S. patriotism and history, of people coming together, and the feeling that at that moment, you would rather be nowhere else in the world...

Feel this is a nice thing to document. Can't believe it was the one moment I neglected to take a photograph on this entire trip though!
Leaving the quiz at Murphy's Irish Pub in Alexandria, Virginia, heading up motorway towards Chevy Chase, a partially blacked out car pulls up beside us at traffic lights. Another, a landrover behind, with CIA officials. In front car sits Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, returning home from a joint fundraiser held with Barack Obama in downtown D.C.
Naturally we were waving, and as they were taking off I could see her waving back.
Not sure if I ought to publicly name the street, but we know for a fact they were turning into her home street.
I don't know if Bill was beside her (although my guess is he was at the event also, so probably was), but it's a nice thought to think the former leader of the free world, and the most realistic female candidate for President were in the car beside us. Still can't believe her nerve in citing her role in the NI peace process though! Still - not bad for a drive home...

Oh, and we won the quiz! My sincerest thanks go to the intelligence, perseverence and determination in the face of fierce competition to the following: (alphabetically, because everyone deserves equal credit...though some were more equal than others...)
Peter Mannion
Sarah McKegney
Kieran O'Connor
Joyce Schwartz
Gary Simpson


It was a tough battle, but the Nationals tickets for July 9th are ours...
Our team name - 'One Team In Ireland'.... as the saying goes... 'If Carlsberg did pub teams....!'

If we were to take a quick straw poll of our Class of 2008, asking each what the primary reason they applied to the Program was for, I'm sure the words 'high-profile internships' may underpin each answer. Undoubtedly it is the biggest draw, but really it has little to do with the biggest sell of this Program.
After our first week within such placements, I believe we can all grasp the notion that WIP is a bit more significant. It baffles me to think where the last two weeks have gone. Where I can account for the time and have loads of photos and memories to prove it, it still feels so recent that we were applying, then getting an interview, then sorting out a visa, then making sure we could get business cards, then ensuring we would all get the right bus to the airport, and walking into the terminal in that blistering heat.
We have been treated as VIP's for the first week, and then dispersed the second. Whilst I can appreciate how much I have enjoyed my first week with the BBC, we are quite unanimous in thinking it was a shame to split apart for a few days, even though we've all known each other for barely a fortnight as it is!
On Monday, first and foremost it is only right to acknowledge our introduction to SAWIP, several South African students, who are integrated into and affiliated with our group for much of the summer. From brief conversations all seem really friendly, although I am not too sure I would be after the nightmare 30-hour flight and travel complications that they had to endure just to be here. It is fascinating that WIP aims to bring students from across the diversity of Ireland, whereas we too can learn from the experiences of another such historically divided land.

As Tuesday arrived, and as I mentioned, it was strange to feel we were going our separate ways for the first real time.
I do appreciate the time that members of staff have afforded to me in the Bureau, all of which I do feel have set me well on the learning curve at such an early stage. I have experience using Final Cut Pro, the film editing software, but to be allowed to sit alongside some of the finest editors and watch them shows the benchmarks and standard I need to look toward. Richard Lister pointing me through a report he filed on rising food prices, seeing Matt Frei presenting World News America, Gavin Hewitt affording me half an hour of his time for an interview (which I shall publish shortly), and being treated more as an employee than what a stereotypical intern may be seen as, is really quite fantastic.
While most of our WIP'ers will be working on projects, or have set agenda's, it's not really like that at all with the BBC. If a story comes through, or a press conference is called, everyone will be mobilised accordingly. The media is about reporting the present impartially as opposed to working on a project which has a set goal. It is an incredible internship in this respect, for I genuinely have little idea what may come through the office on any given day, or if and when a major story could break. Being on the news desk it does mean times when very little happens and others were people will be frantically sorting things out.
With respect to the BBC I don't want to say too much about individual stories or their employees, but only to thank them for treating me professionally and being very encouraging. They too were no doubt in my position when starting out, so it's good to see they can appreciate I wish to gain as much experience as possible.

Just have to conclude by saying thanks to Gary, Alan and Sarah for a great day on Saturday; seeing around the Washington Monument, the Natural History Museum, the National Archives and the National Air and Space Museum. As a day with nothing planned to spend it looking through the original U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, the Bill or Rights and such documents in the Archives was quite special.


I'm still convinced that stealing them is do-able. This is where my Belfast nature comes out as I look at them thinking - 'huh, wonder what they'd fetch on eBay', rather than, 'flip, these bits of paper are actually quite important'. I'll get to work on it... and also hope the F.B.I. don't read this blog too often. Surely they were flagging security up when they seen an Irish lad wearing a Linfield top enter the building.
I'm still shocked that the Magna Carta was thrown to the side of the room and being ignored. Surely it was more significant than the rest of those documents put together... Little bit of American symbolic payback to their former owners perhaps......?
(*I'll leave it there before getting too controversial...!!*)

It is apt that as I sit here in BBC Washington that I shall account for my first day of my internship.
I am presently in front of several small screens showing live feeds from Congress and the Senate, Sky News, ABC, CNN, BBC World News, footage of George Bush speaking from the Rose Garden, Obama conducting a rally in North Carolina and the Euro's with France v Italy, and Holland v Romania.
I am waiting around until 6pm, when World News America begins, hosted by Matt Frei. With those on the Program meeting at Dupont Circle at 6.30pm, a short 5 minute walk from me, I have time to spare.
Today I was asked to video log the Senate hearings of the Guantanamo Request, looking at the abuse of power and allegations of improper treatment of detainees in contravention to the Geneva Convention on Human Rights. It will undermine the authorities at the very high levels of the current administration, and is no doubt a major story given a recent Supreme Court decision on the situation. It was fascinating. I had to summarise the proceedings, logging times and highlights to use as a leading feature for BBC World News. At lunchtime I found it strange to be sharing a lift with Matt Frei and Gavin Hewitt, before being introduced. Two journalists who I have a lot of respect for, and I guess it adds itself to those many surreal WIP moments.
The nature of a media internship is a role constantly on the move and changing which I feel I can cope well with. The people are great and the chance to keep up-to-date with the media back home is also useful.

It took us a long time to get here; a very long time.

With Neal's luggage tilting the plane to a 45 degree angle, and Andrew sparking frantic security alerts across Toronto International Airport, the adventure truly began in style.
Never before have I felt so much has been crammed into one week without it involving exams. The second we stepped off the plane in D.C. the tiredness was swept away. Not by the inspiring sights of the Washington Monument or the Pentagon from the air, but the sheer volume of heat that hit us even before leaving the terminal building.
Record breakers right from the off, it is a great statistic that we arrived in 38.8C heat (102F), which broke a record set in 1874... not a bad way to start!
If I may allude to one slight downside to such a temperature, and as all within the group will testify, it is not fun to wear a suit in such weather, play sports in such weather, or even consider stepping outside at all!
Emerging through the terminal we were greeted by an ensemble of people so happy and welcoming to see us that we may have appeared morbid in comparison given our long journey.
I am staying in the beautiful town of Chevy Chase, which is on the border of Maryland and D.C., effectively a borough of the main city and only 10 minutes walk from a handy metro station, their subway network. I am with Gary Simpson, a fellow Man Utd and Northern Ireland enthusiast, although catching much of the Euro's has proved tricky given time difference. We are both staying with Richard and Joyce Schwartz, a fantastic couple who have as mentioned been so incredibly generous with their time and efforts for us. In a place so far from home they have made the transition so easy and it has been great getting to know them. It has been insightful even sitting down discussing politics, the thoughts on the Presidential race, and about D.C. in general.

I feel after this brief synopsis it's better to break it down day-by-day to what's happened so far. I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I can do it justice.


MONDAY:

Sunday was more a day to rest, followed by a relaxed host family barbeque that evening. Monday was to be the official launch.
I found it amusing that we were given the simplest of places to meet - The White House. When arranging a meeting back home, nowhere sounds quite so glamourous let's face it. As little red dots from sharp-shooters hovered around our loitering group of interns, we headed to the WIP Office for brief introductions and admin. The main event of the day, and to kick off our orientation would be a tour of the Newseum. I didn't hold much expectation before it, and while I may have found some of the journalism side of things more insightful than other people, everyone seemed to quite enjoy it. They had the largest extract from the Berlin Wall outside of Germany, the radio mast from atop the World Trade Centre, and many smaller, fascinating exhibitions and great interactive facilities. I would definitely recommend it.

TUESDAY:

I won't dwell on it too long, but this was the warmest day I've ever known. Famously Washington is known for being built on a swamp, and it certainly does make the air a lot more dense, and the heat an awful lot more unbearably humid. This was the day of Oakley's death tour.
It also saw the first seminar of sorts, where we were taken to the Department of Education to take a quick look at a Harvard model for personality traits. We had to look at assigning ourselves by colour code depending on how we see and act on different scenarios and thought processes. All I know is I am a 'red', which regardless of my hair colour supposedly means I look out for other people. If anyone disputes this, take the issue up with Harvard not me...
The tour was, as one may assume, of the various memorials and monuments which enrich the tapestry of Washington's history. First stop Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for around 280,000 former U.S. service men and women, dating back since the Civil War. It is hard not to be taken aback by the seemingly endless rows upon rows of white headstones. We paid visit to the gravesites of John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert, and to the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers. We stayed to watch the changing of the guard, and again, not to explain too greatly, this was genuinely the warmest day I have known. How those men could wear such impeccable military uniforms and be so incredibly disciplined is beyond me as those around me gasped for air wearing t-shirts and shorts.
Grateful for the air conditioning on our bus we headed round to the Lincoln Memorial, which is close proximity to those of Vietnam and Korea. On from there to the Roosevelt Memorial and a stroll back along the banks of the Potomac ended a very enjoyable, if highly uncomfortable afternoon.

WEDNESDAY:

Perhaps we now had the chance to see the level of insight and connections that WIP affords to us. We were to have a very priviliged tour of the Library of Congress; and when I say priviliged, in the sense that we were close to documents of American history that are (for some reason) not on public display. The curator for the special manuscripts section talked us through a selection of priceless items, including personal letters from JFK, Thomas Jefferson, Benedict Arnold, key decisions from Supreme Court rulings (Brown v Board 1954), the telegram that proclaimed Pearl Harbour as 'this is not a drill', and many many more. An amusing one was a letter from Abraham Lincoln to a girlfriend at age 28, asking to cancel their acquintance, and in such gentlemanly terms, request she does not reply, but accept his wishes etc.
Why these documents are not on public display is beyond me; but in some regards this makes it all the more memorable that we have been close to items so valuable and which most Americans will never have the chance to see for themselves.
The tour of the library was great in itself. With Congress in full flow on Capitol Hill we were able to take a look into the Congress members private library, which again isn't open to public access; had the chance to see the Gutenburg Bible, the first ever printed book in history, the first map that ever presented the word America (bought from the German Government recently for $10m), and even draft versions of the actual Declaration of Independence. For anyone even remotely interested in history, this is a fascinating place to spend time.
Perhaps slightly hypocritical as well though. The library, as with many historic buildings in D.C. was designed to show off American independence and potential in its own right, yet the monuments and emblems of Shakespeare, Bodin, Mozart, Beethoven and others adorn the walls.

THURSDAY:



For all the priviliged opportunities we have had so far, I feel I speak for the majority in saying our visit to J.O. Wilson Elementary was perhaps the most enjoyable. Certainly the best for our relationship as a group anyway. I wasn't too sure what to expect, and while I had been told it was a run-down inner city school, I didn't feel it was as disturbingly bad as had been portrayed. Certainly the neighbourhood seems rougher and the opportunities will be fewer, but arguably not to as great an extent as I presumed. One thing is clear though, it put our whole trip into a lot more perspective. I think Matthew summed it up very well when he mentioned it is horribe to think what a lot of these kids might face in 10-15 years time. Could it be prison or drugs, unemployment or poverty; really who knows.
With only a day to prepare our little exhibition was tame, yet the kids were so enthusiastic on their last day of term they were ready to throw themselves into all our activities. A quick introduction to a few words in the Irish language, a drama sketch of the 'Children of Lir', a sing-along of 'I'll Tell Me Ma', and a ceilidh later, and we were loving it as much as the classes that watched!
One reason why I say putting it into perspective relates to our events in the afternoon, where we went to meet Senator Patrick Leahy at the steps of Capitol Hill. Walking into the school casually and leaving in 'Dress Code 1' (ie - 'suits'), it was a complete contrast. Leahy is the seventh most senior member of the U.S. Senate, and by nature of this one of the most highly respected. He is presently leading Obama's search for a Vice Presidential running mate, while on a much lighter note is appearing in a cameo role in the upcoming Batman movie!
He was very good to listen to in the brief time we were able to take from his schedule, and again much like the day before, a special moment for the Program, showing the wealth of connections and resources that WIP can unlock. Thanks to Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota we had a sponsored tour of Capitol Hill, where we travelled in the rather private underground network that links the legislative office blocks to Capitol Hill. We sat in for a short time in a Senate committee to see Senator Christopher Dodds deliver a speech on energy consumption... which was still going long, long after we left. Witnessing the original Supreme Court room used fom 1806-60, and the glorious sight of the rotunda were superb, if not very surreal, much akin to a lot of our experiences.

Friday:

Today saw the 'official' launch of the Program publicly, when four of our group delivered speeches to an audience at the impressive venue of the National Press Club. I found it funny that the actress Mary Tyler Moore had a luncheon request at the same time and was refused because of our reservation of the room! It was sponsored by the Northern Ireland Bureau, meaning Gary, who is interning there was always going to be up first. He was followed by Sarah, Andrew and Elaine, who all were highly competent and diligent in how they prepared and coped in the spotlight. Indeed, setting the bar a little too high for my liking!
The evening presented a fitting end to the week with the proper host family barbeque held at Lenora Martinez's house. Best dressed in the theme of a 90's icon was definitely Neal, going as Dame Edna. Will he live it down? Only time will tell, only time will tell...

Saturday:

A good chance to relax, plans were set for the evening, but the afternoon was free for myself, Gary, Phil and Chris to head over to Westfield shopping mall for a walkabout in Montgomery County. Best way to describe it is Castlecourt, only good.
That night we were treated by Richard and Joyce to dinner in the Corduroy, one of the finest restaurents in town, where the food and atmosphere set us up for a great night. We then walked round to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre to see 'The Imaginary Invalid' by Moliere; also known as 'The Hypochondriac'. It was the best casting, setting, and deliverance of a play I have seen, and in substance definitely the funniest. Rene Auberjonois as the lead character Argan was fantastic. I remember him acting as Dr Tewksbury in two episodes of Frasier, his mentor from Harvard who, as a much older man had dated Roz (should you be familiar with the show at all).

Sunday:

Talking of surreal experiences from earlier, when Phil, Gary, Heather, Lauren and I decided to go to church on Sunday morning, it was a little different let's say. Union Station, near Capitol Hill has a cinema built into its basement, this is the church... With doughnuts being handed out free and popcorn/drinks ready for purchase, need I say how strange this was at first glance...?
All of the week had only been a prelude to the main event. It was being billed as the match of the decade by some; one that no man dared lose. North v South at Bethesda stadium, well, the astro turf behind Jonathan's house. We were told to head elsewhere soon in, especially after Peter cleaned out Phil with a 50/50. An Obama intern destroying the McCain one was rather ironic...
After I made it a 1-0 lead, we were moved elsewhere, and instead to the college football field a short walk away, where the Northern lads were inspired to an 8-6 victory. The goal-the-winner rule favoured the opposition, but it was clear who won the battle!

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As I sit here now on Monday night (Tuesday early morning in Belfast), the internships will begin for us all tomorrow. Interning with BBC America will be quite something, and much like everyone else, we are all highly looking forward to our experiences.
Thankfully the heat has cooled to something more bearable around the 30C mark. I feel guilty just saying that such a temperature comes as a relief, but it is so true! I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone in the group, and can't thank our host families, or those involved with the management enough for their trust and kindness to us all... Here's to the summer!!