Independence Day!

Another blog, Katherine? Really?

Yep.

I've got 7-8 weeks here in D.C. and have found that writing these posts, adding pictures, etc. really clears my head and helps me to remember and to share my experience through a fun medium. So welcome to my adventures, part 2.

Today was Independence Day, and it was fantastic. I went to the National Archives at 9 AM to hear a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence by John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin as well as two sports-type people. The sports people, particularly the Capitals defenseman, were the epitome of why (to sound incredibly snobby) you leave the reading of intellectual documents to, well, intellectuals. The stumbling over words made it more difficult to catch the full gist. In the middle, however, were the crimes of King George read by the three actors, and these were fantastic. We booed after each one, and got awkwardly silent after the last, which referred to American Indians as terrifying savages who killed people in horrible ways. They then read all of the signatories and led us in rounds of "Huzzah!". Huzzah is one of the most satisfying victory words I've ever tried to use. So much better than "yay!". Then the parade started. It was an extremely stereotypical American parade, full of high school marching bands, floats, and military men.

I then met up with Annemarie, Vicky, Heidi, and General and explored Folklife, an annual festival put on by the Smithsonian. This year it featured three sections: "Rhythm and Blues" "Colombia" and "PeaceCorps", all of which are fairly self-explanatory in terms of themes. Both "PeaceCorps" and "Colombia" demonstrated new approaches that scientists and ordinary people are taking to sustainability. Among the most impressive was a bike that could be used as a maize-grinder and a cell-phone charger, and an easy formula to make your own organic pesticide. We also saw Colombian jugglers and Filipino dancers as part of our day. The whole thing was a great mix of learning and fun.

I then decided to try to walk home from the Mall myself, using the logic that I couldn't possibly go wrong by following street letters and numbers to my intersection. I was wrong. I got lost in what could generously be described as a rather deserted, predominantly African-American part of town. Panic in my voice, I called my parents and then Debra to get myself google mapped and out of there. Lesson learned: there will be no more wandering without a map and without verification of safe route by people who have been in that area before. After a stabilizing dinner at Union Pub (we got to watch highlights from that all-American favorite, the hot dog eating contest) with two of my roommates, we went up to the roof to watch the fireworks.

What was incredible was not the fireworks over the mall so much as the 360 view we had, with fireworks at every compass point. Apparently fireworks are legal in the Washington area? There were some as close as a block away, while we could also see a few far off in Virginia. The whole view was spectacular! I am now curled up on the couch, fittingly watching Will Smith vs aliens in Independence Day. This Capitol Fourth was definitely one to remember, and an experience that I owe to the wonderful people I spent it with.