7:5 to D.C.

Being in another continent its always strange to see things from home around, so it was very surreal to meet up with my friend Sophie in D.C. this weekend, who has been on exchange down in Baton Rouge. We've known each other for 9 years since being in the same form together at school (7:5 and Mr Folley, 2004!) so it was weird to meet up 3 and a half thousand miles from home! It was great to meet up and also to meet fellow Brits on exchange from Sussex. Hopefully I'll make the return trip down to Louisiana and New Orleans next semester.

It was a chance to see some of the Smithsonians I hadn't done yet, starting with the Natural History Museum. They have a good collection of animal exhibits and sealife displays, but let's be honest, the only reason anyone ever goes to a Natural History Museum?

Dinosaurs. And yes, they were great (cue Jurassic Park music).

The National Archives don't allow photography in order to preserve its contents; the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. It was really interesting to see something I've learned about so much right in front of me, 237 years old. It doesn't have quite the same impact as the memorials but are equally worth seeing.

At the American History museum we saw the Americans at War exhibit, which proudly told the story of the United States role in the Revolution, the Civil War and World War 2. It was a really good part of the museum, with artifacts, somewhere to practice your 'Rosie the Riveter' factory work, and a piece of the Berlin Wall, and it does acknowledge the controversy of conflicts like Vietnam, even if it understandably focuses more on the others. It was sad to see a tiny box of text being the only mention of Japanese-Internment, where during WW2 120,000 American citizens were imprisoned against their will, separated from families, many losing their homes and businesses and receiving no legal protection. There's no mention of it being a bad thing, just the minimum facts. I learned about this at school and further at university and I was stunned to see it glossed over so easily.
The Presidency exhibit was an interesting look around, with many of the First Ladies dresses on display and a podium to practice your Presidential speeches. I went for a classic bit of JFK, although talking to 'my fellow Americans' doesn't really work in a British accent though the people watching had a laugh. Sophie was a bit more convincing in her FDR tribute!

Visiting Arlington National Cemetery was really something special, especially on Veterans' Weekend. It is just across the Potomac and is a place for military personnel and casualties, honouring what they did for their country. It's a very peaceful place and is huge, with graves stretching as far as you can see. You can visit the graves of notable figures who served in the military and are buried here including President Kennedy and his wife, alongside his brothers as well. At the Tomb of the Unknown soldier there was a laying of the wreath ceremony taking place which was remarkable to see the respect and dedication in carrying it out. I found the Cemetery extraordinary, and I love the respect and value in which these brave men and women are given. And yet it is obviously a very sombre place, and sad to know that the graves do stretch on so far.



I'm not sure anyone can be prepared to engage with stories of the Holocaust. I've learned about it in the past, visited the Imperial War Museum exhibit and even met a survivor and heard him speak about his experiences. We knew we had to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C. even though it was not an easy place to visit. I don't want to talk in too much detail about it because I believe it should be experienced in person, and I don't have the words to really describe what it is like. Needless to say, it is an incredibly moving museum to see, and is undoubtedly the best one in D.C.

We spent the evening seeing the memorials at sunset and at night, including the long walk round the Tidal Basin to see Martin Luther King and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials. Both were very impressive and fitting tributes to two important figures in American history. MLK towers over you while you are surrounded by his quotes, a truly monumental sight, while FDR's legacy is spread out through stone and water fountains with the President right next to you. They're very different but both fantastic, much more personal than the grand tributes to Jefferson and Lincoln. The FDR memorial is also great for dedicating a section to his wife Eleanor Roosevelt, who could have had a memorial in her own right for her work for human rights.

Thank you for visiting Sophie, see you in 2014! Go and read her much more fun blog about life in Louisiana here http://sophiestudiesthings.blogspot.com/

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