it's the little things. @misadventureswithmanu-blog - Tumblr Blog

Gilmore Girls

I just finished watching Gilmore Girls- I will admit I have not seen every single minute of the show, but I did *skim* through all its 7+1 seasons, and can successfully say I know (or knew at one point) every character on the show. (You should know, when I watched the recent Netflix season, I actually had no clue who Logan Huntzberger was because I hadn’t gotten that far in the show-- this break, I went back and watched seasons 6 and 7 to get majorly filled in).

Throughout the entirety of the show, I constantly questioned why I was even bothering to watch. Meera and I started the show together during our breaks in Portland-- we thought it would provide some entertainment for us in our new home-- however, after hours of bingewatching, we always found ourselves yelling at the TV, telling the characters to DO something and stop being so boring. Why did Lorelai literally never stop saying useless things, why was every conversation so elongated, was was it so..well, real life?!

And while watching the last two episodes of season 7, I realized that was exactly it. It’s because it’s akin to real life. It’s because no matter how attuned we’ve become to watching murders, extreme adventure, and rich trust fund babies on TV, this one was perhaps the only show that brought us home. We could see ourselves in the characters: I know I did when Rory found out she wasn’t awarded the Reston fellowship-- that’s a feeling I knew all too well.

I know that TV shows are meant to entertain-- to make the unreal real, and to make us fantasize about other lives-- but I can’t help but wonder, is our obsession with the extreme becoming detrimental to ourselves and our own realities? Are these shows making us believe that our own lives are mundane?

#gilmore girls

I resolve to start talking in the positive about myself-- instead of apologizing, I will be thankful. For example, next time I am late to an event, instead of saying sorry for being late, I will say thank you for waiting for me. Instead of telling my friends I’m sorry I’m a mess, I will say thank you for always encouraging and being there for me.

I look forward to the positive effects this will have on my perception of myself and others.

p(o)c culture

I swear President Obama knows me a little too well for not knowing me at all—I’ve spent the last week fuming over the current state of P(o)C culture, and to my surprise, I came across this article which mirrored my own sentiments.

I spoke with a classmate a couple weeks ago, which fueled much of my discontent. In retelling their semester to me, they shared “I’ve been trying to surround myself with people who either get it [it being the problems their community is facing], or have never said stuff about the topic that I disagreed with.”

There are many problems with that statement that it’s hard for me to know where to begin—first off, why do people feel that addressing oppression with intolerance is the answer? Cutting yourself off from anyone with even a slightly different view places you in an ideal bubble, which provides a false sense of security. Refusing to listen to other opinions and accept difference is the problem that brews intolerance in the first place, and is one of the reasons students of color feel so oppressed. As such, college students should not be coddled from hearing opposing views. College is a time to learn about all perspectives, to make educated opinions using these views, and to try and understand differences within this views.

Hypersensitivity is not the answer. I go to school in Southern California, perhaps the most liberal bubble in the country. My school, Harvey Mudd College, is one of few colleges with an Office of Institutional Diversity, let alone with such diversity in its admission. In the past few months, students of color have become radically hypersensitive to topics, to the point where it’s unhealthy for them and everyone else. A student recently wrote about the “toxicity” of the Claremont bubble and how they couldn’t wait to return home where they could escape this oppression…. I was left perplexed. Mudd isn’t perfect, I’m well aware and there’s much growth to be made, but we are trying, and we are trying hard. This effort certainly does not warrant the hopeless and “toxic” perceptions students try to associate it with.

The culture at the Claremont Colleges is becoming increasing unhealthy—students of color share their experiences, but no one is allowed to counter their arguments. Many of my peers are afraid to speak up and to share their own views—that this extreme sensitivity is detrimental to our culture. I can’t even share my own opinions, because I’ll be called a privileged minority. I’ll be told I don’t understand the “real” struggle of minorities. (Which in fact, someone has said to me, and let me tell you, I have dealt with my fair share of issues due to being both a woman and Indian.)

No one should be told their struggles aren’t real, nor should they be shamed for having their own views. Every minority certainly has different experiences—whether with racial profiling, raw violence, or microaggressions—however, it is not any of our place to claim one struggle is greater than another. Our individual experiences make us who we are, and as minorities, that’s what we’re supposed to band together for—what we’re supposed to fight against. Nobody should be told that their experiences as a person of color are not important, and they definitely should not be told that they are less in comparison to someone else.

For London.

(Note: I started this post two days ago and am only finishing it now so tenses do change)

I’m sitting at the airport right now (not really right now) trying not to dwell on the goodbyes I’ve had to say in the past couple hours. This summer was immeasurable. I can’t quite explain all the things I’m feeling right now, nor would I do them justice if I tried.

I remember landing in London 10 short weeks ago, full of anticipation and quite a bit of hesitation. That was a new feeling for me, considering I normally love change and exploration. Yet, it was the first time I was embarking on an adventure abroad on my own-- without a program or a guide. And now looking back, I’m so very thankful for that opportunity.

I’ll miss London and this summer a lot. It’s only been two days since I’ve been home, and I already miss walking everywhere. That’s going to be a really hard one to let go of. I miss the people, the adventure, and the conversations so very much. I couldn’t be any more cliche by saying this, but honestly, I’m so lucky to have experienced something that made saying goodbye so hard.

Parks, Naps, & All the Music: A Weekend in London.

As I begin my last week in London, I have a lot of mixed feelings. I love this city. I’ve done more than ever before during my time in London—even in DC last summer, there was a point when I’d done everything I had on my extensive list. That never happened here in London; there’s always something more to be done, something new to experience. And I adore that.

I expected to spend this weekend alone, considering all my fellow interns have either left, or were with their families on vacation for the weekend. Saturday morning, I accompanied Lauren to her hostel in Camden Town; we finished consolidating her luggage and then she was off to the airport. Considering I was across town, I didn’t feel it would be appropriate to return to my house to sleep in, so I walked over to Primrose Hill. The view was incredible—the weather had already promised perfection for the day, and being on top of the hill overlooking the city so early in the morning was breathtaking. From there, I walked to Camden Market—I’d been during my first weekend and loved walking through. I stopped by my favorite piece of street art by Dan Kitchener (pictured below) once more... cannot believe it’d been 10 weeks since I’d first seen that. This summer really flew.

Danielle met up with me in the Middleyard, and we shared some Malaysian food and the most delicious Dutch pancakes I have ever had, whilst sharing ridiculous stories from our past. Both of us decided that our day should be spent wandering through the city, for there’s really no better way to enjoy a lovely day in London. We began by napping in Regents Park, followed by a long walk through the landscaping and the rose gardens, in which we embraced our basicness and took a #followmeto picture. Then, we stumbled across an open air theater, where Jesus Christ Superstar was being performed, and so we laid in the grass once more, and listened to the entire musical whilst falling asleep once again. We then checked out Queen Mary’s Gardens, got scones and frozen lemonade, and walked onwards through Hyde Park, stopping quite often for more food and to enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

We arrived back at my place around 5:30 pm and immediately decided to go watch Proms at Royal Albert Hall—we acquired picnic food, and found ourselves on the balconies atop the auditorium, listening to Gershwin performed live by the John Wilson Orchestra. It was honestly a perfect day, lounging and eating our way through London.

Our weekend of fun didn’t stop there—the next morning, Danielle and I met up at the Churchill War Rooms bright and early, and spent the morning learning about Winston Churchill, his leadership, and his legacy—I definitely recommend checking out the War Rooms, for they teach you so much about him and the British perspective. From there, we headed to Bounce, a brunch venue with unlimited pizza, champagne, and ping pong. What a great business model! We spent the next two hours playing ping pong with each other and a number of others. Afterwards, whilst lingering outside, a group of friends invited us along to the Queen of Hoxton, and we spent the rest of the day/evening on the rooftop bar, meeting locals and having great conversations.

When we finally made it back to the house, we literally devoured an entire bag of spaghetti, following which we watched the Olympics, hung out with David and his parents, and conveniently fell asleep on the couches. What an amazing weekend it was.

I’m so glad I did get to spend some quality time with Danielle, because she is one of the most genuine and real people I’ve met! I really hope we do stay in touch, for her friendship is one I’d definitely like to keep.

Weekend in Norway.

I spent the weekend visiting Ingeborg (Audrey) and her boyfriend, Njål, in Oslo! Scandinavia has been on my to-do for such a long time, so I was excited to finally delve into that part of the continent. Lauren had been to Finland the week before, so I had high expectations for the air quality, views, and chocolate I’d be consuming. I was not disappointed.

A little bit of background: Both Ingeborg and Njål are from the northern parts of Norway and moved to Oslo together to continue their education—Ingeborg is currently preparing for Med School, while Njål pursues a stint with the Armed Forces. Considering he has signed a confidentiality agreement, I know little to nothing about his job, but “sorry, it’s classified” did become a running joke throughout the weekend for we couldn’t speak to each other about anything work-related, considering both of us are bound by classified clearances. (He did know an uncomfortable amount about the US Embassy however) They live together in an apartment in Grünerløkka, one of the 15 boroughs that constitute the city. I was instantly surprised by the difference in lifestyle; both are only 20 (Njål had actually turned 20 that day), and already run a household together in a foreign city away from their parents. This sort of independence is not uncommon in Norwegian culture, for universities don’t have enough housing. As such, couples will often move in together after high school. It was honestly really wonderful to get to see Ingeborg in her element; she’s grown up so much in two short years and I’m so proud of her.

What a weekend we had. I arrived Friday evening and Ingeborg greeted me at the airport; we took the train and bus back into town and headed to their cozy flat, where Ingeborg proceeded to cook the most elaborate meal I’ve seen for Njål’s birthday. The conversation never stopped—I seriously adore the European way with teenagers. We talked religion, history, and politics for hours on end, and I learned so much in only one night. And this beautiful conversation continued throughout the entire weekend. I love that young adults, and people of all ages, really, use alcohol as a means of opening up an academic conversation, rather than using alcohol to get hammered, or party insanely. What I would do to bring back this aspect of European culture with me!

Saturday was so incredibly busy, and yet, so very fulfilling. After a lovely breakfast (during which I discovered both egg and cheese slicers—Norwegian kitchen appliances are so handy!), we headed into the city. Much to our chagrin, it was raining hard. Not just a drizzle; the streets were actually flooding. Ingeborg herself was baffled—in all the time she’d logged in the city, she’d never seen anything like it.

We persevered though, and spent our morning museum hopping—we started out at the Kon-Tiki Museum, which chronicled the adventures of Thor Heyerdahl and his crew as they traveled from South American to the Polynesian Islands on a raft and succeeded. From there, we walked along the ocean and then through a very high-end area to the Holocaust Museum. I’ve studied the Holocaust extensively, but never from the Norwegian perspective, so was able to learn about it from a different perspective. Back in the city, we walked along the main street and the Castle, had lunch at Joe and the Juice, and then headed over to the 22nd of July Memorial. It was honestly heartbreaking. I was also upset by the fact that barely anyone my age is aware of this; we never study it in our history classes back home, and I remember only vaguely seeing the traumatizing events on the news five years ago. It also added clout to my growing awareness that other teenagers and young adults are much more informed of America than vice versa (as I’d noted the night before when Njål asked if Matthew Barzun was our ambassador—who has that type of knowledge?!)

In the evening, we headed up to Holmenkollen, home to the ski jump which was hosted so many world championships as well as the 1952 Winter Olympics. The train ride up the mountain opened up some lovely views of the valley, and the three of us bantered and told amusing stories about ourselves and our friends to pass the time. The view from up there was astounding—not only could I see the entire city of Oslo, but also the waters and fjords beyond. There are no words, so here are some pictures:

From there, we headed to Aker Brygge and walked along the pier, ate some delicious waffles, and climbed up to the fortress, from which we had a great view of the Swedish concert happening on the banks.

We checked out some artificial island complexes and the fjords, stopped by one of the most famous candy shops, and then went to dinner at Mucho Mas, which is both of their favorite Mexican restaurants. I literally inhaled my burrito in minutes—it smelled and tasted incredible.

It was quite late by this point, so we sauntered home, convinced that we’d be able to watch two historical movies on Norway; once we found that neither was available with English subtitles, we reverted to Friends with Benefits. Even with our sugar stashes from the store, we were all asleep within 30 minutes.

The next morning, Ingeborg and I went over to the opera house on the banks—it was an architectural feat, built to resemble an ice berg in the ocean. We appreciated the view for a bit before we headed back to the Central Station so I could board the bus to the airport.

It was a wonderful, albeit short, visit to Oslo, and it was so lovely to spend some quality time with a dear friend after so long. During our short time, we’d already made several plans for when we visited each other again—and hopefully that will happen, so I can see the real fjords up North as well as experience Northern Lights in the winter. What a sight that would be.

the real interns of Chelsea: the last chapter (for now)

This last week of a full house has been jam packed with the things left on our collective to do list as well as maximizing our bonding time before summer slowly slips away from us. So much of this summer has entailed us going "round the pub" or to various bars; I've decided I really like that culture, for even if we're not drinking, it provides a cozy/quaint (or loud/bubbly) setting for us to all hang out. I think one of the weirdest parts of going back home is gonna be not being able to say let's go get drinks or hang at the pub, on any night of the week, and for that to be completely acceptable. Furthermore, going out in the States is not always so chill (nor is it here necessarily, but there are always chiller options). On Monday, a couple of us spent the evening at the Marylebone-- which even had free popcorn. What a steal. We definitely went on a late night run to KFC as well before heading back home. Tuesday was pretty awesome, I will admit. We finally got ourselves to head into the City of London to spend the night at The Alchemist, the famous science bar. The way they made drinks was so impressive- with shows of dry ice, extreme fire, and lots of whipped chocolate. The bartender even gave me an entire glass of whipped white chocolate with a raspberry on the house just cause I'd mentioned that it looked good. Needless to say, the science drinks show was as impressive as anticipated (Lauren also got picked up at the bar but that's another story). Wednesday was the night we'd saved for our house goodbyes. Kendall cooked for all of us, after which Madeline and Amanda made desserts, over which we exchanged the "Secret Santa" presents we'd purchased for each other. We also created for each other a list of superlatives, which we wrote in journals so we could all sign each other's afterwards. What were my superlatives? Some are a little inappropriate, but the ones that I'll post here include: "most improved chef," "most likely to be friends with a stranger", "most likely to shack up at her boss's house." All 7 pretty much describe me spot on, and I was real amused. After we'd exchanged gifts, we played "Cheers n Jeers," for which we'd recall memories from the summer and well, either cheer or jeer, to them. It was a perfect night, and a perfect way to wrap up our summer together as housemates in the (I can't not say this) richest neighborhood in the world. It's still crazy to think we've had the opportunity to call that home for these three months. Thursday, we headed down to South London to hang out with David's family who are in town for the week! Their AirBNB was insane- there was a wraparound balcony as well as a giant patio which overlooked the entire city, and sunset was a splendid sight. We laughed and talked over pizza and drinks, and had a mini photo shoot to commemorate the last time we'd all be together for the summer. I had to say bye to Emilee and Madeline this morning, as I'll be in Oslo for the weekend and am returning after they leave. That was way too surreal, and pretty hard to digest. I don't think I can quite believe that I'm not going to see them every day. They've become two of my closest friends here, and I'm going to miss them dearly, from the late night laughter, lack of sleep, and wonderful conversations to the spontaneous decisions and adventures we've had throughout summer. Quick shoutout to you two for being the greatest; love you lots.

#London #alchemist

city lights.

I’ve been on night walks of London approximately six times in the past two weeks, and they still catch me by surprise every time. This city is made of magic. I can honestly stand on any of the bridges, gazing over the water and city, and it makes for a brilliant time. If you’re ever unsure of what to do in London for the night, I highly recommend this. You can find areas on the bank which are lively at all times of day and night, if you’re looking for a poppin’ party, but there are also many bridges which are isolated and will provide the perfect opportunity for some soul searchin’.

I’ve done a lot during my time in London; when locals recommend places to me, my usual response is “Oh yeah, I’ve done that” and to launch into a detailed explanation of my thoughts on said area. At this point, after two months here, I’m able to get around select areas without maps, which is really exciting, considering I’m directionally challenged. But still, after all the exploring I’ve done, my favorite part of city life is just listening to music and simply walking around, enjoying the views, avoiding the smoke (oh god, why), and taking in the vibes and culture that permeates the air.

some more pictures from our day in the scottish highlands.

the scottish highlands.

The majority of our second day in scotland was spent on a tour of the highlands, with a drive through the Cairngorm Mountains, Inverness, Loch Ness, Ben Nevis, and Glen Coe. The scenery was astounding and there’s not many words that can do it justice, but all I can say is that the Highlands are a must see if you’re ever in Scotland.

Our tour guide was excellent-- we were actually the first tour group he was guiding on his own, so he claimed he wasn’t quite ready. He couldn’t have been more wrong; I think he’s the reason the day was as wonderful as it was. His commentary and hilarious jokes (about money, his daughter’s marriage, his own “inadequacy”) kept us entertained during the long ride whilst our eyes were glued to the window.

The boat ride was ridiculously windy- our attempts at photos were dramatically influenced by our hair, and though we failed at most of them, it still proved to be a great time (though Emilee doesn’t look so happy). The boat ride gave us a pretty comprehensive view of the area, with views of Ben Nevis and Urquhart Castle!

My favorite part of the day was probably Glen Coe-- it was freezing, but that meant that fog enveloped the mountains in a beautiful skirt, leaving behind an astounding sight for the eyes. Skyfall was actually filmed in the exact area we visited, and it was quite fun to envision Bond jumping out of a plane into those beautiful mountains.

Once we returned to the city, five of us made our way up Arthur’s Seat. We’d been told by nearly everyone that it was a must see and that’s the only thing that honestly kept me trudging up those steps with all my bags. And wow, was it worthwhile. Though the wind was ruthless, it brought with it such a moment of peace. I was literally standing over the entire city of Edinburgh with a panoramic view of the surrounding areas, and I had no words, just this feeling of joy rushing through my body.

We spent quite a while on the mountain in awe, just trying to take in the city and the feeling. It was overwhelming; it was fulfilling.

I’ve always heard that Edinburgh is such a dramatic city, that Scotland is such a positive, peaceful place, and after spending only three days there, I couldn’t agree more.

Edinburgh.

This was my first trip on my own-- though I have traveled extensively before, this is the first time I figured out housing, transportation, and tours on my own terms. And I’m thrilled to share that it was a complete success.

Our AirBNB was located a mere three minute walk from the beach, and was the cutest space I could’ve imagined. Lauren and I claimed the master bedroom and had a lovely, artsy bathroom as part of the deal.

My first day in the city was spent with Lauren, Danielle, and Madeline-- the others joined us Friday night. We started our day with a tour of the US Consulate. The Edinburgh interns, Karishma and Jackie, dragged out the tour for as long as possible, even showing us the safe, the laundry room, and the storage spaces, but it still took about 10 minutes total. We stayed for a bit and talked to Robbie, the LE based at the Consulate there.

From there, we practically sprinted to Sugarhouse Sandwiches for food, as we hadn’t eaten in nearly 14 hours. It was raining pretty consistently throughout the day, so we made do with two umbrellas and some cozying up to each other. The Edinburgh Castle was just as I imagined, perched atop the world, overlooking the city.

The rest of the day encompassed a trip to the National Museum, thrift shopping, walking tirelessly through the city, and a break at The Elephant House (where J.K. Rowling wrote the greatest franchise while staring at the Castle) (and also where Danielle was heard to say “If I had access to this [hot chocolate with bourbon] at home, I’d be both fat and an alcoholic).

Friday night was one of the best nights of my summer; the four of us cooked together and over pasta, garlic bread, and fruit, we opened up to each other about our lives, our fears, our experiences, and each other. I got to learn so much about the incredible women around me, and it was a very meaningful night.

Of course, the night ended with us rapping “I’m a little teapot” (and yes I did get it on video, but no unfortunately I am not allowed to post it on the interwebs just yet), as the others who’d just arrived looked on confusedly.

#edinburgh #travel

soccer + me

I spent a lot of last semester attempting to learn how to play soccer-- considering nearly all my close friends have a vested interest in the sport and we live in such beautiful weather, I figured it was time to take advantage of the situation. With dorm intramurals, I participated basically so that the team wouldn’t be disqualified-- at least two girls were needed on the field to be eligible. Unfortunately, because everyone had played for years on teams or otherwise, I was left to my own devices. A couple late night soccer workouts ensued, but I couldn’t practice during actual games, as there was too much on the line.

Last week, we decided to play an intern v. FSO game of football-- most of us interns had not played soccer prior to the game, or our dalliance was very minimal (as in David played soccer for one year at the age of 4). FSO-wise, there were a couple players in the mix, as well as some athletes, so we split into teams and went for it.

And honestly, I loved every second of it. With similar (lack of) skill levels, everyone got a chance to get in with the ball and get some good practice. As we became increasingly more comfortable, the game did get rather competitive. Not to mention, I even managed to steal the ball from Jessup, one of the FSOs who has played ball for years! That’s probably the highlight of my soccer career.

I was pretty severely bruised all over my body following-- I even had a semi black eye to show for it, from when Trent backended me in the face. However, people mentioned that I was really aggressive and not afraid to go for the ball, which was so incredible to hear. I got some good passes in too, and I’m super hyped to continue playing soccer and (hopefully) get into the groove of it.

#euro2016 #funterns #us embassy

shoreditch

I’m definitely at the age where I need to live in a city. There’s certainly never a boring moment in London. Mostly, I love just walking down streets and winding paths, getting lost in the city streets, and eventually finding my way back home after exploring the area on my own terms.

That’s what happened today! We commemorated the last weekend of a full house with a trip to the Brick Lane Market in Shoreditch, and what a good idea that was. We found a delicious variety of foods and then wandered over the Blitz, the largest vintage store in Europe...from there, we headed to Spitafields Market and bought each other our “Secret Santa” presents.

I split off with Caroline after a bit to go on our own street art tour of Shoreditch and it was honestly the greatest. We walked approximately 10 miles, saw some incredible art, discussed how much we wanted cold pressed juice (and succeeded in finding some), and headed home when our legs felt like they were gonna fall off.

I definitely recommend Shoreditch if you ever visit London-- it has a very young vibe and seems like the perfect place to be for people our age.

#ImWithHer

"I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman — not Bill, not me — more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States of America."

Those words have never rung truer. With decades of expertise in the U.S. Government, with her entire live having been dedicated to the American people to improve our capabilities, there is absolutely no better candidate right now, or in the history of our nation, to be the leader of this nation.

The DNC has has some incredible speeches this year, and are definitely worth a watch. They speak to some of the most barren truths that we are facing as a nation right now, and also shed light on the possible terror we face if we choose to step back. Their focus-- on the future generations, on our own children-- was well invoked, and each orator spoke with conviction, with a sense of urgency, on the immediate nature of politics.

It scares me that so many seem passive about this election cycle now, convinced that there no longer is a “good” candidate, that they would just be settling. “Bernie or bust.” Many have claimed that they would rather not vote at all, as their vote won’t change the outcome. How wrong that is, my friends. I urge you to rethink that statement thoroughly, for if you believe Hillary’s journey from here is an easy one, you couldn’t be more misled. Instead of “Bernie or bust,” perhaps consider “Bernie has my heart but Hillary has my vote.”

Not voting this November is as good as voting for Trump. Why, you ask? Let’s talk about another recent political upheaval: that’s right, Brexit. Many of those who voted to exit at the time didn’t believe that they would actually change the outcome; however, that has led to quite a bit of Bregret. More than one million people have since voiced that they’d like to change their vote, and that they either didn’t anticipate the immediate consequences, or were cheated and robbed of their vote due to misinformation. Over 3 million have signed a petition for a second referendum, hoping to change this drastic outcome.

We cannot make that mistake; this is a straight shot for the most important job in the world. America is the greatest nation in the world, and this election will redefine how we are perceived, how we perceive ourselves. This is the American legacy.

So please, join with all the rest of us who want an inclusive, safe, prosperous nation, and help us to bring into office the only person who will protect that legacy, who will continue to fight for us each and every day that she can.

"This year, in this election, I'm asking you to join me – to reject cynicism, reject fear, to summon what's best in us; to elect Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States, and show the world we still believe in the promise of this great nation."

#imwithher #hillary2016

Winfield Festival: The U.S.’ Independence Day Party in the U.K.

We spent weeks preparing for it, and it was worth every second. Last night was incredible. I’m sitting here still very stunned about how special that was. Here’s a quick rundown:

I arrived at Winfield House around 3 pm with the IMO team to setup for the event, and Lauren and I proceeded to check in all the employees and staffers. I worked my check in shift for several hours, and the crowds entering were huge! I got to meet several interesting people as I worked the line, which made me very excited for the rest of the evening.

Once inside, we scavenged for food as we hadn’t eaten in 9 hours or so, walked by the “lake” (a.k.a. the coy pond that required constant supervision), and as we were walking up to the terrace, we ran into Katie Couric. Yes, THE Katie Couric. I used to watch her anchor for CBS in Phoenix, so it was truly amazing to get to see her, especially considering she inspired me at the time in my life when I was hoping to become a news anchor myself; not to mention, I was thrilled to find that she stands five feet tall, just as I do. Shows that power really isn’t contingent upon your stature ;)

Once Bastille’s performance neared, Emilee and I forced our way up front with Caroline and David and were able to stand front row for the entire performance. Halfway through, I got pushed onto stage and danced whilst they sang away; following the song, Dan Smith walked over and briefly spoke with me.

Back down in the front, the Ambassador got on stage to invite Bastille to perform their final piece, the famous Pompeii, during which Kyle Simmons (keyboardist and every other instrument ever) and I mimed and talked at each other, whilst Dan opened the song. It was unreal. Basically the events of the concert was the coolest thing that could possible happen at a music festival, and I’m still on a cloud now writing about it. Here’s a picture of me on stage if you’re interested.

What a night. I don’t know how July 4th’s in the future will measure up to this, because that sure was a great party.

I’m really thankful to have this internship this summer, not only because I’m gaining professional experience but also because I am able to help host events like these, meet individuals who have enacted change in every industry imaginable, and learn so much both personally and professionally. (And meet bands/be on stage with them, that’s cool too.)

This really has been a holistic summer, and I look forward to the rest of the adventures it brings.

Brexit.

That’s basically all you need to know; it’s happening. I woke up to several messages from the intern group chat, all of who were astounded by the news that the pound had dropped 11%, and furthermore, the shocking headlines that stated Britian had voted to leave. The entire walk to work encompassed our predictions for the day ahead. “Cameron won’t resign today, it’s too soon! Maybe later.” And well, less than 5 minutes later, he announced his resignation.

It’s honestly quite baffling to take a step back and to realize that we are literally writing history right now. This referendum will be in all the history books; the UK’s leaving the EU will change the global dynamic: politically, economically, and even socially.

It’ll be really interesting and somewhat terrifying to see how this pans out in the coming months. Whatever the case may be, I know I’ll be keeping an eye out to see what happens with Ireland, Scotland, and Cameron’s successor.

6/14

TRH Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the Embassy last week to sign the victims’ book of condolenes in light of the Orlando tragedy.

It’s times like these that show the power of love, unity, and determination. It’s moments like these that prove that we are indeed working to a greater unified goal of acceptance and of togetherness. Love will prevail.

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it's the little things.