This has been a great week thus far, though it has held it’s fair share of difficulty. We have chosen to look above and beyond that, and to enjoy our time together cramped into this on-the-small-side hotel suite…. and our adventures in College Park and the nation’s capitol.

Today was certainly full. We began with a ride into Washington D.C. via the Metro (no, I didn’t know you couldn’t take your Starbuck’s with you … but I would have if I’d had enough time to consider it). We arrived early to our destination at Capitol South and went to our local congressional representative’s office. One of Mick Mulvaney’s summer interns, Katherine Hunter from Clemson, gave us a guided tour of the Capitol Building. We followed that with lunch at a local mexican restaurant amongst all the political “movers and shakers”. We then hopped back onto the train and got off in Woodley Park to visit the Smithsonian National Zoo. A few hours walking the hills in the zoo, and we were toasted …. despite the pleasant temperatures today. Back onto the train, and back out to College Park and Laurel Maryland.

#4 is passed out now and the rest are soon to follow. Tomorrow promises to be interesting. We’ll wrap it up with a private evening reception at the National Museum of American History as a precursor to Thursday’s Awards Ceremony.

Pictures soon to be forthcoming. =)