Some headlines for you all!

Amazing article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8161199.stm

More on the Congo situation:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/world/africa/25briefs-Congo.html?ref=africa

Charles Taylor:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/07/27/world/AP-EU-War-Crimes-Taylor.html

And for anyone who uses oil:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/26/AR2009072602499.html

A crazy week ahead....

So after an exhausting and fun weekend in NYC I am back here in DC. I had a blast this last weekend - got into Manhattan around 10 headed into South Orange where I went out to good old Cryans with everyone in town. The next day I was able to just relax and go into the city and meet up with people. Rafting down the Delaware on Saturday was exactly what I needed. We were aptly named the Hag Yacht - all of us straight girls with our fearless leader Ryan paddling our way for 6 hours down the river. I got lots of sun and fortunately didn't burn that much. I got back in last night around 5 and headed over to a fellow intern, Meryl's house. I ate lots of good vegan food and met new people.

This next week is going to be crazy though - I have a bunch of deadlines both at the office, for my credit and with speech. I am still squeezing in Screen on the Green tonight. They are showing Dog Day Afternoon - so if anyone is around DC and wants to come just give me a call!!

I will be putting pictures up of the rafting soon!

Also...

Our Executive Director Gerald LeMelle was interviewed on CNN regarding Obama's recent trip to Ghana.

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2009/07/14/inside.africa.obama.ghana.bk.b.cnn?iref=videosearch

Pictures from our Darfur rally

We had a great rally in front of the White House yesterday. We marched from there to the State Department, and although it was hot, it was a great afternoon. It was organized by Damanga which is a Darfurian Diaspora group here in the US that works on putting political pressure on the US government to pursue ICC war criminals.

Here are some photos:

I spoke too soon.....

Yep just saw the real world crew again.... 2 of the females in the house were at sweet green at DuPont having a "dramatic" and what I am sure was "intelligent" and "important" conversation..... I feel like MAC makeup might be a sponsor

Another reminder....

also just to remind everyone and let any new readers know - I am running in the NYC marathon Nov 1st for the Run to Remember Team for the Alzheimer's Association. I am running in memory of Grandmother Mary Coady

I have raised $355 so far. My goal is to raise $5000! So anyone who wants to donate, even just a few dollars!!

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=314993&supid=259783036

I am also fully accepting encouragement, prayers, thoughts and tips. It is my first marathon :)

A Mild Summer

So I just want to start off by saying I have been damn lucky - the weather here in DC has been more than tolerable. Usually it is sweltering and humid but it has been great, some really hot days but overall its been awesome! This last weekend was so much fun. I went to my first nationals game!! And although it was no Yankees (thanks Peter!) it was still a blast, plus I got to hang out with my good buddy Mike. Saturday night, my friend Monica came down and we went to DC United game which was AMAZING. For those who have been to sporting events with me or even just watched a game, I get a little rambunctious and I found my kindred spirits - plus I have been playing soccer since I was 4 (INTRAMURAL WHIGS UNITED!). I was covered in beer by the end of the game. We sat by the Real World kids - seriously if I see them one more time... they are lame I miss the old days of Boston, Miami, even Chicago! The kids are way too trendy for their own good, I just saw 7 too thin, ultra hip kids being followed by a greasy camera man and instantly recognized them after Lauren and I saw them in DuPont Circle. DC really is a small city...
Tonight my roommates, some other friends and I are going to Screen on the Green. The city runs old classics on a huge screen and everyone sits on the mall and watches and tonight's movie is Close Encounters of the Third Kind.... which is in my top 5 favorite movies. It shall be epic. And this weekend I am heading back to Jersey for a couple days - I miss my friends and I also have my annual rafting trip on Saturday. I can't wait to see everyone!!

My internship is going great, still working on my grants and making some serious headway. It has been a great experience. For anyone in DC on Wednesday there is a rally for Darfur. It is essential that people are there, it is an amazing cause!! Nothing too exciting at the museum just another fun weekend, although I have noticed that I am exhausted by Sunday nights after being on my feet both days.

So I attached some pictures my friend Monica took at the game. Unfortunately, my camera for some reason has just decided that it isn't going to work anymore so I won't have photos but hopefully I find a cheap camera soon (cough DAD cough)

Interesting article

Anyone interested in AFRICOM and its future

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=63716

Also...

Anyone in DC is invited and strongly encouraged to attend this rally!! please come!!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=99978357947&ref=mf

and sign this petition:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=I_2f0jF0dF_2bhoplSstGAHLWA_3d_3d

Our organization has been one of the leaders against the genocide in Darfur. The violence must end.

Fun week!!

My roommate Rachel decided to surprise me and come down for a couple days!! We went to my fave dc restaurant last night - Good Stuff (who for Top Chef junkies, is owned by Spike) and then we walked around the Capitol Building at night enjoying the monuments at night. It was beautiful.

Here are some links (sorry I haven't been staying on these as much as I could have):

DRC -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8151959.stm

Somalia -
http://allafrica.com/stories/200907150006.html

World Cup news -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8151180.stm

The past week.....

This past week has been quite a handful. Things are moving a long at the internship, I'm knee deep in a grant right now that I am working on (fingers crossed, it is accepted!!) I am also finally finding my way at the museum. The older volunteers, many of whom have been at the museum since it has opened, are including me in their little family which is awesome. This weekend I am going to a Nat's game and a DC United game! and for anyone who knows me - I LOVE live sports, especially soccer!! I will definitely be posting pictures of that :) I attended a fulbright info session last week as well. Getting excited, but I will admit it was a little intimidating to see the other people applying, they seemed pretty intense. I am doing research this week at the Library of Congress (which will be awesome) and I have begun emailing professors over in Israel.

But as I said this past week was very difficult. A very good friend of mine passed away last Monday. For those reading my blog who knew Carissa, I know that we are sharing this pain. Carissa was one of the most positive, vibrant people I have ever met. We became close in high school and although I hadn't seen her in a few years, since I moved away, we stayed in contact through facebook. Unknown to even her closest friends, Carissa had been struggling with depression for quite a while, and one day she decided she couldn't do it anymore. Unfortunately, Carissa didn't pull through. I have had just about every thought go through my head: How? Why? Was there anything any of us could have done? I can't imagine what her family is going through. I had just commented on a note of hers on facebook about how awesome her energy was, little did I know she was struggling. Carissa will be missed by many more people than I think she will ever know.

4th of July and other updates

4th of July in DC was amazing! I volunteered at the museum in the morning and then met up with my roommates and my friend Jared in the afternoon. We ended up going to a house party with a bunch of friends of my roommate Rachel. We realized that the entire neighborhood had their backyard doors open, so we ended up just party hopping. We walked down for the fireworks at the mall and sat in front of the Washington Monument for them. They were awesome. Lots of people though, to walk there and back was over 4 miles, so I was a little tired by the end. We met a lot of new people down here. I met a lot of people from North Dakota, and one of them works for Sen. Tim Johnson so it was nice to talk to some people from home.

I had the rest of the weekend off - just enjoyed being in DC. Sunday, I went into historic Alexandria and grabbed dinner with a friend. Yesterday my friend Lauren and I hung around DuPont Circle and actually ran into the DC Real World crew! We were just talking about them and we turned a corner and saw them. Their house is in that neighborhood so I have a feeling that we will be seeing them a lot out when we go out - DC is not a large city.

More on the DRC

For those I have inspired (fingers crossed) who are interested in further learning about the Congo and what you can do. Here is an excellent article about what you as an ordinary citizen here in the States can do!!

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090202/ten_things

Getting Excited!

4th of July in DC?! What could be better? I am getting really pumped to celebrate the 4th here - it should be good, fireworks and music out on the mall. A lot of friends will be in town that will make it all the better. Also I promise to start putting pictures up - finally bought some batteries for the old camera... still waiting on a new one (cough Dad cough)

Some more articles - please read the top one especially. It has HUGE implications not just for the Congo, Africa but for the institution of the United Nations as a whole.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8130746.stm

Anyone interested in Ethiopia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8112541.stm


HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!! EAT LOTS OF BBQ!