Graciela Mariño
How Was Your Adjustment To Washington? How Did It Compare To The First Few Weeks On Campus Back In Boston?
By Graciela Mariño
Fall 2014
When I arrived in DC in late summer (last week of August), I noticed the hot sun on my skin while the typical warm end-of-summer breeze comfortably brushed through my hair. I remember seeing the Capitol Dome for the first time on my first full weekend here…a structure both rigid and monumental, while also majestic. Behind me, the Washington monument stood tall; this is known as the landmark that allows tourists to identify the city from a distance. I spent my first day in Washington D.C. walking through the National Mall and taking in the grandeur of the nation’s capital. It was not my first time in D.C., but it was the first time that I realized what this city means; the first time that I felt I understood its history, its people, its architecture and buildings. It was the first time I saw myself living here and being part of this complex, passionate, and powerful community.
Ever since I was a teenager I have been passionate about politics and international relations. Therefore, any account that I give about D.C. is utterly biased. Nevertheless, a lot of the students that come to the BUDC program have some kind of interest in policy, the issues, politics and/or the inner workings of the capital. So, I will proceed to narrate what my first two months in DC meant for me.
During my time in Washington, I have experienced one of the most tiring and intense periods of my college experience. But, this only means that I have learned much more not only about my career and my studies, but also about professional matters and how to succeed in an office environment. I have had to work harder and make a bigger effort to succeed both in my classes and at work, but it has definitely been worth it. The contacts and friends I have made here and all the knowledge I’ve acquired about politics, international relations, the inner workings of this city and its history have made this experience unforgettable and without a doubt unique.
Boston is one of my favorite cities in the United States, and as a student I believe it has a lot to offer. In fact, I have no doubt that it is one of the best cities to attend college. However, as diehard politico, or as we call it here inside the Beltway, a political “junky”, there is no better place than Washington D.C. Thomas Jefferson once said, “All is politics in this capital.” I might not completely agree with Jefferson, mainly because I think that there is something more than politics here. It has a great cultural scene, with its big museums, and great theaters and concert halls; as well as a big college life with Georgetown close by and George Washington University and American University right in the city. However, if what you want is politics you can definitively have that too, by working in areas such as the federal government, as well as think tanks and NGOs.
I definitely recommend this program, even if politics is not your main area of interest. I can confidently say that these months have been my favorite in my whole college experience. I will never forget the friends I made here, the adventures I had and the things I learned. It is undoubtedly one of the best opportunities that Boston University offers and I am happy and grateful to have had the chance to be a part of it.
Graciela Mariño, a Venezuelan by birth, is a senior IR major. She is interning at CLS Strategies in downtown DC this semester.
