No high heels.

Is it possible to become a 'city girl' in two days? I don't know. But I think it's a feat I have mastered. After two days, I never ever want to leave. Especially to Indiana of all places.

This summer experience is about more than just the internship. It is about the internship, but it's also about the city. For example... 

I am sitting on my front porch, which is two feet from my neighbor's porch.

I just bought dinner at the Eastern Market. Some Latin guy heftily scooped Cucumber, Tomato, & Feta Salad into a to-go container and insisted I take a fork, because he was sure I couldn't wait until I got home.

I've been to Busboys&Poets, a famous café that has some mediocre organic chamomile tea, but a whole lot of ambiance.

I danced in heels on my lunch break with some ex-military flute player dude. He only knew patriotic songs. It was charming.

And I also learn about the people of the city, the residents, and how easily I can now tell them apart from the tourists. And how easily I can tell what type of resident they are: government, academic, and even those scummy interns. 

The government workers pile on the Metro at Union Station. They never smile. Actually, a lot of people on the metro never smile. Or talk. Or make eye contact. It's weird. If you don't have a book, then you are staring at the ground. It's like the Viennese Metro on steroids. 

The academics have a Kindle, and sometimes don't match.

The interns (myself, included) look stressed, and sometimes, just scared shitless. I'd like to think of myself as one of those semi-confident interns, but who knows what my outward expression is.

I can tell you one thing though. I rock the business casual, heels included. *Cue Megan Hall* 

The flip side...

The internship. I am learning oodles and oodles. It's just peachy. I am working on a variety of projects with the Educational Tools on the Website, but also am reading and writing on graduate texts to get a greater understanding of Ethnomusicology. 

The people at the Smithsonian are great. Everyone is friendly. The interns are... interesting. I don't know many, but I definitely can feel the excitement from the super-new ones, like me. I, hopefully, am not this chihuahua-like. I get it- it's exciting, but I think the level of professionalism we are supposed to show comes with containing some of that excitement. 

My music friends constantly cross my mind as I discover new albums, like mbira recordings, the latin jazz anthology, or marimba tracks from Guatemala. Just know I am writing this for you people.

One thing that seems to be apparent in all that I am learning of the Ethnomusicology and Folk 'Greats' is that no matter their specialty, there is a common thread of modesty. Perhaps it is a sign from the Almighty, but I know that I must be modest in this internship. Just cause I got the spot doesn't mean a damn thing. I'm just an intern. The scum of the business-world food chain. Gotta start somewhere.