9/27/09 DC, here I come

I’d like to use this blog to advocate to all political majors at SJSU to consider taking poli 180 in spring semester 2010. This is an independent study class that demonstrates the US government in action. The idea for this course came from a student who participated in the department’s field trip to Sacramento. She suggested to Professor Gerston that a similar activity be created with Washington, DC as the destination. Working together, they are able to offer this opportunity for Spring 2010. The trip runs from March 27 through April 1; additional class meetings, commitments, and written assignments are required if the class is taken for 3 units of credit.

I am taking advantage of this opportunity for two reasons. First, my interest in political science is the operation of government at the national and state level. While I do not want to be a candidate who runs for public office, I do want to work in a governmental office such as the Registrar of Voters office; seeing the government in action will be educational. Secondly, it has been 25 years since I’ve been in DC––I was eight-years old at the time––and I have wanted to go back to visit.

I was in second grade when my family went to DC and the surrounding areas. It was a combination of a business trip and vacation. I was going to miss school for a week. My teacher and Mom came up with the idea that I would keep a daily log of all the places I went and all the things I saw. I remember that we went to Monticello to visit Thomas Jefferson’s estate. The only things I remember about Monticello were the small, dark restaurant where we ate lunch and a lot of cobblestone paths.

Another place we visited was Benjamin Franklin’s grave. That night, as I wrote in my log, I also drew a picture at the top of the page. I tried to draw the image of the gravestone as I remembered it. My image was a gravestone with angel wings at the top and the inscription below it. To this day, the image I drew still remains clear in my mind.

We saw the Liberty Bell and the Washington Monument. Afterwards, we went to the Great Mall where my four-year old brother went crazy by running around chasing the pigeons. He really loved doing that––it was very entertaining for all. I’m sure we saw all of the memorials, but I can’t be positive because it was such a long time ago. Two other things that stand out were: seeing John F. Kennedy’s eternal flame burn and the Vietnam Memorial with all the inscribed names. At eight-years old, I was unable to understand the significance of the two things, but they were cool to see.

When I returned to school, Mom and I gave a presentation to my classmates about my time in DC. We showed slides and talked about all the things we saw. My teacher appreciated the small ‘civics lesson’ that we gave the class. Over time, my memories about this trip have faded, so I am eager to go back. I will experience all of these treasures through the eyes of an adult instead of the eyes of a kid. If you have the means to go, I would urge to do it.

My vocabulary words are:
Impertinent: disrespectful, not relevant (Webster's American pocket dictionary)
Impetuous: rash or hasty (Webster's American pocket dictionary)