Thankfully D.C. was open for business today! We jumped right into the trip with tours of the Capitol building and Library of Congress. Pleasantly surprised by the lack of tourists. No crowds = more engaging experience.
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| The excited group shot. |
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Students diligently journaling and reflecting on the experience.
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In this tumultuous political climate, Dr. Milakovic was brave enough to let her opinion be known.
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Tour of Capitol interior.
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All directions in the city originate at this central point in the Capitol crypt.
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Prepping students before Library of Congress.
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Is it a flag? Is it a book? Awesome logo design 101 folks!
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Hmmm...
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The group picture in front of the Capitol made me feel excited that the government shut down was over and the protest by Dr. Milakovic was successful at gaining attention. The first day was a good intro to D.C. but lacked in the "Art of War" department.
ReplyDeleteThe group picture really makes me excited! From the fact the goverment was back open just in time to the simple fact it was a beautiful day and a great first day!
DeleteThey obviously opened it just because they knew we were coming.
DeleteJust in time! I was so worried we weren't going to see anything! Glad we did, and glad they ended the shut down. We couldn't of started our trip in a better way! The tour was great!
DeleteI agree with Zedrick. It was a great opener to just being in D.C. I was so happy when I found out that everything was reopened, especially since this was my first big trip in a long time.
DeleteI was so happy finding out at the airport on our way that everything would be opened up. I was worried that we would not be able to see anything. The capitol building and the Library of Congress were good choices to begin the day as their majestic architecture captured the moment. By the way, great pic guys!
DeleteI agree with Zedrick! It was a great intro but sometimes I felt like we stayed in one spot too long and sometimes not long enough. But the sites and the weather were beautiful and I really enjoyed myself on our first day in D.C.!
ReplyDeleteMaria, I think that's just an unfortunate side effect of group travel. No matter how long you stay at a site one person will think it's too long and another too short. Kudos for the fair amount of free time we had to explore our favorite spots.
DeleteI am also glad for the large amount of free time. It is hard to see even close to everything as it is, so I am glad we got to spend our days seeing the things that meant the most to us.
DeleteI think a good suggestion for this class might be to make it a week long or at least 5 day experience. There was so much to do and so much to see in DC that it nearly impossible to get to do as much as you wanted to.
DeleteWe did not hesitate to jump right into our adventure on D.C.! The lack of tourists on our first day was a nice touch! I love that Dr. Milakovic's statement was not simply passed on the viewers way by, but it actually engaged small debates on the street or they would stop and encourage her! I great way to start our trip!
ReplyDeleteIt was certainly interesting to see all of the different protests! I do not see that too often in Kansas City. My favorite was the one outside the White House that has been up since the 80's. It is crazy to me that someone dedicated the majority of their life to the cause.
DeleteI was actually astonished at the general lack of protests, particularly considering the current political climate. I was very happy to see that protests were discouraged at Arlington as well, the men and women there came from all political standpoints and fought to preserve our right to protest, it is not the place to exercise that right.
DeleteEddie,
DeleteI was also shocked to not see more protests. I think that the way that Dr. Milakovic protested was very effective. Her opinion was publicized and opened a door for conversation without being offensive. I was also happy to see that Arlington discouraged protests.
Did you all see the protest truck that Maggie and I took pictures of? It was insane!
DeleteI agree with you Courtney. We jumped right into the heard of DC and got down to the nitty gritty. I agree about Dr. Milakovic protesting. There were a lot of positive and negative statements. How ever, even something so small can make a big difference. There were several people that were reached by her sign, when really there wasn't much action involved. This gives the idea to others to not be afraid to voice your opinion.
DeleteGetting thrown into two of the most famous buildings in the world on the first day was a wonderful start. It really set the pace for the rest of the trip. I think my own fascination with the level of detail in these buildings really set the tone for the rest of the trip for me. It let me know that I had better pay attention at all times or I was sure to miss way too much. Even while trying to be diligent I realized many oversights every time I revisited the same place twice throughout the trip.
ReplyDeleteWe completely missed the permanent exhibit at the Holocaust Museum the first day. I feel like even if you had a month's worth of time you wouldn't be able to cover all of D.C. It is crazy how so much art, history and detail can be in one city!
DeleteI know, and that was one of the things I really wanted to see. There's just too much!
DeleteI couldn't believe that we missed that entire part of the Holocaust Museum! I am so happy that we went back to it and to be able to experience this well designed museum.
DeleteI agree with Eddie the time spent at the sites were subjective. However I did think the Capitol tour was a little rushed. The Tour Guide did a phenomenal job.
DeleteI agree with Eddie. The Capital and the Library of Congress were a great way to start the trip. Going to such important, historical buildings on the first day of the trip really made me aware of the importance of the city I was in. Gave me a better perspective for the rest of the trip.
Delete-Maggie C.
I knew that something was missing when we went through the "Holocaust Museum" and I did not see anything that I had remembered from my past experience. We were there for over two hours and had only seen the exhibits at the bottom floors. Daniel's story was sad, but also educational. I felt like I had a better interpretation of what life was like for a Jewish boy during the Holocaust.
DeleteThe attention to detail and the amount of time that went into the Capitol building blew me away. I was so relieved that the shutdown ended and we were able to participate each day in our nation's history.Starting at the Capitol sparked questions and interest in the rest of the architecture, history and planning behind DC.
ReplyDeleteThe size, quality, and history behind everything we saw kind of renewed my respect for our government. Sure there are plenty of things they do I disagree with, but I think it's safe to say sometimes they get something right too.
DeleteCat, you make a great point about all the detail with the Capitol building. Every structure had a significant meaning behind it. I can definitely see how it pertains to the class. Inside the Library of Congress, I saw so much mythos and detail put on the walls I was speechless as to how much time and effort it had to of taken on building. I found myself asking the questions we learned in class from the very start such as "what was the author thinking when he created this"? Or "who was his intended audience?" Definitely mind blowing!
DeleteI think the first day was the most active day of all of them. I was just surprised at how peaceful and quiet it was. I think the fact that government had just opened was a large factor involving crowds. The Library of Congress always knocks me off my feet every time I see it. There is so much architecture in the building that there is no possible way to see and understand it all in one visit. Also, there is a lot of underlying reasons and ideas behind the architecture that it would take a week to go through and try to understand all of it. With the capital tour, I feel like there was a lot more to be seen. Obviously for security reasons we couldn't see too much, but I would have liked to seen some offices and what not. I also would have like to seen the Supreme Court as a group on this day. The court is a perfect symbol of the "city of white" since the whole entire interior is white marble. The United Methodists Building's sign was also a great touch in my personal opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe first day definitely was packed! I also wish we could have seen the Supreme Court. As we were in the Capitol, I saw a few pictures about what the different wings looked like and I really wish I could have seen them first-hand. One hallway was painted light green, which is my favorite color. I could honestly go back to Washington, D.C. for a whole month and most likely would still need more time to see everything.
DeleteI was so relieved that the government opened on the very first day that we were there. I really enjoyed our tour of the Capitol building and seeing the rich history that our government is rested on. I think it was a great first opening day in DC and to show us the lay of the land.
ReplyDeleteWe were so lucky when we got to D.C that the government opened back up. The weather was beautiful with a few rain drops as we walk to the Capital. The Capital was probably one of my favorite sites to see.
DeleteMaddie,
DeleteI am with you. I think it was nice that it opened when we got there. We didn't have to deal with any of the police tape keeping us away from the capitol or other monuments. The capitol was a great way to start the day.
-Matt W
The Capital was a great place to start on our first day at D.C. I was surprised how quiet it was when we first got to the Capital. I thought there were going be more people, due to the government shut down. The statues were a great way to show history to represent each state.
ReplyDeleteIt was really nice to no have a ton of people in our way. The only time we had a line was when we went into the capitol, but it was small anyway, which was nice. I felt like it was a really good day to be there.
DeleteSarah, I agree, I was expecting the Capital to be congested because of the shutdown. Matt I was relieved as well as you to find it quiet and not that many people. I feel as though the shutdown might have been a blessing in disguise as far as the trip is concerned. It was a great day.
DeleteI didn't realize how large everything is in D.C. Until this day. Every single building was larger than any buildings in Kansas City. All of the concrete pillars in front of them gave it in imperialistic, intimidating feel. The capitol building was no exception. The sheer enormity of the building seemed to symbolize the power of our government. The tour felt like a trip through history. All I could think about was different politicians being in that building and all the historic speeches delivered on the front steps. It was overwhelming to think about the history in that building. We were fortunate to get there right when the government shutdown ended as there were a minimal amount of tourists. It was truly a good day to be there.
ReplyDeleteI went to D.C. in high school, yet I had forgotten how enormous everything is. Throughout the trip, I started to wonder if there are individuals from other countries who ONLY visit Washington, D.C. to see what the United States is like. They would think that every city is packed with ancient European-style buildings and colonial architecture.
DeleteI did not even think about all of the historical people that had been in the Capitol during our tour. I was overwhelmed with the intricate details, the painted ceilings, and so many other design elements. Now I want to go back and possibly touch several door handles so that I can say I shook hands with an important political figure.
The Library of Congress was beautiful inside and out. I particularly enjoyed reading the quotes along the walls about wisdom, the soul of a man, the value of learning, etc. The extreme detail on every inch of the walls drew my attention. I could have stayed in that building much longer. The amount of security was intimidating. When I saw a man outside of the building holding a semi-automatic, I instantly starting to worry I would do something wrong such as trip and fall out the door. The security is affective by intimidating people to keep in line and be respectful.
ReplyDeleteAngie, I didn't see that. You say the armed man was outside of the Library of Congress?
DeleteI really liked seeing the Capitol. I have to say that I was surprised that there was a sculpture dedicated to the leaders of the Women's Movement of equal rights in the rotunda. You don't see many women figures in DC. The tour was very informative and I learned a lot from it. It was very cool to see Thomas Jeffersons library, but was more exciting for me was seeing Walt Whitman's notebook, and Frederick Douglass's handwriting, it was beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI really expected the Capitol to be way busier than what it was. I really enjoyed walking through and having a tour guide to give us specific details about the layout. Everything inside the Capitol had such intricate structure. Everything looked clean and expensive, which I liked because it is a presentation of the nation, it should be that way. I was extremely relieved when I found out the government shutdown was over for us to be able to view our nation's history. The thing that impressed me most about this day was the Library of Congress. I tend to be a detailed person, but that is nothing compared to the time and effort of this establishment. I really enjoyed the entire day!
ReplyDeleteThe tour guide was very helpful. I learned many things from him that I would not have figured out by looking around by myself. I thought it was neat that there was a painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the tour guide said it was the most accurate depiction of the actual event.
DeleteI think the timing of the trip was perfect! We were able to look at all of the historic government buildings and memorials without a huge crowd of tourists around.
Thank goodness the government opened. It opened last minute, but I was very pleased it did. It made me so much more appreciative of my time there. Coming out of the metro I immediately saw people in professional dress rushing to get to their jobs or appointments. I was quickly aware of how important the capital is. The Capital tour was awesome. Our tour guide kept us very well informed, and kept the tour interesting. It was great to walk where so many historical figures dwelled. It gave me chills at times.
ReplyDelete-Maggie C.
I enjoyed seeing the locals going about their business to and from work. It made me realize that people call this city home and it is a side of D.C. most outsiders don't think about.
Delete-Alex
I agree as I never really thought about it as being home to many. I think it would be neat to live in a city with such rich culture and history.
DeleteInside the Capitol Building, the piece of art that struck me the most was the Baptism of Pocahontas. Even though she was part of the original peoples in the Americas she is assimilating to the Christian colonies. Her actions are confirmation to others that the Christian culture is the prevailing culture.
ReplyDelete-Alex Y.
Alex, can you say a bit more about that, please?
DeleteI was very relieved to find out everything was opened and am glad we got to begin our trip with the capitol building and Library of Congress. I was excited to see all of the things that my group and I had researched/discussed in our presentation. It was a bit overwhelming to see as the capitol consists of so many details but I enjoyed every piece of it. I thought it was interesting to (later) find out that no buildings in DC could be built higher than the capitol. I think it brings America's perspective of our justice system being high in power into a real life image. The architecture of the Library of Congress was just breathtaking and it was amazing to see all of the design details. I thought they were clever and expressed what they were trying to make you feel. Overall, great first day!
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