Leaving DC

Hello all! it is with bittersweet feelings that I write this blog. It is my last night in Washington. I have to get up around 5am tomorrow to get all ready and get to the airport for my 8 o'clock flight. This last week has been pretty surreal. All the interns have gone home, and most of the staffers left the office for the last couple weeks of recess. Yesterday, the remaining staffers had a small going away party for us interns, complete with ice cream bars. They gave us our pictures with the Senator and pens with the Senate logo. It was really nice of them, and they thanked us for our hard work this summer.
Today, however, the office was left down to a skeleton crew. Mindi and I took most of the morning to go throughout the Capitol, taking our pictures with all the things we spent the last few months teaching tourists about. It was extremely fun to cavort around and get sentimental. Sadly, as soon as we were done, we had to surrender our Senate ID badges. This meant we could no longer go into the Capitol unescorted, and all the places we were used to going were suddenly off-limits. I came back to the office for a short time, and left early to finigh packing. I had some sad good-byes with a lot of the people I have gotten to know, particularly the young Research Assistants.
After I finished getting my stuff together, Mindi and I went and had a wonderful 3-course dinner at a nice restaurant and sat on the roof of my apartment building looking at the DC skyline. We spent the whole time talking about Washington and the summer. I have learned so much in such a short period of time. I am very ready to go home to Wyoming, but have had great time here. The most important thing I pulled away is how transparent and accessible our government really is, and I'm not just saying that. I got to see it from the inside out. I walked the same hallways as the Founding Fathers and most influential Presidents. I got to be a part of the legislative process and directly communicate with constituents. I learned quite a bit about working in an office, and dealing with fellow workers, as well. All in all, it was an awesome summer, and I am so happy I put out the effort to do it. Thanks to Senator Enzi and his awesome staffers, and the opportunities they gave us.