Back in the summer, I asked each organization I interviewed with about how the election would impact the legislative season. Many organizations hired fewer interns in what was expected to be a slow pre-election and lame duck session. The economic crisis changed all of that. I watched so many committee hearings that Barney Frank seemed like the third candidate running for the presidency.

Covering the election was also a fun task. On election night, I partied with the Virginia Democrats. The next morning I worked on compiling a massive election guide encompassing every congressional election. This guide posted on the K&L Gates website on the day after the election and included possible committee changes and all election losses. (It’s available for download here, in case anyone is interested.)

It could not come at a better time, I’m fighting off a flu and I was almost literally freezing in Washington. If there is one thing that this year has taught me, it is how to survive radically changing weather. I have gone from tropical summer rains to dry desert heat to sprinkling capitol snowflakes. I have not really adjusted the varying climates all that well and still want to go back to California. So for this year, I can’t think of a better birthday present than getting away from the cold to eat some good Thai and Cuban food with family.

Oh, and on the controversial topic of Thanksgiving Turkey: most of the guests here were pretty anti-turkey too. They much preferred their yuca with pork. However at the Thanksgiving table it seems that most could not tell the difference from well-prepared turkey and the pork that was served. Of course this was a clash of traditional plates prepared fairly similarly, a different comparison from the difference between turkey and the superior duck.

We have similar timing on when we like to post our election day photos. I can obviously relate with the Virginia Democrat now.

Silly, I know.

I have two albums to share right now. During Election Day, I went to celebrate with the happiest Democrats in all of America. Virginia elected former Governor Mark Warner by a huge margin and more gains were made in the House as well. Gerry Connolly won an open seat vacated by Tom Davis, Glenn Nye defeated Thelma Drake and it looks like Tom Perriello might defeat Virgil Goode. Oh yeah, and for the first time since Lyndon B. Johnson’s landslide victory in 1964, the state went for a Democrat in a presidential race.

Junior Senator-elect Mark Warner gives a small victory speech.

Before Election Day, I also have some pictures from Gettysburg to share. The day we went was rainy and overcast. Our tour guide told us that if it had been muggier and more humid, it would have been closer to the day of the actual battle.

It really was a beautiful area. I am not accustomed to so many open green fields, but as the tour guide pointed out the tactical terrain advantages that certain areas provided and the restored cannons from the battle, I was reminded of the actual battle that took place there over a century ago.

This week was the orientation week when students visit different sites in Washington, have their first classes, get trained by a former Navy Seal on self-defense and get quickly acquainted with the expectations for this program.

Tuesday, we had our organization meeting and safety orientation. A former Navy Seal taught us some basic self-defense moves and some more complex maneuvers I doubt any one of us could perform. While safety is always a large concern for parents, Claremont McKenna is prepared in case the worst happens. We were instructed on how to get to a safe evacuation zone in case of an attack and issued an emergency pack. Applications to the Washington Program have declined over the years, but safety should stop anyone from taking advantage of this opportunity.

Wednesday started with a discussion on professionalism and ended with a Nationals game with alumni. In true CMC fashion, the turnout for the baseball game was small due to the Republican National Convention. We also visited the “Highest Court in the Land” at the Supreme Court where Supreme Court clerks and staff play basketball games and Justice O’Connor used to hold aerobics classes. (Get it? Basketball court, Supreme Court.) Since the court was not in session, we were even able to visit Justice Thomas’s office.

Thursday, we woke up early to visit the CIA. I guess that’s classified, but we had classes later in the day.

On Friday, a former CMC alumna and current congressional staff, Jenn Wickre, took us on a tour of the Capitol. Technically, Congress is not in session. However, House Republicans have been holding a protest by speaking on the floor about the importance on energy reform until Congress reconvenes this week. This afforded us the rare opportunity to sit on the floor while congressmen gave speeches on the floor.

And that is just the first week. I’ll try to be better about posting about some of the more exciting things in DC, but I’m not going to bore anyone by blogging about school or risk anything by writing about work. I do hope to visit New York and Philly before I leave. This is my first time on the East Coast, so I am looking forward to many things including this hectic election season.

PS: Sarah Palin? Totally called it.

Two weeks after returning, I am a little nostalgic for Mexico. I never really wrote about the fun times I had searching for Leon Trotsky’s house in Coyoacán, riding across the city to the Basilica for twenty cents on a convi and walking through ruins in the center of Mexico City. I think this nostalgia mostly comes from the fact that I know the East Coast will lack any decent Mexican food and that DC will be incredibly expensive. When faced with the prospect of cooking more of my own meals and paying more than 20 cents for a bus, Mexico looks really attractive.

The last week of my internship was also amazing. Ashoka Fellows from around the world came and talked about rural technology and solutions for scaling and reaching a larger audience. I just have say that I was incredibly impressed with how much integrity Ashoka Fellows have. Seeing how much dedication one Fellow devotes to a project that is sorely needed in the region, in spite of any risk to their own well-being, was impressive to say the least. Working with Ashoka has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

Good news: I am on my way home. After nearly three months in Mexico, I have left DF and I am currently relaxing in a small village outside of Patzcuaro. There I am being fed generously by my grandmother before I take a plane Tuesday morning to Tijuana. From there I will be driven back to Indio where I can enjoy of month of preparations for DC.

I really like Michoacán for all the greenery and old culture here. I had gone to Morelos for a Temezcal during my stay in DF, but I think that it almost does not compare. Also, Michoacán does not have deadly volcanoes like the one that was literally a couple miles away from our steambath. Michoacán definitely has Morelos beat there. So excuse me, while I return to nieve de pasta and mariscos. I have about two days left here to enjoy.

So most of my time was spent visiting various museums, taking photos and shopping. And helping the guy with the hotdog stand inside the department store hide from the patrolling police. Great fun.

At Teotihuacán: Danza de los Voladores de Papantla. Click here to see the video if it’s not loading.