Caspar-Johnson

Name:Rebecca Caspar-Johnson

Guiding Question: What can living and working in the nation's capital teach me? What can I learn from interning for a lobbying firm? How can I continue my exploration of Quaker values through working at a Quaker-based organization?

(optional) Use this space to list possible activities, tasks, experiences. Remember everything you do should help you answer your Guiding Question.

(Required) This plan is a “best guess” as to what you and your mentor think you will be doing. It is not meant to be a hard and fast schedule for your Exploration. The plan should illustrate how you intend to complete a minimum of 80 hours.


 * = Date ||= Location/Activity ||= Number of Hours ||
 * = 5/16, 5/17, 5/20 ||= Home, research into living in D.C., housing for my trip, etc ||= 5 ||
 * = 5/23 through 6/3 ||= Washington D.C. internship at F.C.N.L ||= about 70 ||
 * = Weekend during internship ||= Exploring D.C. after work and over the long weekend ||= ? ||
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Journal: Journal entry one: May 17

As of today I have spent approximately five hours researching the Friends Council on National Legislation, as well as finding two places where I will stay in D.C, and looking at maps to make sure I will be able to find my way from the youth hostel to work every day. I've talked with Sandy Robson, who seems exceptionally nice and helpful, but have not met her yet as I don't leave for the district until Sunday.

What I have learned so far about the FCNL is very much what one would expect: they have a strong focus on non-violent resolution of conflict, as well as nuclear disarmament and the control of conventional weapons. What was less expected, although it is easy to see how it fits into the Quaker philosophy, is their emphasis on domestic policy- living wages, affordable health care, anti-discrimination policies, immigration equity, spending reform to focus on non-defense/military spending, and so on. With so many volatile political issues, I am interested to be there so soon after the U.S. killed Osama bin Ladin. I predict this definitely being an issue on the table/on the minds of the people at FCNL.

total hours so far: five.

5/21: Good luck on your start on Sunday. Hope all arrangements work out well for you and you enjoy living in DC...R. Bernard

Entry two: June 1 My exploration will be ending in three days, but I feel like I've been here so much longer than just a week and a half. I've learned so much that I can share in my presentation- about what working on Capital Hill is like, about what the FCNL does, about what D.C. is like to live in (or just a city at all!) I've also learned things in ways I wasn't expecting- such as learning about myself by putting myself in this completely new experience. I think that I can say that these two weeks I've changed in the way I see myself in the world and how I interact with people who aren't my family, friends, classmates, or teachers. Key points of what I've been doing: (I'm also keeping a journal to keep everything straight): -working on uploading data to the FCNL website -answering phones, greeting people at the door when they come to the building -wrote first draft of a letter on a proposal for an Afghanistan-Pakistan Study Group in Congress -attended Senate Committee on Indian Affairs oversight meeting -working group meeting on Nuclear Non-Proliferation -tomorrow I will be going to an event dealing with the concepts of identity and democracy in the modern nation-state -I visited some art museums -walked or rode the metro to work every day. Also trying to get to know the district better by going places on foot. -going out to dinner, hanging out with people I met through my hostel -drawing a lot in my sketchbook and reading East of Eden and Allan Ginsberg poetry -I met a man who works for an organization called Muslims for Peace, and we had a very interesting conversation -I am staying in the hostel for much longer than the average guest, so I have had a lot of different roommates and housemates during my stay, which has been cool as I get to meet a lot of new and interesting people.

total hours so far: 108 (5 pre-trip, 62 working, 36 exploring in district over long weekend)

Things I learned (Journal Entry 3) total hours: 137

I LEARNED: …how to work in an office, doing all of the tasks I discussed previously.

… that you can tell if a person is a senator or a member of the house by the way they walk.

…that every single day there will be a class field trip in Union Station and without fail they will be wearing matching neon t-shirts and buying funny hats.

…how to be able to quickly research background information, compile the ideas from differing sources, and write concisely on the topic given to me in a way that is accessible and clear.

…what it’s like to attend a meeting and be surrounded by very important, very influential people speaking incredibly articulately on topics that I’d never even considered.

…my favorite coffee shop to go to in the morning, my favorite bookstore to visit, my favorite park.

…the smugness towards drivers that is your right when walking to work.

…the way the aforementioned smugness is reversed on you when it rains.

…that, to an extent, I am a creature of routine.

…that living in a city (at least in my limited experience) means spending a lot of time avoiding eye contact/being on your own.

…that life does not end after college!

…how to use twitter

…that (as much of a cliché as it is) that if you open yourself up to new people, ideas, and experiences, you will grow more and learn more than you imagined.

…that even though there were ups and downs to my experience, I had a great time, learned a ton, met hugely interesting people and thought about things I never would have thought about at home.

…that after college I could see myself being very happy living and working in a city like D.C.