Washington D.C.

This is old news by now, but life has been too busy to blog lately!
Josh had a scholarship orientation in Washington DC 3 weeks ago, from Mon-Thurs. This meant a free mini vacation for me!
We got there Monday night, so my first day of adventuring started Tuesday. I went to the Museum of American History and the Holocaust Museum. The biggest thing that I got out of these two museums was that our country has already been through many difficult experiences and times. Throughout all of them, life goes on. This was reassuring to me because there are times that I feel like our country is now in a crisis mode--but life goes on. Someway, somehow, we will make it through this and eventually look back on it and hopefully learn from it.

The next day, I went to the zoo. It made me think two things--1) I don't want to have children. And 2) I hate zoos.
There were a million (this does not feel like an exaggeration) screaming (neither does this) little kids running around like crazy the day I was there. I realize the zoo is probably more a place for kids than for grown-ups (which I am coming to accept that I am), but still, I'd like to be able to see the panda, too! I will admit, I have come back to my senses and do want to have kids, but I had my doubts there for a day.
I hate zoos because of an experience in the monkey house. Upon entering the monkey house, there is a big sign that explains how orangutans specifically are shy creatures. It gives suggestions on how to treat them--walk up to the glass back first, do not bang on the glass, be patient, look at them over your back, etc. Were these millions of children obeying one of those suggestions? Of course not. I am naturally a more shy, reserved person, so I felt like I could relate to those apes, and I could only imagine how terrified and psychologically damaged they felt! Not only could I relate to them, but their behavior was sullen and antisocial. They looked like they just wanted to be left alone. Now this is not the fault of the zoo--on the contrary, it seemed like they get good care and attention in the zoo. It is the fault of children and parents who do not teach their children better.
But they had this sweet apparatus to climb on, so that helped me feel a little bit better.

Other zoo highlights:



Josh got done early that day and we got to go for a brief visit to the Museum of Natural History and have dinner with his future boss.
The last day I went to the American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery. I love art and I could have spent a lot longer there, but this is the only picture I took!