It's been a couple of weeks already, I know...

I've been in DC for two and a half weeks now, and I already feel like I've shed my "new tourist" smell. People stop to ask me for directions, I volunteer to help confused people on the street corners, and I can read a Metro map like a seasoned pro. I've even gone so far as to figure out the bus system (for the most part), which is a step further than my four roommates, who apparently like walking the two miles to get groceries. I could do without the humidity, thank you.

The Library of Congress is amazing. The buildings are enormous, and can become very confusing. Luckily I've learned to read signage very well, especially down in the tunnels. I'm currently working on two projects: Local Legacies, and Voices of Civil Rights. I'm just doing container lists (writing box inventories) for Local Legacies, but have come across some interesting information about various states. For instance, did you know there is a Spam Festival in Minnesota? A famous sandwich called a spiedie ("spee-dee") in New York? And a prehistoric earthworks called Poverty Point in Louisiana? Or that the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games have been held in North Carolina for the past 58 years? There are more kinds of crazy festivals than you can imagine all across the country.

The other project I'm working on (Voices of Civil Rights) is the more interesting of the two. I'm listening to interviews from people who participated in, or remember, incidents from the Civil Rights Movement. I am writing brief descriptions of the topics, people, place, dates, etc. within the interview. Basically I'm writing blurbs that will go along with the files when they are put on the LOC website. The stories are heartbreaking, sickening, enraging, and yet compelling in their pride and optimism. There are some interviews already available on the website, and I'd encourage everyone to check it out. I honestly feel like I've learned more about the movement in the past two weeks than I did throughout my entire education. It's become personal and real in a way I've never experienced. You can visit the website here: Civil Rights History Project.

I will be posting pictures soon, and telling you all about the places I've visited so far. If you have any recommendations for places to see, things to do, or food to eat -- leave me a comment.