The middle point of our stay here at Double R and Washington DC is coming up and we are reflecting on the extraordinary things we’ve already encountered. There has been a lot going on so far during this first part of our semester, and that will still be the case for our second and unfortunately our last part of the semester.
Sofie: For me, as a Belgian citizen, I encountered a difference regarding the perspectives young people have, as they become professionals in their field of interest. With regard to the students at my university town, Leuven, they want to have the time of their life. Here in Washington DC, I noticed that the students are more focused on learning and trying to obtain a great job. The main difference is in the way these young adults value their student experience. In Belgium, there is a high focus on casual partying, whereas here I am seeing more formal networking. For example in Leuven, if I were walking at 7:30 in the morning on a Friday I will pass some drunken students who still hadn’t made their way home yet. If I would walk in Washington DC, I will pass people working out or suited up on their way to some kind of meeting or lecture. Another noticeable distinction is about spending your free time. Free time for myself in Belgium generally means being at home, watching a movie on the couch with a blanket and drinking hot chocolate. What I experience as spending free time in Washington DC is staying busy all the time and exploring as much as I can regarding meeting new people and seeing what the nation’s capitol has to offer. It is also possible that this difference is just happening to me as I am striving to get the most out of my itinerary here in America and to discover everything that I possible can in this short amount of time.
Joseph: As a Bay Area native, coming to DC has been a great experience so far because the environment is not all that different when considering the diversity and the way people interact with each other. It still blows my mind how everything is basically accessible in the city by the metro or a quick bike ride. For example, over the weekend I went to the Lincoln Memorial just because I didn’t want to just sit around in my apartment and just let a day go to waste. Back home, I don’t really go to museums and such but this semester I have really tried to make an effort to see all that I can because this isn’t an opportunity that comes often. While here on the East Coast, I have noticed a few differences. Here in D.C., it is a much faster paced environment than the California is, in my opinion. It seems like everyone has an agenda. Also on the West, people dress much more laid back and relaxed, while here in DC it is very common to see people dressed in suits. I have come appreciate this because now I’m more conscious about what I wear because you never know who you could meet anywhere in the city.
Here at Double R, we feel that we have grown as communication professionals on multiple levels. We have gained valuable hands-on experience that we would not have received by just sitting in a classroom. To give examples of projects we worked on as a team, we recently finished our first vlog and our news package. The goal of the latter was covering the March for Racial Justice, which was an exciting and memorable experience. We got the great opportunity to interview a couple of protestors and an organizer of the event speaking about their perspectives on this matter.
