shitsonian.

Despite the negative title for this post, it is in all honesty not all bad.Most of it is'nt bad at all, in fact there is a lot of good,and now that the bad is over, in retrospect; hilarious.
Well,yesterday was the first day of my internship.I was dropped off at work by my cousin's husband, I was unable to take the shuttle that drops you off at my particular location due to the fact that I still do not have an ID badge,great.My intern coordinator met me at the front desk and brought me back to a conference room where there were 3 other interns waiting.He talked about 'refreshments' in the conference room,I was very disappointed to see that it was a giant paper basket of strawberries,no napkins,and off-brand juice...no joke.I mean I wasn'nt expecting them to provide breakfast by any means but I had in my head this idea that an office of the Smithsonian would be a little classier.
From there I met six other interns, we're all about the same age,the majority of them live in the area, save for myself and two others.They seem like a fairly good group of people,we did'nt spend much time with one another, but I am hoping there will be shenanigans to come with them.The rest of the day was rather interesting,for the most part I felt like a toddler being passed around from person to person-I felt like everyone's reaction was "You take her, I don't know what you want me to do with her".The guy who is supposed to be my supervisor does not seem to care too much that I am around, such is life.
Finally 3 o'clock rolled around, and that was the last shuttle leaving my office to the National Mall (For those of you not familiar with the DC Area,no it is not a shopping center, it is the area in between the Capital and the Monument)All 7 of the interns piled into the 'Smithsonian Shuttle' which actually was a van.On our way back to the mall it was pretty silent.Come to find out all of us had felt that way...like we were being passed around from person to person....clearly they were not ready for us.I started to wonder what crack I was smoking when I thought that interning with the Smithsonian would be a grand idea....at one point I may have told some of you all that this was a paid internship..I am sad to say I was poorly mistaken.I took it anyways because I have always wanted to work for the Smithsonian,its one of my dreams.Anyways, we are unpaid,we are not given housing,we did'nt even get free lunch on Monday (again, I might be expecting too much, but even at Whole Foods on our first day we were all given 7$ gift cards to get lunch in the cafeteria area)crappy transportation,come are we at least going to get a free t-shirt?
Anyways,we got dropped off at the mall and to feel better, I went to the Natural History Museum to see my favorite exhibit in the entire world,the dinosaurs and was instantly stoked.Then went next door to see my favorite lady, Julia Child and walked to my bus stop.I was lucky enough to find a CVS along the way so I could purchase my Smart Card.This is where it gets good.
My card would not work at the CVS to purchase the smart card...I try Metro Center...I try an ATM to get cash out...my card had demagnetized itself.No worries, I pull out my change purse only to discover I am $1.00 short.Great.
So,I walk a ways up 14th knowing that eventually it will take me back to where I am living...and was advised by my boyfriend who I called sobbing in a frenzy to 'put the pride in the bag and call my cousin'.I listened to him, because let's face it, he is full of good ideas, and knows how to take care of me.I call my cousin in tears and in much embarrassment who comes to my rescue.She is quite the wonderful gal, and I owe her big time.When we got back home, she offered me a blueberry beer, and I felt much better.
Moving on to today,I stood by my 'dropping public transportation like a bad habit' statement and biked to the Mall to catch the SI shuttle.It only took about a half an hour and I made it with plenty of time to spare,so I ate my breakfast in the peace of the morning in front of the Smithsonian Castle, and decide to put my jeans on over my cycling spandex.
I open my bag,and sift around....they are not there.I sift around again swearing over and over again that I put my pants in the bag.
Fuck.If I had to have OSHA regulation shoes to work at OEC,they are not going to let me walk around the office in freaking bike shorts.
I unlock my bike and start pedaling in the direction of downtown dialing my cousins number making sure I am going in the right direction of some shopping.Problem is, it is only 8AM, I was supposed to be on the shuttle at 8AM,and also nothing is open.I call to make sure someone at OEC knows I am going to be late.Audrey then sends her husband into the city with a pair of pants....awesome.
Again, I owe them...BIGTIME.I snag a shuttle to my office and arrive by 915AM...again no one seems to care...then again I am not getting paid...so what does it matter?Okay, I am sure it matters....anyways.I get put to work with Robert who is actually very pleasant to work with and has an interest in teaching, we start ripping down old sheets of dibond to reuse for the upcoming SI Folklife Festival.I learned how to use a panel saw.Then it was lunchtime.We get an hour for lunch,WTF,mate?I have never worked a job,where I got an hour for lunch,needless to say, pretty gnarly.I sat with all of the other interns in the commons area of this building.We all made plans to sit together the day before because we were scattered around sitting with random staff having the most awkward lunch of our lives.It was more awkward than 6th lunch...seriously.Following lunch I went back to work with Robert,and then went to a meeting with my intern coordinator and the other interns to meet the Director of OEC.After that meeting,the other interns were going to catch the 3PM shuttle,and I was going to go back to work.I was going to go back to work until 430, however;Robert dismissed me because he was busy the rest of the day placing orders.Robert is very nice,and another guy I helped today Harry is also nice.Dave and Scott, pretend I do not exist.
I hauled ass out of the building to catch the shuttle, I made it,and Vik, the hilarious shuttle drive said to me
'Are you ready for my tardy speech?'
Uh-oh
Me, meekly..
'Yes....'
Him 'That was it'
Whew.
Another almost silent bus ride back....a few short conversations here and there.I arrived back at the mall,got my bike and went home.
Lets see what happens tomorrow.