Bengfort.com

It’s August, nearly the end of summer, and everyone around me is doing something- starting on exciting vacations, finishing them, making plans, finding jobs, jam packing every little summer thing they can into these last few days before fall semester takes over.

Compared to my July, however, my August is empty and little more than a transition out of summer until school starts. July started out with a fabulous trip to Gull Lake, continued with a trip to Ohio with Max and his family, and finished with the 185 mile bike ride down the C&O; Canal with the family. My August is shaping up to be just working and preparing for school, with not too much adjustment, save my dorm move-in.

I’ll be taking 19 credits in the fall, 9 of which only concern my internship. I’m most looking forward to taking Italian, though my Shakespeare course comes in a close second. I dropped the two courses I didn’t really want to take, which is fine with me!

Today has at least a little sparkle to it though; I spent a nice lunch break with Devi and her Chinese class in China Town- though I must say, I was incredibly jealous! If there had existed an opportunity like the one they had when I was younger, or if I had known about it, I would have definitely leapt on the opportunity to learn a “critical need language,” so aptly called by the State Department. Learning languages is so much easier when you’re younger, and getting college credit for it would have been fabulous! I don’t even think these kids really appreciate what they’re getting- though they might, once they’re in college and old enough to realize how tough it is.

I had to go back to work eventually, of course, but it is smokin hot in DC right now! The heat index, factoring in humidity and whatnot, is supposed to max out at 110 degrees today. This means that the second you step outside you’re sweating like a pig, but the buildings are basically walk-in freezers. So, for about a half hour, you have that refreshing feeling as you’re adjusting to the new temperature, but soon enough you’re either suffocatingly hot or frigidly cold. I know what mom would say- wear layers- but it’s even more annoying having to tote things around all the time; I already have to carry around my shoes so that I can change into my flip flops during my commute. Fashion is cruel to women! Why is it deemed professional, and stylish, to pinch your feet in these ridiculously uncomfortable shoes when you have to walk around all day? The men complain that they have to wear ties, but I’d trade ties for high heels any day.

Tonight we’re celebrating cousin Michael’s birthday (a day late, but not a dollar short!) in College Park, it’ll be interesting, I think, but he’ll enjoy it. We’re going to kind of a dive, frequented often by my college friends and I (cheap and fun). I’m looking forward to it- the day can’t end soon enough!