Gabalski: Embracing history in Washington, D.C.

Anna Gabalski is one of three recipients of the 2018 D.C. Experience Scholarship, which provides financial support for Drake University students interning in Washington, D.C., for the summer. She will provide bi-weekly updates of her time in D.C.

I am loving D.C.! I have had even more amazing opportunities available to me in the last few weeks. I have done everything from take photos with the congressman to visit the National American History Museum to attend a lecture and Q&A with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Supreme Court courtroom. This internship and living in D.C. have provided me with opportunities and experiences I would have never dreamed of! I went to a lecture given by Betsy DeVos, the current United States Secretary of Education. I continue to give tours of the Capitol and meet new constituents every day. Meeting the people of Iowa and hearing their stories has been incredible.

I continue to explore museums and monuments on my days off. My favorites thus far, have been the National American History Museum and Ford’s Theater. I loved seeing the Batmobile that was used in the Batman movie from 1989 and a recreation of Julia Child’s Kitchen, both of which you can currently find in the National American History Museum. I am a history nerd, so being able to walk the same steps and be in the same room as one of our most notable presidents was extraordinary. Being able to walk the same steps as a president did in his final hours was breath-taking and while a somber setting, it reminded me of how incredibly self-less many of our presidents have been.

After what I have seen and done the past few weeks, I cannot wait to see what the final few hold for me. Hopefully, the Natural History Museum, the Library of Congress, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.