My nation's capital: Washington, D.C.

At the beginning of May I decided to go to Washington, D.C. for a few days.  I had never been there, adn I had always wanted to see our nation's capital. 

The first thing I noticed was how small the city felt.  I’m from Chicago, which is a big city with huge buildings.  When I saw all of the small buildings in the capital, I was shocked.  The tallest ‘building’ in the city is the ‘Washington Monument.’  There is a rule that no other building can be taller than it, so all the other buildings are very squat. 

 (Washington D.C. skyline)

(Chicago skyline)

 

 

Besides the buildings, I really loved D.C.  It was exciting to see the White House and the monuments that honored the past presidents and other leaders of my country.  I wanted to take a tour of the White House, but the free tours are not available right now because the government is trying to save money. 

(White House)

 

 (Washington Monument)

 

Two of the monuments that I really liked were the Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.  I became a little emotional at each of them because they were both such great men and inspired our country to change for the better.  Lincoln was the president during the U.S. Civil War.  That was a war between the northern and southern parts of the country.  He was able to lead the fight in the war and reunite the country.  He also abolished (ended completely) slavery. 

Another great leader was Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was not the president, and he’s the only non-president who has a monument in D.C.  He was a leader for civil rights and equality in our country.  He led a great movement in the 1960s and helped to change the laws and attitudes around the country.  Because of him, our country is now fairer and safer for everyone than it was in the past. 

 

Have you ever visited the capital of your country?  If so, what were your favorite parts?  Why?

If you haven’t, explain what makes you proud of your country. 

 

My students often ask me, “Are you a native American?”

    One of my favorite things about working with international students is that I get to learn about all of their cultures.  For example, my students from Saudi Arabia have taught me all about the calendar that they use in their country and how it compares to our calendar.  The months and years are completely different.  Now I understand why sometimes they aren’t sure about their own birthdates!  My students from Korea have taught me some of the traditions about luck in their country.  They told me that pigs are very lucky, especially if you have a dream about them! 

    In addition to learning about other cultures, I have been able to watch my students explore American culture.  They have had many questions and many laughs as they learn about the differences between their cultures and American culture.  I have enjoyed looking at American culture through fresh eyes as I join them on their international journey.  In this blog, I hope to share with them some of the typical ‘American’ experiences that come up in my life.  

(Note on the title:  A 'Native American' is someone whose family lived in this area before the Europeans came to the Americas.  Another name is the 'American Indians.'  So, even though I am originally from America, I am not a 'Native American' because my family is not from this group.)