I have finally arrived in Maryland and visited the museum for the first time on Tuesday. I had my badging appointment to meet with Mr. Luke Leyh, my supervisor, at 10 AM. Setting my alarm for 5:30, I awoke with my cousins as they began to get ready for school and I for D.C. At 7:30 AM, I left for the Greenbelt metro station to catch the green line to L'Enfant Plaza. A drive that was only supposed to take thirty minutes took almost an hour, for D.C. rush hour begins at 6:30 and goes until around 8. I took I-95 as it was the easiest way to the metro station, but also the most heavily trafficked. After finally arriving at Greenbelt with an hour and a half to get to the Museum, I boarded the yellow line heading to Franconia-Springfield. I originally planned on taking the green line, but hopped on the first metro cart I saw. Luckily, it had similar stops as the green line and I was still able to get off at L'Enfant Plaza.
Interesting fact: It is named L'Enfant Plaza after Pierre L'Enfant who designed the layout for the streets of D.C.
Before heading onto the yellow line though, I had to get my metro card. One cannot board or exit the metro station without it. It costs $2 and acts as a gift card, where you can put any amount of money on it and refill it when it's running low. I did the math and leaving from Greenbelt to L'Enfant and back, plus parking, cost a total of around $6. It is $1.75 one way, and over $2 if you board during rush hour, which unfortunately I did. It also costs $5.10 to park at Greenbelt station. L'Enfant Plaza was the twelfth stop on the line as it took about thirty minutes to arrive, leaving one hour to walk to the Museum. The walk was very simple, as the Museum is right next to the Washington Monument and therefore if one were to head towards the monument, which is not easy to miss, then the Museum will be right beside it. I took Independent Ave all the way down to 15th Street and arrived at the back entrance of the Museum. The walk took about fifteen minutes and I made it 45 minutes early.
After going through security and telling the information desk about my appointment with Mr. Leyh, I was introduced to Mr. Wylee, another one of the intern supervisors. He informed me that he was the man to get to know for connections. He said he would love to help me meet people and explore opportunities, I just have to put in the effort. I figure he will be a good person to get to know and stay in touch with. I was then brought to the employee lounge and met with another one of the Spring interns, Bernice. After introductions ensued, we filled out some basic paperwork and then met with Mr. Leyh. Right off the bat, Mr. Leyh proved to be welcoming and joyous. He led us into another room for our fingerprinting and badge picture, then introduced us to some other staff members and gave us a tour around the Museum, seeing as both Bernice and I have never actually been before. The thing I found most interesting about the staff was that they were all very loud, outgoing and humorous. I assumed that with it being a Holocaust Museum, the atmosphere of the employees would be quiet and somber, but that was not the case. They were still respectful and helpful to the visitors, but were not shy of jokes. The atmosphere was more comfortable and laid back than I had expected, for Mr. Leyh said that no one can work in a depressing atmosphere without becoming depressed themselves. This was their way of staying sane in a place that taught about the insane.
I met a staff member who was an intern in 2015, graduated college in 2016, and then became a part of the staff this year. Working in a museum is not something I envisioned myself doing after graduating, however the atmosphere and positive attitude I experienced made me second guess my career path. I was only there for about an hour and yet they already made a significant impact on me.
Leaving the museum, I retraced my steps back to the L'Enfant metro station and caught the green line to Greenbelt. Driving back to my place, I made it just before rush hour. For some reason, it begins at 3:30 in the afternoon here and goes until 6. My orientation begins next week, and though the trek to the museum proves tedious, getting to work there would be completely worth it.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
Week 6: Greatness
Tomorrow I leave to start my journey to D.C. It has been a trying past few weeks waiting for this opportunity to begin, and I am almost to the starting line. Tuesday I am scheduled for my first badging appointment where I will meet Mr. Luke Leyh, my supervisor for the moment being, and will be fingerprinted and given my very own Museum identification. That day will prove to be my first test run on the metro.
I have discussed in great detail the steps I have taken to receive this internship, but have yet to discuss why I chose this program, or perhaps even what I hope to gain from this internship. This week I shall discuss my aspirations and motivation.
When I was little, my grandfather always told me I was meant for great things and that I was going to do something important with my life. I spent a lot of time growing up thinking about what I could do to achieve this seemingly unattainable expectation of greatness, and recently have just begun to figure it out. To make a difference or be great does not necessarily mean one has to be paraded for their achievement or must go through a great feat to obtain said greatness, but could be as simple as learning and passing knowledge onto others. I have become enlightened, if I may say so, to the realization that knowledge is great and powerful, no matter how cliche that sounds. Interning at this museum allows me the chance to continue my studies being surrounded by scholars, victims, archives, evidence, and a number of other resources primary and secondary; having the Library of Congress only a few blocks away as an added bonus. The knowledge gained from this internship will prove to be more knowledge than I can ever hope to gain in a classroom; no offense to the UCF faculty reading this.
However, academic knowledge is not the only type of knowledge I hope to acquire, working in a professional atmosphere, surrounded by many types of people, and situated in our country's capital will also- I hope- teach me many things. And I hope to take these new skills and education with me to spread the word about how dangerous discrimination, prejudice, racism, and any other type of injustice is to people and society. If I can have one person listen to what I have to say and leave with a different perspective than when I first met them, I believe that to be a great act. That person will than in turn change someone else's perspective. In hindsight, it is not just one person whose life I can impact, but a chain of individuals who will hopefully walk away with a new found respect and dignity towards all types of people. I believe this to ultimately be what teachers and professors strive to do every day, and I hope accomplish their endeavor. I know my life was changed by a very special high school teacher, Mrs. Rheingold, whom I took my first Holocaust class with. She encouraged me to volunteer at the Holocaust Museum back home and signed me up for my first trip to Poland and Israel. She impacted me and the way I view the world, and I hope to be that impactful someday.
This internship can open up so many new doors for me, and the people I'll meet and the wisdom acquired will be far greater than I can imagine. I hope to share this passion for justice and equality with everyone I come by. To be surrounded by an entire community of like-minded peoples is going to be quite the adventure.
I have discussed in great detail the steps I have taken to receive this internship, but have yet to discuss why I chose this program, or perhaps even what I hope to gain from this internship. This week I shall discuss my aspirations and motivation.
When I was little, my grandfather always told me I was meant for great things and that I was going to do something important with my life. I spent a lot of time growing up thinking about what I could do to achieve this seemingly unattainable expectation of greatness, and recently have just begun to figure it out. To make a difference or be great does not necessarily mean one has to be paraded for their achievement or must go through a great feat to obtain said greatness, but could be as simple as learning and passing knowledge onto others. I have become enlightened, if I may say so, to the realization that knowledge is great and powerful, no matter how cliche that sounds. Interning at this museum allows me the chance to continue my studies being surrounded by scholars, victims, archives, evidence, and a number of other resources primary and secondary; having the Library of Congress only a few blocks away as an added bonus. The knowledge gained from this internship will prove to be more knowledge than I can ever hope to gain in a classroom; no offense to the UCF faculty reading this.
However, academic knowledge is not the only type of knowledge I hope to acquire, working in a professional atmosphere, surrounded by many types of people, and situated in our country's capital will also- I hope- teach me many things. And I hope to take these new skills and education with me to spread the word about how dangerous discrimination, prejudice, racism, and any other type of injustice is to people and society. If I can have one person listen to what I have to say and leave with a different perspective than when I first met them, I believe that to be a great act. That person will than in turn change someone else's perspective. In hindsight, it is not just one person whose life I can impact, but a chain of individuals who will hopefully walk away with a new found respect and dignity towards all types of people. I believe this to ultimately be what teachers and professors strive to do every day, and I hope accomplish their endeavor. I know my life was changed by a very special high school teacher, Mrs. Rheingold, whom I took my first Holocaust class with. She encouraged me to volunteer at the Holocaust Museum back home and signed me up for my first trip to Poland and Israel. She impacted me and the way I view the world, and I hope to be that impactful someday.
This internship can open up so many new doors for me, and the people I'll meet and the wisdom acquired will be far greater than I can imagine. I hope to share this passion for justice and equality with everyone I come by. To be surrounded by an entire community of like-minded peoples is going to be quite the adventure.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Week 5: Transportation and Accommodation
It is one more week until I leave and the butterflies have started to flutter. I am still in the process of planning transportation to and from the Holocaust Museum, trying to decipher the different lines and stops. Also, my family and I have weighed our options about how we plan on arriving. Plane? Too much luggage. Auto train? Too expensive. So we decided that the best option was to drive up in my car. We went to the Mini dealership to make sure my car was fit to drive the fourteen hours and replaced my tires with the proper tread necessary to drive on ice and snow. My mom said she would ride up with me and then fly back. So we decided we would drive straight through the night without stopping and get there by the 19th of February. That would give me a week to practice mapping out the routes from Maryland to D.C.
Upon our arrival in Maryland, I already have accommodations at my aunt and uncle's house. Though they live in a house with their daughter and two grandkids, they have furnished their sunroom into a bedroom. I have been informed that I will have to use the kitchen bathroom, and shower in the same bathroom as the three other guests; so mornings and evenings may prove difficult. However, it is free housing- and seeing as how I still have to pay rent for my college apartment- it is the best option. Many interns on the internship Facebook page have asked for roommates as they plan on living either in apartments or on the GW campus. Seeing as how housing prices in D.C. are super expensive, I'm curious to see how this will work. I will update in a future blog any information I hear about the living situations in D.C.
With transportation to Maryland and housing all figured out, the last thing left to do is figure out the best way to get from my aunt's house to the Museum. Many have suggested that I take the metro, however the metro has various lines and colors and routes and it proves to be more difficult than expected. Being a native Florida girl who has never had to take a train anywhere, this is going to be one of the most challenging first steps toward my internship. Once I arrive in Maryland, I plan on doing a practice run to rehearse what stops to take and how to reach the museum once the metro arrives in D.C. Though I have most everything else planned out, once I figure out how the metro works, I will be all set to start my internship in the blustery, busy district that is the nation's capital.
Upon our arrival in Maryland, I already have accommodations at my aunt and uncle's house. Though they live in a house with their daughter and two grandkids, they have furnished their sunroom into a bedroom. I have been informed that I will have to use the kitchen bathroom, and shower in the same bathroom as the three other guests; so mornings and evenings may prove difficult. However, it is free housing- and seeing as how I still have to pay rent for my college apartment- it is the best option. Many interns on the internship Facebook page have asked for roommates as they plan on living either in apartments or on the GW campus. Seeing as how housing prices in D.C. are super expensive, I'm curious to see how this will work. I will update in a future blog any information I hear about the living situations in D.C.
With transportation to Maryland and housing all figured out, the last thing left to do is figure out the best way to get from my aunt's house to the Museum. Many have suggested that I take the metro, however the metro has various lines and colors and routes and it proves to be more difficult than expected. Being a native Florida girl who has never had to take a train anywhere, this is going to be one of the most challenging first steps toward my internship. Once I arrive in Maryland, I plan on doing a practice run to rehearse what stops to take and how to reach the museum once the metro arrives in D.C. Though I have most everything else planned out, once I figure out how the metro works, I will be all set to start my internship in the blustery, busy district that is the nation's capital.
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Week 4: History of the Museum
Seeing as how I am getting closer to starting my internship, I will spend this post discussing the history of the museum I will be spending the upcoming months at. All of this information can be found on the Museum's website if interested in researching more about it.
In 1978 under President Carter, an organization was created called the President's Commission on the Holocaust. This was headed by Auschwitz survivor, famed author and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel. A year after the commission was created, a proposal to create a memorial was pitched. The memorial would have three parts to it: a museum, an educational foundation and a Committee on Conscience. The mission of the Committee would be "To alert the national conscience; influence policy makers, and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity." The Committee was officially created in 1995.
Before construction of the Museum, containers of ash obtained from the death camps and the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery were buried under the soil to remind the public about what the Museum stands for. The street the Museum can be found on was renamed Raoul Wallenberg Street, after a Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust by providing safe houses and passports to those escaping Nazi occupied territory. The architect of the Museum, Mr. James Ingo Freed, was himself affected by the Holocaust. Him and his family were expelled from Nazi Germany in 1939, James being only eight years old at that time. In 1990, during construction of the Museum, two milk cartons containing "pledges of remembrance" from survivors were buried under where the Hall of Remembrance stands today.
On April 26, 1993- fifteen years after the proposal- the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened to the public. The Dalai Lama was the first visitor to enter the museum. Four days before the opening, a dedication ceremony was held which included guests such as the Israeli president, Chaim Herzog, President Bill Clinton and Elie Wiesel. Unfortunately, Mr. Wiesel passed away last year; however, his experience- published in his book Night- is read and remembered in classrooms all throughout the country and his story will continue to be told.
The mission of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is "To advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy." This mission is still relevant in today's society, with democracy and morality coming into question within our own government. Though Elie Wiesel and many other survivors since the opening of the Museum have passed, the area is a testament to all they endured and a reminder of what happens when prejudice and hate envelop a country. I am counting the days until I can be apart of such an important institution.
History.com. A+E Networks, 2010, www.history.com/topics/wallenberg-raoul. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
"Mission Statement." USHMM.com, www.ushmm.org/information/about-the-museum/mission-and- history. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "History of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum." Holocaust Encyclopedia. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php? ModuleId=10005782. Accessed on 2 Feb. 2017.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Committee of Conscience." Simon-Skjdot Center for the Prevention of Genocide. https://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide/about/committee-on-conscience-members. Accessed on 2. Feb. 2017
In 1978 under President Carter, an organization was created called the President's Commission on the Holocaust. This was headed by Auschwitz survivor, famed author and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel. A year after the commission was created, a proposal to create a memorial was pitched. The memorial would have three parts to it: a museum, an educational foundation and a Committee on Conscience. The mission of the Committee would be "To alert the national conscience; influence policy makers, and stimulate worldwide action to confront and work to halt acts of genocide or related crimes against humanity." The Committee was officially created in 1995.
Before construction of the Museum, containers of ash obtained from the death camps and the Warsaw Jewish Cemetery were buried under the soil to remind the public about what the Museum stands for. The street the Museum can be found on was renamed Raoul Wallenberg Street, after a Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust by providing safe houses and passports to those escaping Nazi occupied territory. The architect of the Museum, Mr. James Ingo Freed, was himself affected by the Holocaust. Him and his family were expelled from Nazi Germany in 1939, James being only eight years old at that time. In 1990, during construction of the Museum, two milk cartons containing "pledges of remembrance" from survivors were buried under where the Hall of Remembrance stands today.
On April 26, 1993- fifteen years after the proposal- the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened to the public. The Dalai Lama was the first visitor to enter the museum. Four days before the opening, a dedication ceremony was held which included guests such as the Israeli president, Chaim Herzog, President Bill Clinton and Elie Wiesel. Unfortunately, Mr. Wiesel passed away last year; however, his experience- published in his book Night- is read and remembered in classrooms all throughout the country and his story will continue to be told.
The mission of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is "To advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy." This mission is still relevant in today's society, with democracy and morality coming into question within our own government. Though Elie Wiesel and many other survivors since the opening of the Museum have passed, the area is a testament to all they endured and a reminder of what happens when prejudice and hate envelop a country. I am counting the days until I can be apart of such an important institution.
History.com. A+E Networks, 2010, www.history.com/topics/wallenberg-raoul. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
"Mission Statement." USHMM.com, www.ushmm.org/information/about-the-museum/mission-and- history. Accessed 2 Feb. 2017
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "History of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum." Holocaust Encyclopedia. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php? ModuleId=10005782. Accessed on 2 Feb. 2017.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. "Committee of Conscience." Simon-Skjdot Center for the Prevention of Genocide. https://www.ushmm.org/confront-genocide/about/committee-on-conscience-members. Accessed on 2. Feb. 2017
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)