The first (official) trip, Washington DC

My first official trip (second overall) to Washington, DC, as SOI staff, occurred this week. I boarded the flight very nervous, even having some doubts about what I was getting myself into. I knew that the week would be filled with meetings and information overload. I also knew that I would need some down-time, alone, in order to properly process everything. 

So, that’s how the week went. Meetings throughout the day, alone time into the evenings as I read and wrote and relaxed. My boss has apparently talked me up to everyone, as there seem to be some high expectations already. I’m feeling very confident about it all, though. This is what I wanted; it’s a chance to use my existing skills/experience and challenge myself to gain new ones. 

I didn’t do any sightseeing. And, even though I brought my camera, it never found its way out of the bag. I kept telling myself, “you can photograph that on the next trip” as I simply wanted to take everything in, naturally. 

I’m also taking notes on my travel habits and tendencies with the hope that I can 1) establish a solid routine, 2) eat healthy consistently, and 3) be realistic about what to pack, with the goal of always packing as little as possible. These are all very important, as I will be traveling quite frequently.