Beyond...

It has been a while, and there is no way I can describe everything that has happened in the past 1 1/2 months. Long story short, I've moved down to Austin, TX, where I live at a student run co-op and work as a camp counselor at the Austin Nature and Science Center.

At first, adjusting was not easy. Washington DC and Austin, TX have completely different vibes to them. The people are different, the ebb and flow of the cities polarize one another...the two cities have pretty much nothing in common, which is somewhat ironic given that they are both capitol cities of some kind. On top of that, my job at the ANSC could not be more different than my internship in Washington. Now, as opposed to the spring, I work outside, with children, teaching them how to have fun in the outdoors, while cultivating a sense of respect for the environment around them. That isn't exactly a press office intern's job description.

Despite some initial difficulties--which i think came about because I was adjusting so much-- I'm really fond of my job. I've learned so much about the hill country--i.e., where to go, what to do--, and so much about myself (I'm good at rock climbing?), thanks to this job. Simultaneously, I feel like I get to make a positive difference through my role as a camp counselor.

Strangely, the more I like this job, the more I miss my last one. Working in DC was occasionally taxing, but it was also somewhat addictive. I now yearn for the hustle and bustle that was once the source of occasional stress. And, needless to say, I miss constantly being inundated with matters concerning politics and policy. Perhaps in the future, I'll find a career path that allows me to combine the best aspects of both of these lives.

More to come soon..I have a lot of goals for the summer and the next semester, and I haven't even begun to talk about my living situation. So, barring some strange occurrence, I will be writing again very soon.


Best,


Tim