2008 Woodie Awards
Rockin' it out on the Hill
Missing Miami's perks from faraway in the nation's Capitol
Erica Flint
Issue date: 8/21/07 Section: OpEd Page
Although, I must admit, my experience at The Telegraph was not without a few trials and tribulations. Even though everyone was speaking English, sometimes the accent could be hard to understand and I would find myself blushing when I had to have someone repeat simple instructions. The British workplace is also a more reserved environment then anywhere I had worked before, and it took a while for the other people in the office to warm up and be friendly towards me. However, working in London allowed me to feel like less of a tourist and like I truly lived in the city.
When it was finally time for me to leave The Daily Telegraph and the fashion world behind, my coworkers asked me one final question, "What are your plans for the summer?" And I am pretty sure that my response-"Working for a U.S. senator in Washington D.C."-was the last thing they expected to hear.
One co-worker's parting words still make me chuckle: "Stick with politics, people in fashion are mean."
So I ceased being "one of those fashion girls," and headed on to my next adventure-Capitol Hill.
Working on the Hill provided me with new obstacles. Instead of trying to researching quality men's hairpieces (just in case you were wondering, synthetic hair is recommended as it looks good wet and dry) I found myself researching Homeland Security bills and attending briefings.
I also had the opportunity to dazzle constituents with my skills as a Capitol tour guide. And while I lived in fear of losing a constituent or falling over while walking backward in heels, I also learned more about our nation's Capitol then I ever thought possible.
My favorite fact being if you take the Statue of Liberty off her pedestal and place her under the Capitol dome, there would still be nine feet between the top of the torch and the ceiling of the dome. (I mean there is 180 feet between the floor and the ceiling of the dome … )
I also got to experience the satisfaction of nailing the whispering spot (the place where, because the room is built like an amphitheater, you can whisper on one side of the room and be heard clearly on the other) in National Statuary Hall while watching other interns flounder around while speaking towards the ground.
When it was finally time for me to leave The Daily Telegraph and the fashion world behind, my coworkers asked me one final question, "What are your plans for the summer?" And I am pretty sure that my response-"Working for a U.S. senator in Washington D.C."-was the last thing they expected to hear.
One co-worker's parting words still make me chuckle: "Stick with politics, people in fashion are mean."
So I ceased being "one of those fashion girls," and headed on to my next adventure-Capitol Hill.
Working on the Hill provided me with new obstacles. Instead of trying to researching quality men's hairpieces (just in case you were wondering, synthetic hair is recommended as it looks good wet and dry) I found myself researching Homeland Security bills and attending briefings.
I also had the opportunity to dazzle constituents with my skills as a Capitol tour guide. And while I lived in fear of losing a constituent or falling over while walking backward in heels, I also learned more about our nation's Capitol then I ever thought possible.
My favorite fact being if you take the Statue of Liberty off her pedestal and place her under the Capitol dome, there would still be nine feet between the top of the torch and the ceiling of the dome. (I mean there is 180 feet between the floor and the ceiling of the dome … )
I also got to experience the satisfaction of nailing the whispering spot (the place where, because the room is built like an amphitheater, you can whisper on one side of the room and be heard clearly on the other) in National Statuary Hall while watching other interns flounder around while speaking towards the ground.
Be the first to comment on this story