GENERAL INFORMATION
            Your most up-to-date source for museum hours, music clubs, movies, etc. is either The Washington Post Weekend section that comes out each Friday, or The City Paper, which comes out on Thursday. The City Paper is free and available on most downtown street corners. Even before you even go to DC, think about picking up Let's Go USA put out by the Harvard Student Agencies, which is available in most decent bookstores. This book summarizes the various tours and museums available, where to go to eat according to your neighborhood of choice and various entertainment spots attractive to college students.

CAR, TRAIN & BUS TRAVEL TO AND AROUND DC This site provides directions by car, train and bus to DC, how to use taxis, buses and metro (subway) in the District, as well as street layout and tips on mass transit and driving in the city.

MOVING INTO YOUR APARTMENT

            Note that Washington Center students will have "hotel phone service" with free local service.  You need to have a phone card for all long distance service in order to avoid paying exhorhiant prices.  Students have complained about overworked switchboards and the difficulty of getting through in the evenings.  You might want to tell people to contact you via email if you are permitted to do this through work.

CABLE TV

            At the time you move into housing, you will be offered an opportunity to sign up for expanded cable TV. I would like to suggest that at most you sign up for only basic. The reasons are: (1) You are in a great city and you should be spending the minimum amount of time watching TV. Break the TV habit and explore the exciting world you live in. (2) If there is something you want to see on ESPN or MTV, there are plenty of other interns who will have these channels. You can visit them in their apartment, get to know them better, and best of all, when you want to go to bed, leave their apartment and go home to a quiet one. (3) Expenses in DC are always more than one expects. Use this extra cable money to treat yourself each month to something special in the city.

PARKING

            It doesn't take long to realize that the Washington city government doesn't work well--except in one area. It is notorious for giving parking tickets and towing. On average, they write 6,500 tickets a day. In 1992 the City earned $10 million more from parking tickets than it did from the Lottery. Don't think you can park for two minutes with your blinkers going and get away with it. Don't think that because you have out-of-state plates that you can get away with not paying a ticket. Washington uses the "boot" system. Before writing a ticket, they check in a hand-held computer to see if you have any outstanding fines. If you have three, they attach a metal boot to your car so that you cannot drive it away until you pay all outstanding fines and excessive penalties. If you choose to live on your own in Washington rather than at the intern housing, you may want to get a residential parking permit so you can park on a nearby street. If so, you can try to obtain a parking permit from the DC Bureau of Motor Vehicles (727-2402) at 301 C NW Room 1063. You will need a fee plus: your car registration, car insurance, a valid student ID, and proof of your address. A signed lease or utility bill in your name should work. If you receive a parking ticket, you have about the same change of winning an appeal by sending in a written appeal as you do if you appear in person in court. Of the 1.9 million parking tickets written in 1988, 70% of the 135,000 people who appeared in person won and 70% of the 40,000 who contested them by mail won. It takes about 75 days for a mail-in appeal to be reviewed. You write to Bureau of Traffic Adjudication, 65 K St. NE Washington DC 20002.
            Parking at Washington Center housing is arranged through the Washington Center.

BANKING IN WASHINGTON

            There are two national bank card systems, Cirrus and Plus, that operate throughout the 50 states and some foreign countries. You can find out if you are on one of these systems by checking the back of your card. You can always find the nearest bank where your card will work. If you are on the CIRRUS system call 1-800-4-CIRRUS. If you are on THE PLUS system, call 1-800 THE PLUS. Unless you need to deposit checks, if you have one of these systems, then you do not need to open a bank account in Washington. If you do not have a "bank card" you may need to open an account in Washington. Banking is very expensive in Washington, so you should check the pages of The Washington Post for the best current deal.

FINDING THE CLOSEST ATM MACHINE If you need to find the closest ATM to work or play, you can find it by clicking onto this side.

HOTELS IN WASHINGTON

            If you need housing for a visitor, there are hotel specials that can be found advertised in The Post. Prices are most expensive when Congress is in session, and cheapest on the weekends when little is going on. If you want your visitors to stay in downtown DC rather than in a hotel near where you are located, a small hotel that is in a safe area and within walking distance of the red line near Dupont Circle is The Carlisle Suites at 1731 New Hampshire Avenue. Their phone number is 202-234-3200. Three alternatives you might also want to check are: (1) Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge at 2601 Virginia Ave., NW, which is near the Kennedy Center. Their phone number is 202-965-2700 or 800-654-2000. (2) Quality Inn Downtown 1315 16th St. NW that is just North of "N" St. 6 blocks North of the White House. Their number is 202-232-8000 or 800-368- 5689. (3) If you are interested in staying in a Bed and Breakfast, there is a service available at 202-363-7767. They charge $10 to be booked into a private home and list locations within an easy walk of public transportation with varying rates. If your guests are driving ask them to find out if the room cost includes parking.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL

            The lowest cost for staying in the middle of downtown Washington is at the International Youth Hostel in downtown DC. These dormitory type accomodations cost about $21 a day is located at 1009 11th St NW, has a kitchen, 24 hour access, laundry and lockers. Contact them at hostelsdc@erols.com or 202-737-2333.

LIVING IN INEXPENSIVE WAYS

THE WASHINGTON POST has several sites that may be useful. One isCollege Post , which is primarily a local page helpful to students in the DC area. Also useful is An Internship Primer that may be helpful to review before or early on in your internship.

THE WASHINGTON CITY PAPER has a searchable database for current events. You can find locations of movies, dance clubs and lectures. Go down the right side of the home page and select th category which will serve your needs.

BAR AND FOOD LIST  from "What's on Tap." listing happy hours, some places to eat and a general summary of bars in the DC area.

NEWSPAPERS AND BULLETIN BOARDS: You may want to look at your hometown newspaper. If so, the newspaper store on the corner of Connecticut and S Streets NW probably has it. If you want to pick up some local community newspapers or buy a used car, bed or find a room to share, check the bulletin boards at "Food For Thought" at 1738 Connecticut Ave. NW (a good health food restaurant). This material also may be available at the Chesapeake Bagel Bakery at 1636 Connecticut Ave. NW.

TICKET PLACE In the summer of 1997 Washington finally established a place for 1/2 price day of show tickets. (cash only) Located at the Old Post Office Pavilion at 1100 Pennsylvania Av. NW (Metro:Federal Triangle).

BOOKSTORES

            There are hundreds of bookstores in Washington. Olsson's Books and Records (1239 Wisconsin Av NW in Georgetown) or their smaller branch at 1307 19th St. NW (near Dupont Circle) is excellent for ordering books. They carry most current CD's and books in stock. Kramerbooks (1517 Connecticut Av NW) (Dupont Circle) is open all night Friday and Saturday and is a convenient place to meet people instead of standing in the rain, cold or heat. It also has a restaurant in the back that is open all night on the weekends. The International Language Center at 1753 Conneticut Av NW carried books, magazines and teaching materials in over 100 languages. George Washington University Bookstore is at 2110 I St. NW. Two discount book stores are worth mentioning. Crown Books is all over the city and its largest store is located right on Dupont Circle. Borderbooks is across the street from the Pentagon City Mall (turn right after going through the turnstile at Pentagon City for Borderbooks, and left if you want to go to the Pentagon City mall. Some specialty shops are: Backstage Inc. (theater) at 2101 P St. NW, Lambda Rising (gay books) at 1625 Connecticut Ave. NW, Brooking Institution Bookstore at 1775 Massachusetts Av NW, The Map Store (all maps) at 1636 I St. NW, Yes! Bookshop (Asian Studies and New Age world view) at 1035 31st. St. NW, Mystery Books (only mystery books) at 1715 Conn Av NW, Politics and Prose at 5015 Conn Av NW. Pathfinder (Communist Books) is located at 1930 18th St NW.

WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

            Each Friday The Washington Post prints a 60+ page magazine insert that lists the various indoor and outdoor activities currently available. It is essential for you to look at this starting on your first Friday in DC. You're in a big city now, and you don't have to do what you've always done. Too many interns wait until their last few weeks to discover the many things available to do. Read Weekend from the start of your DC stay and plan to do some new things each week from the very beginning. Remember you can have a discussion with 20 people while walking around Georgetown as easily as you can back at the apartments, and you might discover more interesting things in Georgetown.

BIKING IN DC

            Washington is a great city for bike riding. The city closes off many of the roads in Rock Creek Park for biking, skating and walking on most weekends. Most good bookstores have books of biking trails in and around the District. Perhaps the best map available is the ADC's Washington Area Bike May for $9.95. You can take your bicycle on subway anytime on weekends as well as between 10AM and 3PM and after 7 PM on weekdays. There is a good site for biking information at  DC Urban Bicycling Assoc.   Also, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association has an internet site with the latest information on biking in the area.

NEIGHBORHOODS:

            Washington is a city of neighborhoods. Students often enjoy the restaurants and young life in Adams Morgan which runs along 18th St NW between U St and Columbia Rd. and tends to be young and upcoming, Dupont Circle (at Dupont Circle) which tends to be artistic, political and gay (especially on 17th St between P and R), Georgetown which centers at Wisconsin and M Sts, the M St bar scene between Conn and 22nd Sts, Capitol Hill located on Pennsylvania Ave between the Capitol and Eastern Market which has an open air farmer's market on Saturday mornings (Eastern Market stop), and Old Towne in Virginia, which is a short hike from the King Street Metro stop. You might want to schedule an evening at each of these places.

NETWORK

            You are about to meet an incredibly large number of diverse people. However, within a few days you'll have difficulty keeping the information about them straight, and within a couple of weeks, you will have forgotten some little "fact" that can help you to re-establish a connection with them two or three years from now. If you plan to network (keep in contact with people who can help you in the future), then you need to begin to develop a filing system of information. From the very start, keep three by five cards on everyone you meet. (It would be better to use a data base if you have one of these cheap computer programs.) Jot down their name, address and phone number for both Washington and for their parents home. In addition jot down some random interesting things about them, but which you might forget. When John Kennedy was running for President people were surprised how he would remember to ask about their dog "Fido" that they told him about 20 years ago. John kept a good database. He was good at networking.

SMART TRAVELER Washington roads are some of the most congested in the country. If you drive to your internship, this site offers up to the minute traffic jam information. Information is also available by dialing 202-863-1313.

VIRTUAL TOURS OF WASHINGTON  The Washington Post has developed a series of vitual tours of DC neighborhoods that you can check out if you have an up to date computer.

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN DC

THE KENNEDY CENTER For information on shows and other events at the Kennedy Center click here.

C-SPAN This site lists what is currently on CSPAN and has connections to other interesting subjects. This is an excellent site for COMM majors to intern as well as others interested in mass media.

EMBASSIES: This area lists the various embassies that you might be interested in visiting. Language majors may want to consider interning in one of these.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON DC: This site offers general touristy information for using DC. You might want to check it out.

ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND SEX

            As you might have guessed, Washington has the highest average consumption of alcohol in the country. With the abuse of various substances comes some of the best recovery programs anywhere. If you need alcohol to "feel comfortable" in a new setting or to "wind down" after a day, then you might want to check out Alcoholics Anonymous. There are about 100 AA meetings everyday in Washington. You can find one near you by calling AA at 202-966-9115. You never use anything except your first name at an AA meeting. Although you may see some famous people at the AA meeting, the understanding is that you are to tell no one that you saw them. A good meeting for young people is at 8:00 PM Sunday in the basement of the Church of the Pilgrims at 23rd. and P Sts NW. It is a big meeting where you will be able to fade into the woodwork if you want. Try to go down to the lower level so you can hear what is going on. Sometimes folks use drugs or sex, like others use alcohol, as a way to fall asleep or to avoid bad feelings. Information for meeting places for Narcotics Anonymous is available at 202-399-5316 and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous meeting Information is available at 301-899-4880. If you try to straighten out someone else's life rather than your own, you might want to try Al-Anon. This is a common situation with people who go out with drug or alcohol abusers or who are children of alcoholics. There are more than 25 Alanon meetings a day in DC. You can find out the time and place of the meeting nearest you by calling 202-635-1296.

CONTACTING FEDERAL AGENCIES

            As astonishing As it may seem, the blue pages of the phone book do not list some of the most important phone numbers for Federal Agencies. When in doubt, call the White House 202-456-1414. The operators are efficient, knowledgeable and competent. They can give you the information you want.

THE SMITHSONIAN

            The Smithsonian is an octopus of museums unrivaled anywhere else in the world and they don't cost a dime to enter. Whether you like modern or classical art, space travel or went to relive the horse and buggy era, the many museums, many of which are centered on the mall, is a must see part of being in DC. During your first week stop in an any of the museums and pick up a brochure listing all of the different buildings you can tour while in Washington. You'll never have a chance like this again, and everyone who has any education and knows you have been in DC will talk to you about the Smithsonian. Talking about your favorite part of the museum is a standard part of interviews when you go to other areas of the country. You won't regret the time spend on discovering this treasure.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS

            Interns in Washington during the Spring semester are fortunate that they can see the Cherry Blossoms during the height of their flowering. Generally, the trees bloom around April 1, but it can happen anywhere from three weeks before to two weeks after that date. The blossoms last up to two weeks, unless there is a severe freeze or a spring storm with high wind, but they peak for only three days. Check The Post or local television news for when they will be peaking during your stay. The original 3000 trees were agift from the people of Japan in 1912. The Japanese liken the brief beauty of the cherry blossoms with that of human life when compared with eternity. Most of the trees are of the Yoshino variety and have white, single blossoms. Mingled with the Yoshinos are the Akebonos, which have single pink flowers.

ADAMS MORGAN DAY

            Fall interns should attend "Adams-Morgan Day", which takes place usually during the second Sunday in September in the Adams-Morgan section of Washington. (Take the red line to Dupont Circle and then walk North on 18th St to Columbia Rd.or the #42 bus from Dupont Circle to 18th and Columbia and walk down 18th to Dupont Circle.) Usually about 300,000 show up for this event in order to sample the many foods and articles of clothing for sale from Vietnamese, Philippine, Mexican, El Salvadorian and other subcultures that help make up the community of Washington. For more information go to Adams Morgan Day

CHINESE NEW YEARS PARADE

            The Chinese New Year celebration usually takes place during the third week of January in China town, the Gallery Place stop on the metro. Check the Washington Post for the exact time and date.

FREE CONCERTS

            While landing at National Airport, you might think that revolution has broken out on the mall belowl That is probably the US Army Band, Chorus and Chorale using anti-tank guns while playing the 1812 Overture. In the summer they play for free every Tuesday at 8 PM at the Washington Monument, every Wednesday at 7 PM on the Ellipse at the White House, and every Friday at 8 PM on the East Terrace of the US Capitol. During the Fall, Winter and Spring the concerts are less frequent and require a small fee because they are inside. You will be surprised at the high quality of these concerts. Click here for a list of the current concerts.

SMITHSONIAN KITE FESTIVAL

            The Smithsonian Kite Festival usually takes place at the Washington Monument on the last weekend of March. (Check the newspaper for exact time and date.) Competition is held in design, performance and specific kite categories. Registration is free and opens at 10AM.

HALLOWEEN

            Halloween in DC can be a time of great fun or great tragedy. Due to recent rowdy events, it is currently in great flux, so read the Washington Post to keep up with what is currently planned. Ordinarily, Georgetown is blocked off to motor traffic and in the 80's about 200,000 people showed up, mostly in costumes, and they party in the streets. In recent years drunks have climbed and fallen from light poles and the police have had to put up with some very violent behavior, so crowds have dropped to less than 20,000. It is important to be ready to leave quickly and in a sober state if you plan to attend this event. As Georgetown has gotten more violent, several community areas of the city have sponsored their own smaller partys. These will be listed in the Weekend Section of the Washington Post on the Friday before Halloween.

FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER

            The US Supreme Court begins its session the first Monday in October. Ever since the days when Kennedy was President, the Sunday before the first Monday in October, most of the Supreme Court Justices, as well as the US President and other dignitaries go to church services at St Matthews Cathedral on Rhode Island Ave. Go up Connecticut Av NW. from the Red Line Farragut North stop. Although it is almost impossible to get into the service, many people go and stand outside to observe such a great number of dignitaries gathered together at one time.

GOVERNMENT ANSWERS:

            The Federal Information Center at 800-347-1997 may at first appear to seem like a federal runaround, but once you get through the long message, there are 90 information specialists answering 100,000 calls each month about everything from how to sell a new invention to the government, to how to pay for psychiatric help. When the Washington Post tried to test the system with six off the wall questions (there are 3 operational weather satellites, nine Federal Judges in Sacramento Ca, average temp in Jackson Miss in August is 81 degrees, where you can get anyones' US service records, there are 760 endangered species, and getting a list of the 587 National Historic Sites) they received responses at an average of 9 seconds per question. Try it, you might make your papers better.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SERVERS If you still haven't found what you are looking for, David Carr discovered a list of DC servers which might have what you want.

EDUCATION IN WASHINGTON

            If you are spending too much money, consider checking out the area universities for free or low cost activities. DC has the fourth highest concentration of college students in the nation. Only San Francisco, San Diego, and Boston have more.

            If you are on the internet, you can check out their activity calendar on-line, otherwise some listings may be available in The City Paper. But there is nothing like going to the student center of the university in order to find out all that is going on on campus. There are seven major national universities in the metropolitan Washington area. Five in the city and two in the suburbs. Of the five in the city, the most accessable is George Washington University, where the metro lets you out right on the border of the campus. Take either the orange or blue line to Foggy Bottom GWU, and then walk East on I St NW to 20th St for the student center. The Catholic University stop on the Red Line lets you out on the border of CU. Just walk up the path on the hill at the exit from metro. There is much less activity on this campus than at GWU. Georgetown University is easy to get to since its main entrance is at 37th and O Sts NW. You can walk there while shopping in the Georgetown section of DC, or you can transfer from Metrorail to Metrobus at the Dupont Circle stop of the Red Line. Take the G2 bus at 20th and P Sts NW toward Georgetown and the bus will stop at the GU entrance. Howard University is located on Georgia Av. If you don't want to walk at all, get off at the same stop on the Red Line as going to Georgetown and get the G2 bus heading in the opposite direction from GU (the South side of 20th and P streets). But if you don't want to wait around for a bus and don't mind walking a half mile, get off at the Shaw-Howard stop of the Green Line and check out the map there and walk to the campus. American University is located in NW DC and you need to take their shuttle bus to get there. Get off at the Tenleytown stop on the Red Line and walk 1 block East on Albermarle Street. Near the parking garage, there is a shuttle bus stop for going to AU. Washington also has the University of DC, a city university at the Van Ness stop on the Red Line, and Gallaudet University, the national university for deaf students, on Florida Av NE, ccessable by the 90 and 94 bus from the Eastern Market stop on the Orange and Blue lines. Two major universities are outside the city and relatively easy to get to. George Mason University in Virginia, available by the K29 bus off Duke street. It takes a long bus ride to get to it, but it is a new campus with a lot of research money being poured into it and may be worth considering for graduate work. The University of Maryland's main campus is a hugh major univerisity and is available as a stop on the Green line of Metro.

EDUCATION

            The US Department of Agriculture offers classes similar to a very large university at a relatively low tuition. They offer courses in all areas, including many foreign languages. Although these are not "accredited" courses that you can automatically transfer elsewhere, they are generally of an extremely high level. It takes them for ever to send you a list of courses, so you need to stop in and pick it up at the US Department of Agriculture (Smithsonian stop on the orange and blue lines) South Agriculture Building, Room 1033 14th and Independence Av SW. Washington DC 20250. Their phone is 202-747-7124.

STAYING IN DC AFTER THE INTERNSHIP

            Some of you may be interested in permanently locating in Washington after your internship and graduation. While apartments tend to be less expensive than NYC, they also tend to be more expensive than South Jersey. There are several ways to find lower cost housing: (1) reread the "Newspapers and Bulletin Board" Section of this chapter, (2) Contact the Washington Coordinator for leads of former RSC students living in DC who may have an extra room available in a group house, (3) visit the housing offices of Georgetown, George Washington, Howard and American Universities for a list of housing opportunities available (note, these are often more expensive, since those renting to students expect the lease to be for less than one year.) (4) there are "apartment for rent" newspapers around many of the major subway stops that list currently available units for rent, (5) call apartment finders in the phone book, (6) often the cheapest housing is "affinity" housing, where people with a shared outlook (political, sexual, or social) rent a large house and seek people with like interests. Check out the City Paper, Blade, Hill Rag etc for these listings, and (6) of course check out the Washington Post.

RENTING A PLACE TO STAY You may decide you want to stay in DC and want a quick way to look up rental properties. This site lists prices, location and amenities that you might be interested in. Remember to check out the neighborhood for safety.