Day 16: The Reunion

Photo of the Day: Just Like Old Times

Oh, what a volatile time last year was. The rocky trials and triumphs of my time in the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps will never be fully understood except by, for better or for worse, the few of us who worked, lived, ate, and slept together for 10 months as Silver Three. So it was a rare and special treat to meet up today with two of my former corps members, Becky and Cody, in Washington, D.C. While we've only been separated for barely more than a month, it feels like a lifetime ago, so I really appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with these ladies and hear how much our lives have changed in that time. We met up for lunch at Hard Rock Cafe, then briefly walked around the city center and the Smithsonian museums. It was the first time we had hung out outside the context of AmeriCorps, but any awkwardness I'd feared from our month apart was nonexistent as we shared inside jokes and slipped into a comfortable routine and dynamic I didn't realize how much I'd missed. After weeks of striving to come off as mature and professional in my new job, it felt great to just be a goofball for a while. I'm really looking forward the promised reunion that will also include Dan, Amber, and Jessi some time later this year.

It was also my last day with Aditi and Stephanie, and though I missed out on their plans to wander the ethnic eateries of H Street after lunch, I did get to assist them in some of their baking projects later that afternoon. They made carrot cake and cookies today, which I most unfortunately did not get to try because I had to leave to catch my bus home. My loss, indeed. I still do want to extend a big thank you to both of them for making my time in D.C. so worthwhile, and being separated by a much shorter distance, I'm looking forward to seeing both of these good friends a lot more frequently. For now, however, it's back to the rat race in the Big Apple!

A tour group on Segways, a perfect fodder for public mockery.

The classic awkward prom picture pose! Again, one of those inside jokes that wouldn't be nearly as funny to outsiders.

Guess who's more excited about this relationship?

Pretending to be elephants?

Cody and Becky do their best fierce dinosaur impression.

The gem exhibit inspires the girls to adopt poses from Beyonce's Single Ladies.

In front of the Smithsonian Castle.

Obligatory jumping pictures in front of the Washington Monument (or as Cody calls it, The Pencil).

Aw, aren't they cute?

Aditi prepares some pineapple that Stephanie uses in her carrot cake. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

Stephanie gives me one of her famous weirded-out stares as I attempt to photograph her baking exploits.