Days One and Two of intern training: completed. In addition to the values workshop, business etiquette lessons and HQ tours, I've gotten to know the D.C. metro area a bit better thanks to Lidl. The number of interns-- only eleven-- makes it easier to connect with one another. And Lidl seems pretty set on making us happy, meaning they've pulled out all the stops.
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| Lidl Summer Interns 2016. |
Friday after work, Lidl took all the interns, our mentors and the HR department to the Washington Nationals versus Philadelphia Phillies baseball game. I may not be the most baseball-savy person out there, but hanging out for three hours with my new Lidl buddies, boogying to 80s music and munching on classic American sports food (Lidl's treat!) is something of which I'm definitely a fan.
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| This little stadium has only been around since May 2008. |
In addition to the baseball tickets, Lidl gave us some sweet branded gear. I've already put my cloth bag to good use and foresee the umbrella coming in handy later this week when the storms move in. My first real work day is tomorrow, but I already have a very positive feeling about Lidl US as a company, at least from an intern's perspective.
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| Only the interns get the backpack-- full-time Lidl employees have been eyeing them. |
Out of the office and away from Lidl colleagues, I'm continuing to explore Alexandria. This weekend I discovered a great area called Mount Ida, which is just row after row of gorgeous, ginormous brick manners. Families hanging out on their front porches in rocking chairs waved as I passed by. Little kids splashed in cool pools of water in the 90 degree, muggy, late-morning sunshine. Simply put, I'd call that area of the 'hood a textbook example of achieving the stereotypical "American dream." Churches were fairly prominent for a residential area as well as some schools that looked very well-funded. I'd be curious to know where the average Mount Ida teen goes to college.
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| A glimpse at the quaintest of East Coast homes. |
After my neighborhood exploration, my roommate and I got the chance to experience some D.C. culture at the Capital Pride Parade, which apparently is the same age as me. The floats/parade participants were varied-- D.C. sports teams such as crew, volleyball and rugby, kissy-faced drag queens, religious organizations touting ultra-tolerant signage, Hillary for LGBT rights, Grand Marshall Leslie Jordan (aka Beverly) of Will and Grace fame, the Canadian, Royal Netherland and English Embassies-- and all were very upbeat, especially considering the 95 degree and 50 percent humidity conditions.
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| In the heart of Dupont Circle, aka the Embassy District. |
My favorite parade participant was the D.C. Police Department. Officers were decked out in rainbow flags, holding sings saying "Free Hugs" and zooming by on their signature Segways. After experiencing the waves of love and acceptance by all different facets of society at the parade, waking up to the news from Orlando this morning was even more heart wrenching. Other than the irredeemable cruelty displayed, it made me shudder to consider the danger any crowd potentially poses, but I do believe we are intended to be a social society, living among and interacting with one another.
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| Ah, no day like a D.C. summer day for the escalators to break. |
Perhaps I can't personally solve all of the world's problems, but by being exposed to more of the world definitely allows me to understand others a bit better. I may still be in the US, but life here feels different than in Oregon. It's not just the physical environment. A different history, political importance and culmination of people makes for the stark contrast between regions and their respective communities. So although I'm not the biggest fan of D.C. weather, there is still just as much to learn and experience here as overseas. I'm admittedly excited for my time with Lidl, but I'm also looking forward to a summer full of learning about a corner of the world that both shares and diverges from the culture I've known forever. And now it's time to go explore!