The Journey Begins

Sunday was a day full of travel to Washington, DC and meeting the 23 other TITP participants and representatives from Toyota and the Institute of International Education.  Everyone has been wonderful.  Many of the other participants have traveled all over the world and have lots of good advice to offer novices like me.  In the evening, we attended a welcome reception at the United States Botanic Garden, a short walk from our hotel.  In order to use the Garden for functions, the function has to be related to education and be sponsored by a member of Congress.  Our sponsor was Representative Donald M. Payne from New Jersey.  At the reception we got to meet Representative Payne and some of the people who selected us for this journey.  (Today I also got stuck briefly in the hotel elevator.)

Amy, Conrad, and I at the reception.



Nighttime walk back to the hotel past the Capitol.