DC Adventures - SEW

Our trip to DC today was odd for me because while I've experienced the monuments many times in passing and through visits, I have never experienced them from the tourist point of view. I tried to place myself in the position of a visitor and experience the monuments from a fresh perspective. Experiencing them not from the standpoint of a local, for whom they are fairly commonplace, but from that of a tourist, for whom they are a destination, the journey being part of which makes the experience so special. Through doing this, I was able to gain a greater understanding of the allure and and awe that the monuments inspire that was previously unknown to me as they were a constant fixture in my life. One of the most memorable part of the trip for me was visiting Arlington National Cemetery, one of the few memorial sites in DC I have not visited. After doing so much research on the cemetery itself for my presentation and research paper, it was interesting to experience what I had studied first hand. The ceremony of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was especially moving, especially with the context of the knowledge I had gained through my research, such as the seemingly arbitrary steps and pauses the guard takes that are actually all 21 seconds or 21 steps because the 21 gun salute is the highest military honor that can be bestowed upon an individual. Not to mention, my understanding of the dedication of the Honor Guards added to the significance and memory/gratitude aspect of my experience, being aware of the strict rules and guidelines they must follow during their duty and afterwards augmented the awe of the ceremony in general, which was further enhanced by the beautiful and well manicured backdrop and the calming sound of falling water from the small fountain in the distance. The order and repetition of the organization of the cemetery and grave placement evoked a feeling of militaristic structure and planning, which counteracts the pain, confusion and sadness of many visiting the cemetery. This sense of stability is not shared by the circumstances under which these great American men and women gave their lives fighting for their country. After having seen ANC many times in passing and from afar, venturing inside the gates was a new and exciting experience.

Equally powerful was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which I have seen before, but the dreary conditions magnified the power of the memorial to grasp the viewer and force them to stop and think about the purpose and implications of the structure. In the rain, the black granite was incredibly reflective. This made me literally put myself in the position of young men my age who would have been drafted and sent to war, some of whose names are undoubtably listed on the memorial, and reflect on how our country has changed and progressed since then. There were visitors to the memorial who were moved to tears, and the rain mirrored their emotions, making it seem as if the stone itself was also crying, quite the living memorial. The movement of people through the Vietnam Veterans Memorial demands respect and careful thought, further emphasized by the muted city sounds, dampened by the thick cloud cover that definitely added to my perception of the memorial.

All in all, my trip to DC as a tourist was not only informative but also helped me to gain a better understanding and appreciation of my home. The application of what we've learned in class to the physical monuments contributed to their wonderment, as they are meant to be experienced in person, learning about them in class and through presentations simply isn't satisfactory, especially when considering how much of an effect the weather had on my perception of the sites.