My time in Washington has come to an end, and so has my nine-month stay at ISH. I remember when I first walked through the doors of this House and feeling as though I had entered into a historic building filled with secrets and stories.

As I reflect on my past year in the District, I would like to leave a few thoughts for future residents of ISH:

Get to know your house mates

 You will be sharing this building with over 90 students from all over the world, and from all walks of life. Get to know your house mates – you will learn from them and they will learn from you. Having built close relationships with several students at the house, I know much more than I have before about Rwanda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nigeria, Japan, the Netherlands, Sudan, South Sudan, and different cities in the United States. I have also made some friendships that I know will last for a long time.

Attending a march in downtown Washington with fellow residents

Take advantage of what ISH has to offer

You will have ample opportunities to meet foreign dignitaries, attend cultural events, experience music performances, and engage in global discussions. Don’t miss out! Over the past year, thanks to ISH, I met with current and retired diplomats who visited us several times at the house and engaged us in lively talks and dinners. I was privileged to hear the music of a talented young violinist at the Israeli embassy, and attend an incredible Mozart concert at the Kennedy Center. I was also lucky enough to have access to cultural tours, interview opportunities, and dialogue events at the house.

Posing in the Great Hall after a concert by the Russian Chamber Art Society

Immerse yourself in the unique offerings of Washington

As a resident of ISH, you will be living within walking distance of the world’s foremost think tanks, the World Bank, the White House, and countless national and global institutions. There are weekly, if not daily, events that are held at these centers, and I urge you to take some time to add a few to your calendar. Even on a busy school or work day, it is worth checking out a discussion on topics that interest you – it will widen your perspective and leave you with thoughts to ponder.

And don’t forget about the arts! You are also surrounded by world-class museums, exhibits, concerts, and art galleries. They are essential to the Washingtonian experience, and they make for a great socializing activity with your house mates and friends.

Roommates smiling for the camera

When in doubt, take a breath, and focus on the present

 This city is filled with ambitious high-achieving professionals who work hard and have big dreams. While inspiring and motivating, this environment at times could be stress-inducing. I found that when the going got tough in grad school and my internship over the past year, a good walk and fresh air were immeasurably helpful in calming my nerves. Rock Creek Park, Georgetown Waterfront, and Lincoln Memorial were my personal zones of ‘de-compression’. I also enjoyed exploring coffee shops and restaurants around town – this city is meant for gourmands!

Alas, this will be my last blog post as a resident of ISH. I am grateful beyond words to the staff of this house for making this a comfortable and special home for me. I will also miss my roommate, Spencer, immensely – as well as a number of lovely faces that I have grown accustomed to having breakfast and dinner with every day for the past nine months. Thank you, ISH, for being a wonderful home. I look forward to visiting next time I find myself in Washington, and I especially look forward to connecting with the friends I made in different parts of the world.

It’s amazing what richness of experience, perspectives and insights comes together at the International Student House. Much has been written about it, more said, and still it stays an endless well of discoveries! As John Glenn said: “we have infinite amount to learn from nature and one another”.

All of the up to 90 people at ISH at any given time, can tell unique stories of life around the world and share lessons from their studies, projects and life experiences.

Many of these insights could go untapped, if it was not for one cherished tradition at ISH D.C: The residents’ Salon.

The Salon is our weekly get together on Sunday nights, inviting every resident to share a story from their life, an insight from their studies or information about their country with fellow residents. It may also be pictures and lessons from a journey they took, or a teaching session for a skill they have mastered. Topics range across all aspects of life and society on our planet!

During my time, here at ISH, we have, for example, learned the lesser-known aspects of stress and stress management from psychology student Aman, and travelled to Finland for a night of Finnish history, sweets and first steps to mastering the Finnish language with Hilkka, who interned at the Finish embassy at the time. More recently, Jonathan has told us about the political economy of his home country, Nigeria, helping us understand interdependencies we must be aware of as global citizens. Beyond our curiosity on countries, cultures, and each other’s travels and studies; current affairs often make the perfect occasion for a residents’ Salon: Hence, with the Turkish Referendum that was held in mid-April, we were grateful to learn some more about the situation in Turkey and the  decision from our Turkish fellow resident Cem.  A Sunday before, Rose shared insight from her research on one of the most heartbreaking cruelties of our time, sexual violence as a weapon of war. With her talk, Rose has raised our awareness and made us sensitive to the challenge our generation must address.  It’s important to look at issues like this one, and encouraging to do it with fellow students from all over the world.

Together we explore and elaborate how we may learn from insights and apply them to our life and work. We can thus think of the residents’ salon in many ways as a commentary, think tank, cultural exchange and research lab run by us, the residents, together. There is no obligation to contribute, yet there is no question that everyone has something uniquely valuable to share!

Hence, as you come to ISH, it’s always fruitful to ask: With all that is going on around the world, what would I like to better understand? And what is a lesson or experience I can share, for my fellow residents to learn from? Lastly, with all the different nationalities in the house: of any country represented here at the house, what have I always wanted to understand?

The Residents’ Salon is a chance to explore any and all of these topics: a casual get-together with snacks and conversations that help us understand one more piece of our world, one Sunday at a time.

So, whether you are a new or long-established resident, what would you like to learn about, what would you like to share? Find a fellow resident to pick the topic for some next Sunday’s Salon – and let Alex, our Salon coordinator know, when you’re ready.

A lively, inspiring chat awaits and I, for one, can’t wait.

Every other week during Sunday Supper we welcome new residents into the House, and we say goodbye to those heading home or on to their next endeavors.  Often a resident will stand and say their farewells and share where they are heading next.  Sometimes it is a bit sad saying goodbye to housemates who have become dear friends, other times it is just excitement because they are heading to an exciting new adventure in a new country to begin their dream job.

Dr. Jaideep Misra, a graduate student from India, chose to write a poem to share his experience.  As he stood to say his farewell, he pulled out a piece of paper where he composed his thoughts in the form that worked best for him, and he so graciously shared his words with us.  Thank you, Jaideep, and good luck as you continue your work!

THE INDESCRIBABLE WONDER AT ISH WASHINGTON DC

self composed poem Dr. Jaideep Misra (India)

Thank you, thank you, thank you
To each one
May you shine brighter than the Sun.

My experience at ISH was wholesome,
Every moment spent here is simply so much fun.

Wishing each one the best
To live each moment with full zest.

Celebrating unity in diversity,
This is what ISH has created in this city.

This life is transient yet sweet.
With new experiences to meet,
and lovely people to greet.

All sweet experiences have an end
and so I too will have to leave the coming weekend.

Good bye lovely beings,
May we all continually fly with high wings.

Sharing with all equally the light of inspiration,
to truly acknowledge and live this life as a gift of celebration.

I will miss each one of you
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
Is the least that I can express in my view.

PS: my special thanks to Jen and Bob and the angelic being Bruno [their dog] and
the special chefs at ISH who add vibrancy to the place with
beautifully cooked meals and scrumptious delicacies and to all the
residents from all parts of the world who are all so welcoming and
give a feeling of a community family experience at ISH. and not to
forget the wonderful events at ISH and the great grand piano at the
grand hall.
This place truly is home with wonderful people and the wonder that I
experienced in my short stay of 1 month is simply beyond the words so
I end with thank you thank you thank you God bless all to remain in
high spirits always. Blessings, love, light and peace to all.

Regards,

Jaideep Misra

 

 

If you are thinking of joining the ISH-DC community or just preparing for your arrival now, you are probably wondering what our neighborhood is like! As a resident at the house, I remember my first exploratory walks around the neighborhood very well. Based on these and a few great recoveries over the course of my now 8 months stay, here are some of our highlights:

Our house’s immediate neighborhood is elegant and quiet, with many embassies and offices spread out around an otherwise residential area. As you leave ISH you can always meet neighbors walking their dogs or going for a run. Although it is quiet around the house, Connecticut avenue and the actual Dupont Circle are just a block away, featuring businesses from supermarkets to Cafés to bookstores. And not just any among those either!

Kramer Books is one of the most popular bookstores in D.C. for very good reason. A 5 minute walk from ISH, this spacious bookstore is packed with books of all genres and gives you an excellent taste of what America is reading right now. From politics to economics to arts – everyone will find both the talk of the town and beloved classics here. Many residents, myself included, enjoy a Saturday afternoon rummaging through Kramer Book’s shelves, discovering a multitude of books we have to read, commenting contemporary America or delving into core topics of our own research. This store is always worth the trip.

Right next to Kramer Books, on the corner of Connecticut Ave and Q Street is Firehook. A small, cozy bakery, with wooden floors and counters, offering cozy window seats, artisan bread, paninis, soup and smoothies, with great options for any time of day. This really is a cute bakery with the neighborhood atmosphere and nice staff you may long for in a big city. Connecticut Ave and Q, 2 minutes-walk from ISH.

If you are looking for great coffee and excellent pastry at an unbeatable price, Un je ne sais quoi…. ! is the place to go. It has to come second here, because I found this absolute treasure only late in my stay and am now never getting real treats anywhere else! Petit Paris, as I would dub this place, is located on Connecticut Avenue, a 6-minute walk from ISH, past Kramer Books and just across the actual Dupont Circle.  The small, bright Patisserie française is run by a French couple (from what I could tell) and not only a wonderful opportunity to practice your French, but also truly the best place to get coffee, croissant, brioche and amazing French pastries. I have treated myself to a couple of visit now and was never disappointed. A quiet place to study, with a cozy corner sofa or great window seats, and also the best choice to pick up a croissant or coffee to go in the morning. Extra tip for birthdays or just that one special treat: their tarte au chocolat is magnifique!

Alternatively, sweet-tooths or gelato fans moving in around the summer: check out Dolcezza near the corner of Connecticut Ave and R Street- their artesian ice cream features flavours from coconut to lime-basil to salted caramel. It’s a great welcome-treat to enjoy on your first summer night in D.C. – I’d know because a wonderful fellow resident took me there the night I first moved in.

These are three of the perks of Dupont Circle, but of course life is rarely all books and other treats. Let me give you some more practical tips:

Food: With breakfast and dinner provided at the House, most residents still go grocery shopping every week to stock up on snacks and lunches. For that, I have three recommendations: Close-by, on 17^th street, is Safeway with a classic supermarket offering. A little bit further, about a 20-minute walk, on 14^th Street, is Trader Joe’s with less of a product range but a great quality-price ratio and many healthy snacks. Even fresher and more local is the Sunday’s Freshfarm Farmer’s Market that comes to the Dupont Circle area, spread along on the side of Connecticut Avenue between R street and the circle. I highly recommend a visit, with or without a grocery shopping list: Here you’ll find the locals do their shopping, can taste a multitude of offerings from fruits to granola to cheese, bread, pizza and ice cream. The quality is good and prices are fair. Above all, you can support local farms and artisan products. From 8:30 am to 1:30 pm, enjoy a stroll along the market- including a local artist making music nearby!

Banks: For many Internationals the banking question is not easy to answer. Near ISH, you have Bank of America, PNC and SunTrust all in very close proximity. Conditions vary, but at least location-wise, these three are a good bet as their offices are all within a 5-minute walk from the house.

Other utilities: For any household utilities you may need, CVS is your best bet in the ISH-DC neighborhood. The store is located right at the corner of the Dupont Circle and offers anything from beauty and bathroom products, to stationary, cleaning supplies and medicine (it is also a pharmacy). For office supplies, Office Depot, up North on Connecticut Avenue is also a good bet.

Freetime and Fun around Dupont: The many other things you can do around Dupont merit a separate blogpost. Overall, Dupont is a lively neighborhood, with sports clubs, yoga studios, seasonal art markets, museums and restaurants around the corner.  If your favorite hobby is not found close-by, Georgetown and downtown are a 10-minute bus and 5-minute metro ride away, respectively. Not to mention D.C.’s lively U-Street Neighborhood, which is a 10-minute walk up North. In sum,

Dupont has a lot to offer- which is why some of its nicest places can easily go unnoticed. I recommend a walk around the block to find your favorite places, when you arrive. As always, there’s always current residents to ask for good spots as well.

Meal time is my favorite part about living at ISH. The dining hall has been a wonderful platform for me to learn about cultures and practices from all over the world, one dish at a time.

As I come down for a quick power breakfast in the mornings, I learn from my fellow residents about the kind of work that occupies their daily schedules. At the end of the day, coming home from classes or my internship, I deeply enjoy the downtime that our dinner time conversations afford us – before retreating to the study room for the evening. And on Sundays, we all relish over a delicious  meal as we bid farewell to the week that passed, prepare for the one ahead, and welcome new members to our community.

In any given week, our discussions span from humorous cultural practices in our countries of origin, to sharing diverse perspectives about how current global trends are impacting our communities, all the way to updating each other on the progress of our internships, paper assignments, PhD theses, and future plans. No topic is off the table, and laughter always prevails.

In my seven months at ISH, I have learned so much about the world through the eyes of my fellow residents, and for that I will always be grateful. These discussions are what I will miss the most upon my departure in two months. Wherever I end up living thereafter, I know that the memory of these exchanges will give me reasons to smile.