International Student House Washington, DC

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Spring has finally arrived…or maybe not?

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The month of April was a great time to be at the International Student House. The famous cherry blossom season usually starts around April 4th (it lasts around a week) and I went to visit the Tidal Basin in D.C. on April 9th. The National Cherry Blossom Festival started in 1912, when the Japanese Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo City donated Japanese cherry trees to the city of Washington D.C. The cherry blossoms represent beauty and the fragility of life in Japanese culture, and it was such an amazing sight to experience in person! The whole walk in the Tidal Basin was filled with tourists from all over the U.S. and the world! I walked from the Washington Monument to the Jefferson Memorial and saw the beautiful blossoms along the way. There were many residents from the house that also went to see the cherry blossoms, and I ran into some of them there.

The Tidal Basin overlooking the Jefferson Memorial with an ISH housemate from Italy

This month was really hectic for my master’s program at Georgetown. We finish all of our classes by the end of April and then we have two weeks for final papers and final exams. I can’t believe that I am almost done with my second semester of my MSFS degree! I’ve spent the last two weeks applying to summer internships and going to interviews while trying to turn in my assignments and attending lectures. I received an offer to intern this summer at the World Bank and I am really looking forward to staying in D.C. for the summer and learning more about how this multilateral institution functions. The MSFS Service Committee organized an event for Earth Day and I volunteered to help pick up trash by the Anacostia River. It was great to see such a huge turnout in the midst of final exams and papers!


MSFS students volunteering on Earth day by the Anacostia River

What better way to end the week of classes before finals than to attend the Africa Night event at ISH? My roommate Zinna, who has some Ethiopian heritage, organized the Africa Night at the house with the other African residents. It was such an amazing event! They showcased typical food, drinks, clothes, flags, music and even dances from each of their respective countries: Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. While we were listening to music during the event, there was a slideshow playing in the background with interesting fun facts and pictures about African countries. I learned a lot! I had no idea that Sudan has double the number of pyramids that Egypt does. The residents really enjoyed the evening and I feel more energized to tackle my final exams.


MSFS students and residents at the Africa Night event

About Manuela Hernandez

Country: USA and Colombia
School: Georgetown University, International Development
Bio: Manuela Hernandez is a Colombian-American student at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service where she is pursuing a Master of Science in the Foreign Service with a concentration in International Development. She is originally from Medellin, Colombia and moved to Florida at the age of five. She grew up in Miami and Orlando, and went to the University of Florida in Gainesville. She studied Economics and International Studies with a focus on Europe. Manuela worked as an intern in the Florida legislature, in both the House and Senate, during college. She also interned for the U.S. Consulate in Dusseldorf for a semester and worked in different sections such as public diplomacy and political. Manuela has studied abroad in Paris, Magdeburg, and Medellin. She most recently finished working for Kiron, a non-profit that helps refugees get access to higher education, and interning in the U.S. Congress this past summer for 10 weeks in the office of Congressman Alcee Hastings. Manuela is a 2017 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellow and will focus on economic issues as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer upon completion of graduate school. Manuela loves traveling; she went backpacking this past summer for three months all across the Balkan countries. She also loves cooking and doing yoga.

International Student House of Washington, DC | 1825 R Street, NW | Washington, DC 20009

International Student House of Washington, DC is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization located near Dupont Circle in the heart of Washington, DC. Donations will help support our mission to provide an exceptional residential experience to a highly diverse international community of graduate students, interns and visiting scholars. The House promotes inter-cultural dialogue, encourages life-long connections, and fosters global citizenship.