DC Part III: Where Everyone Breaks Into Dance and Song

    Ok now for the awesomeness of the final part. Just to recenter us right now (in my story) I am in Washington DC at a hotel that is very in love with escalators and strange angles with tons of exchange students at about 9pm. We're all dressed in our culture's finest. For the US this means red,white, and blue - but for everyone else this meant amazing gold things, with fancy head pieces, and colors colors everywhere. First I'll get all the not so great parts out of the way.

1. There were no YES Abroad tables created so we were randomly scattered. Tenaya (to India) and I ended up sitting all alone with these random volunteers. It was fine though. She's an awesome person and we actually have a lot in common. But it was weird sitting amongst all those volunteers.
2. The YES Abroaders United States of America cultural performance. It was a mess. Allen (the head guy) made us square dance which isn't all that American. (How often do you square dance? Yeah.) You couldn't hear the directions so we had to guess at what to do. And remember how I said we only had one practice with everyone there. Well it showed. Horrible horrible. Worst of the night and everyone knew it (you could tell by the lack of clapping or standing up).

Anyway on the rest. Germany got us all standing and jumping and squatting to their special German songs. Here listen watch:

    Then came a flurry of different spectacles. Mozambique showed us the break down dance. It was a crazy butt dance. Crazy! but amazing! Ghana explained to us their legal system. South Africa did some gumboot. India went all super fun dancing time. Then they started a fashion show. Tenaya is super lucky, all the India people are. The Saudis interestingly did the YMCA. And the Philippines. The Philippines did a whole story dance that I can't even explain but it was awe inspiring, jaw dropping, breath taking. This whole time I was thinking: these are the same people I've just been hanging out with. Why are they so awesome?

And my Indonesians. These were the people that were so incredibly nice to me at the Embassy. They taught me to say I love you; Aku cinta kamu. They write on my wall about how we should hang out when I'm there. They were the last and the largest group (101) to perform and they did an amazing job. Somebody told me they were scared the stage wouldn't hold up, they saw it sagging beneath them. I have major Indonesian love now.

After this we went back to our hotel where YES Abroad had a short meeting to wrap up our time together. This was our last time together for a year; Thailand was leaving early the next morning and India later that day. We really are an amazing group. I have super love for all these people too.
    The next day I woke up to send my roommate Elizabeth off to Thailand. The rest of this day was just spent hanging out around the pool with Angelina, Cee, and Sarah (more cool people). It was the most relaxing moment of the weekend. Then off to our planes, heading home or to India. I wish the best for everyone in DC; the YES people, the Germans (CB), and all my YES Abroaders. And I can't forget to thank all the volunteers and staff who made everything so wonderful. Never has being an exchange student been so cool :)
    Now I can finally write about current news. And I do have some. (If you're interested in watching more videos here's the link to a youtube channel. It's the same user as above: Kimchi Dragon. Sadly you can see the US's performance there too.)
Til later A.