z

Young Writers Society


My Trip To The White House



User avatar
425 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 11417
Reviews: 425
Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:37 pm
Nate says...



Yesterday evening, I had the chance to take a tour of the West Wing of the White House with my office. Typically, tours of the White House are mundane affairs and all you really see are a few of the rooms in the main part of the WH, such as the Green room. I've taken that tour a few times before (though not since 9/11), but I've never been to the West Wing.

The West Wing of the White House is what people typically think of when they think of the White House. It's where the President holds cabinet meetings, meets with foreign heads of state, and it's where the Oval Office is. It was all very cool to see, especially the Oval Office. It's a lot different than what I thought it'd look like. For one, movies always show it as being above ground, such that it looks the window is facing the mid point of a tree. In truth, it's on ground level. It also looks a lot more aged than I thought it would, and not as elegant as I expected. But don't get me wrong, it's definitely a great looking office.

We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside the West Wing, but we were allowed to take as many as we wanted outside. There's a couple pictures of me, and the first one is a picture of my office. That first one is a bad picture, but funny because it looks like our press secretary has only one leg! I don't particularly like the two pictures of me either, but no one ever likes their picture so ah well.
Attachments
Picture 0141.jpg
My office.
Picture 0141.jpg (51.25 KiB) Viewed 385 times
Picture 0041.jpg
Me in the rose garden at the back of the White House.
Picture 0041.jpg (41.12 KiB) Viewed 385 times
Picture 013.jpg
Me in the front yard of the White House.
Picture 013.jpg (33.57 KiB) Viewed 385 times
  





User avatar
52 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 890
Reviews: 52
Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:50 pm
LamaLama says...



I've been post 9/11. You have to make an appointment, and they run a background check on everyone that's going in there. After going through about 6 metal detectors (not all of which were metal detectors) you were allowed to go any where you wanted, so long as you didn't cross any ropes.

It was the east wing, the green room, and the red room, and the yellow room, and the china room.... I wasn't impressed.
Beware of the scary banana fingers! For they are mushy, and yellow.

I will change my sig whenever another member asks me too. (please request publicly) Last change: Nov. 12 by: Griffinkeeper
  





User avatar
402 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 1586
Reviews: 402
Wed Aug 23, 2006 6:56 pm
Wiggy says...



That's awesome. I've been to D.C. 3 or 4 times, but not to the White House. I really want to see it though. Sounds really interesting!
"I will have to tell you, you have bewitched me body and soul..." --Mr. Darcy, P & P, 2005 movie
"You pierce my soul." --Cpt. Frederick Wentworth

Got YWS?
  





User avatar
425 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 11417
Reviews: 425
Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:17 pm
Nate says...



writingluver5 wrote:That's awesome. I've been to D.C. 3 or 4 times, but not to the White House. I really want to see it though. Sounds really interesting!


If you want to get a tour of the White House, you got to contact your Congressional Representative six months before you go. The White House gives tours on a first come, first serve basis and will take requests up to six months beforehand. Since so few are approved, if you wait five months before you go, chances are your tour will not be approved. If you are approved then there is a background check. But all it is, is you just provide your social security number, full name and birth date. As long as all three match up, you're okay. We've never had any problems, though I've heard of instances from other offices were somebody supplied fake social security numbers.

But to be honest, the White House tour is unimpressive as it's only the East Wing, and my office always hears about how disappointing it was, so your time is much better spent either taking a tour of the Capitol Building or going to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Or just watching grass grow. If you can get a West Wing tour, though, then you should jump at it. Fortunately, the Chief of Staff for my boss has a friend she's known since high-school who works in the West Wing. Otherwise, it's very difficult to get a tour of it.
  





User avatar
52 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 890
Reviews: 52
Wed Aug 23, 2006 7:38 pm
LamaLama says...



If you're going to DC, there's plenty more to see thats more interesting than the White House- as Nate said. Though, it might be worth it just to say "hey, I went to the white house."

I actually had more fun finding my own way around the city, getting from downtown (in the national mall area) to arlington memorial cemitary. Which was a feat- considering how far that is, and the last time I'd been on a subway before that I was probably 8.

Also, if your going to DC. Don't eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. Bad choice.
Beware of the scary banana fingers! For they are mushy, and yellow.

I will change my sig whenever another member asks me too. (please request publicly) Last change: Nov. 12 by: Griffinkeeper
  





User avatar
38 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 890
Reviews: 38
Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:46 pm
marching_gurl89 says...



I have been to washington d.c. with my government class. I thought the tour of the capital building was mich better than the white house tour. We only got a tour of the East wing, which was not very exciting. If you go to D.C. you have to see the national archives, that was fun.
~*~Peace, Love, and Protesters~*~
I'm not off beat!I'm marching to the beat of my own drum
I rock my socks
Hippielicious the bold new flavor from caroline
JFK BLOWN AWAY WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE TO SAY!!!!!!!
  








Life is about losing everything.
— Isabel Allende