Well guys, as the month comes to an end, so does my internship here at National Geographic. It’s been a blast and I have learned a lot, both about blog writing and about what an incredible institution NGS is. I thought I would share with you what have been five of my favorite things (not necessarily in order) this summer as my last blog entry and final Five for Friday:

1. The NGS Cafeteria

I will miss you, National Geographic cafeteria! Thank you for keeping me well fed through out the summer. The egg and cheese sandwiches I devoured early mornings after difficult, sweaty bike-rides into work cannot be forgotten, and I wanted to give a special shout out to my man behind the grill who knows just how I like them. The occasional afternoon fro-yo will also be missed!

2. This blog

It has been an amazing opportunity and a whole lot of fun writing for the MWW blog this summer. I have to admit: I have totally and completely drunk the My Wonderful World kool-aid. Working for the MWW campaign to expand geographic learning has been a great experience, and through my writing and brainstorming on blog topics, and researching for the monthly newsletter, it has given me a whole new, geographic perspective. I am hoping to incorporate more geography courses into my studies when I return to Virginia Tech this fall.

3. The people

Not only does National Geographic have incredible programs, magazines, and shows; it has great people. On my first day at NGS I was shown to my desk in the “intern bullpen.” In reality, however, the “bullpen” turned out to be four other female interns for the summer. It’s been a whole lot of estrogen but a whole lot of fun. To all my fellow education interns: thanks for keeping things interesting! And a special thanks to my boss, Sarah Jane, who made this internship such an enjoyable learning experience. I hope in my future endeavors I can be as well spoken (and as well written) as you are, Sarah; you make us redheads proud!

4. The city

Although I am an Arlington, VA resident, and live just fifteen minutes outside the city, I’m sad to say I rarely take the time to check it out! I love having internships in the Washington, DC area that give me a chance to get outside during my lunch hour and do a little exploring. I did my fare share this summer and tried out some new restaurants, yoga joints; the works– and had a great time.

5. The society itself

Finally, during my internship this summer, my respect for the National Geographic Society has grown immensely. My eleven weeks here brought my attention to the vast breadth of areas the Society touches: education, exploration, entertainment; the list goes on. I have had the opportunity to meet some incredibly accomplished individuals and have been proud to be affiliated with the Society all summer long.

So goodbye for now, and thanks for reading and following me this summer!

Kirsten for My Wonderful World