"Excuse me, do you know how to use the copier?"

So today was the first day of my internship. I'm still slightly shell-shocked, in a good way, about what happened today, if only because I haven't really had time to process it properly.

I got up at around 6:30 am to rush out the door at 7:00 am. While the walk was a bit panicked, I managed to get myself on the proper Metro line by 7:30 and on my way to NDU. That is, if the Metro was actually moving, which it periodically was not as we lurched our way out of Virginia and into D.C. proper.

Even with the confused Metro train, I managed to arrive at one of the gates by 8:10 am. Thus, I was faced with a dilemma. I was planning on arriving 15 minutes early, but not 50 minutes, but what was I going to do? Dwaddle outside the gate? Go in and then wander around "lost" on the base? Instead of choosing either one of those options, I decided to go out to a nearby park by the river and savor the silence of the morning and drizzle. By the time I'd settled myself and gathered my nerve, it was about the right time to wander my way back to the base.

I walked past the first gate that I had originally planned to enter into, mostly because it seemed to be cars-only and the guard appeared busy with checking ID. I think I got a look from him because I was the only person in business attire, on foot, wandering across his area. I passed a USPS office on base, which is nice to know, if I ever need to send packages, I don't need to run all the way to ... somewhere... to get something shipped. I also passed a lot of "Army Property. No Trespassing." signs, which was expected.

What I did not expect was how friendly everyone was through the whole security process. I suppose that since NDU is not on an "active" military base (if a military base can ever be considered inactive), people aren't paranoid. Let me make a correction, there was a strict security process, but I did not feel as on edge this morning as I did at the State Department last week. There is also the possibility that coffee played a factor as I did not have coffee this morning, but did last Thursday (and it was a Starbucks grande).

I have to tip my metaphorical hat to the security guards in the buildings. They were the ones who pointed me in the right directions, and the man on duty this morning in the main NDU lobby was extremely gracious and helpful. When he couldn't reach my contact in the College, he went the extra step of trying to find someone else in the university to help me before he sent me up to the CISA's offices. I thought he was sending me to the main office, with the secretaries and perhaps a few interns working there.

He literally sent me to the Director's office.

So yes, the very first person I met today from CISA was my ultimate superior. I...I fumbled, slightly, but the world did not end when I reverted back to my quieter self. So much for the "be confident and assertive" prep talk last night, but I am who I am, and that is a quiet, modest individual who tends to think she is imposing on people when she is not. (The good news, though, is when we met again today, as my supervisor introduced me, the Director remembered me from the morning, and again when we bumped into each other in the hallway.) There was a bit of "pass the intern around" from VIP to VIP until I was finally given to the custody of a very nice and patient woman who did not have the title "intern escort" anywhere in her job description, but did a wonderful job of it. She took me through the paperwork and all the other processes that I needed to get through for the better part of the morning, and then I was passed back to my contact. There was some discussion about where they were going to be put me, but it basically came down to this: the Interns' Room where everyone else had been put thus far was full, and there wasn't space in there for me. As the CISA is apparently also undergoing office reorganization, with professors moving around, there were empty rooms in the College's allotted space. So, my supervisor took me to one of the empty offices and told me that it was now assigned to me.

I blinked in surprise and I still haven't processed the thought about how that happened.

I have an entire office to myself, and when I wandered back at the end of the day to put something away... Someone had printed out a nice, professional paper placard with my name and title/position on it and put it next to the door. I believe the word "flustered" is the best adjective to describe my reaction. No, the world does not stop when a new intern walks in the door, but I never expected that small, but incredibly welcoming gesture and I deeply appreciate it.

My supervisor and everyone else I met today were apologetic about the "chaos" they were currently in. Between the first day of classes, a new wave of interns, and apparently three conferences going on at the same time, I can see why they felt they were being stretched a little thin. On the other hand, I felt that there was a degree of structure to the chaos and it was nice to have the chance to trail someone around to run a little errand and end up meeting various professors and staff. The department does seem like a little family, even though there are formalities observed (and I need to start wrapping my head around people's last names!).

For the past few days, people have told me over and over again that "this internship is what you make of it," and I believe that I'm going to have a wonderful time at NDU. Although I spent my afternoon sorting out a reading list and hunting down articles for professors (and tomorrow, burning CDs for a class), which is mostly administrative stuff, I was content. After all, I know everyone is busy, and someone has to do this stuff eventually. Since I'm not assigned to anything urgent, why not help out with the little stuff? It's a learning curve, like when I went to find the copy/fax room.... First, I got lost (then went back and got directions from my partner intern). Second, I nearly walked in on a conference/tour of some sort, so I had to pretend I wasn't there. Third... I met this kind English gentleman in the copy room as I'm trying to figure out how to use the copier, and I ask him, "Excuse me, do you know how to use the copier?"

He takes the stack of papers I have, puts it in the tray, asks, "Who are you doing this for?" and "How many copies?" before he hits START. I feel like a bit of an idiot, but the copy tray was not where I thought it was, so I did the smart thing in asking for help.

About three hours later, my supervisor takes me to a professor's office, where there are two men involved in a deep conversation. Guess who do I see talking to the professor I'm supposed to help out? Yes, the kind English man is not only a gentleman, but a professor. I love my life, as I am constantly amused by the situations I find myself in. I asked a professor, probably someone with a Ph.D. degree, how to use a copier. I shouldn't be so surprised that he knew how to run copies, but I am grateful that he showed me how without a fuss. Then again, horror stories are just that, horror stories that probably aren't true 99.9% of the time.

The basic sum of this entry is that I'm happy with what happened today, even if I am a little shell-shocked and stunned by my internship, and I look forward to going back tomorrow.

Onwards!