Intern Diary 2025 - First Impressions
DODO partners with Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, as part of Flinders University's Washington Internship Program, which enables Australian undergraduate students to work in the US Congress and Washington, D.C.-based think tanks, media outlets, and nonprofits. DODO provides local support and advice, organizes tours and extracurricular activities, and other services to ensure visiting students get the full U.S. internship experience.
In this blog post – the first in our Intern Diary series – Jameson Henderson Redden, who is interning with Representative Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (TX-34) in the winter of 2025, writes about his first impressions of and experiences in Washington, D.C.
Jameson Henderson Redden
January 7, 2024
Hey! My name is Jameson Henderson Redden, I am an intern for the 2025 Washington Internship Program through Flinders University and the American Australian Association, and I am interning for Congressman Vicente Gonzalez Jr., a member of the Democratic Party who represents Texas’ 34th District.
Although I have not yet started my internship with Congressman Gonzalez, my experiences in Washington, D.C., so far have been absolutely incredible. Getting a taxi from Dulles Airport, we drove right past the Washington Monument and Capitol building on the way to the apartments where myself and four other Flinders University interns will be staying for the next two months. The view from our apartments is unbelievable; we have the most beautiful view of the Capitol building in the evening. At night it is difficult to not constantly think about the number of influential people who are less than a few kilometres (miles) from us.
On my first day in D.C., I tried my first ever Starbucks coffee and Dunkin Donuts, staples of the Washington experience, and then made my way past the Supreme Court and Library of Congress to get my first close-up view of the Capitol building. Standing in front of the building was entrancing. To think of the number of US senators, members of Congress, policymakers, and presidents who have made decisions that would alter the course of history can almost feel overwhelming. Looking down from the Capitol at the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial in the distance and admiring the Roman and Greek inspired architecture is something that can only be experienced while you are here, and it never really leaves your mind.
One thing I had not anticipated was the distance between buildings in Washington. On day two I decided to walk from the Capitol to the White House, a walk which I thought would only take 15 minutes but actually took nearly an hour! But once you make that mistake you quickly learn to use the electric bikes and scooters found throughout the city to save time! The White House itself was heavily guarded when I was there because of the upcoming second inauguration of President Trump along with President Biden’s departure. Nevertheless, the White House was much larger than I had expected and standing in front of it was a once in a lifetime experience.
One of my biggest surprises being in Washington for a week now is how friendly everyone has been. People always say good morning and are always happy to stop and talk about where I am from and what I am doing. This was especially true towards the end of my first week when Washington experienced a severe snowstorm that covered the entire city in a thick layer of snow. This was my first time ever seeing snow and in the morning many of the locals were out shovelling the sidewalk, having a chat, and even having the odd snowball fight.
My first week in Washington has honestly been one of the most incredible and fascinating experiences of my life. Going from the Australian summer to Washington winter has been a bit of a shocker, but I cannot wait to begin my internship in Congressman Gonzalez’s office and to learn everything there is to know about working in Congress on Capitol Hill.