Over the weekend, more than 40 CCIP (www.theccip.com) exchange visitors (www.theccip.com) traveled from New York City to the nation's capital. The group spent two days in Washington DC, learning about the branches of the U.S. government, seeing famous sites, and enjoying tourist attractions.

The trip was organized by three activity coordinators, including Phoebe Guan, a student at the University of Hong Kong who is double majoring in accounting and finance, and Parthiban R, a graduate student at the Nanyang Technological University. The third coordinator was Jackson Lai, a student at the Open University of Hong Kong, who claimed “it was a big undertaking organizing this trip, though it was worth it as it offered fellow students a unique glimpse into the administration of the nation”.

“I joined CCIP because it offered more than just an internship,” said Phoebe. “As a group, we’ve done a lot of fun things, but this was probably my favorite. It was also really informative.”

The students from a dozen universities in East Asia took a bus from New York City to Washington DC to learn about the branches of government in person. On their first day in DC, the exchange visitors attended the congressional tour and galleries inside Congress watch Congress in session. They also visited attractions such as Supreme Court around the area. On the second day they toured world-famous landmarks as the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the White House.

One official that the group met in person was Congresswoman Grace Meng, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives for New York State. Her New York office is one of CCIP’s internship hosts. Afterward, the group toured Capitol Hill.

The White House another significant highlight. Registration submitted months ago never got in past years. This first time our application visit accepted by the White House.

These events provided insights into the American government and a chance for the exchange visitors to expand their cultural understanding.

The trip was more than just sightseeing, though, said Parthiban. “We met with officials who actually play a major role in shaping the laws of this country,” the Public Policy and Global Affairs major said. “I don’t imagine that’s something everybody gets to do when they come here.”