48 Hours in Washington, D.C. — SADIE JANE ALLEN

Sep 24

Sep 24 48 Hours in Washington, D.C.

Hello! Long time no see, eh? As I have been adjusting to life back in school, I have been struggling to balance my own passions with schoolwork. Tonight, though, I am finally curled up in my bed, string lights behind me, sharing the wonderful weekend I spent in D.C. This previous weekend, I had the incredible honor of being awarded the Confucius Institute’s People-to-People Award for an essay I wrote about the impact of the Chinese language on my life. Because of this, I got to attend the Confucius Institute’s U.S. Gala and meet so many amazing people! I was one of ten honorees, so I got to hear the stories of learners from around the nation.

We arrived in D.C. on Thursday, leaving us with Friday and Saturday to frolic around my favorite place on Earth. On Friday morning, we attended a luncheon where I got to be interviewed! You can watch snippets of it in the video below. I am so grateful that I got to share my story with the Confucius Institute and the Chinese learning community.

After the luncheon, we were shipped over to the Freer Sacker Museum of Asian Art. I was so excited to see the ancient asian pieces, and they were just as beautiful as I imagined. On Friday night, my family and I also attended a formal dinner at the Capitol Hilton, where we were staying. They served the best food, from crab soup to delicious pumpkin cheesecake.

For Friday, I styled a darling business casual dress from H&M with my favorite Doc Martens. I also added a little red purse to add a bit of color to this look. I just adore the metropolitan vibes of this outfit!

On Saturday morning, my mother and I frolicked around DC while we waited for the Gala later that night. Every time I find myself in the area, I always get lost in its historic beauty. We went shopping, took pictures, and explored the eclectic and diverse city. For this wonderful morning, I styled a casual red tee with a simple black denim skirt. I also wore my low heel sandals from Target as well as a thrifted silk shirt over top.

For the night of the event, I styled a dress that I had gotten while in Michigan. I felt so lucky to get to speak and share my story in front of so many amazing people. I am so grateful for the experience I had and can’t wait to return to D.C. again soon!