5x

Tonight, I just had three of the most emotion-packed hours. I know that seems hyperbolic and redudant, especially since I said something similar last week after meeting Justice Thomas, but this was an entirely different experience.

One of the members of our group was so fortunately able to arrange a tour of the Pentagon through his internship. He told us about it very early on in the semester and have been excitedly waiting for the date to approach. However, I was more eager to see such a monumental building and where such unthinkable jobs for our country take place without even realizing that it survived 9/11 attacks as well. Although the tour did include walking by incredible attractions and offices, I walked away from the tour feeling more touched than I could have imagined.

The Pentagon is literally down the street from our apartment without even needing to really cross except to actually entire the site. As soon as we approached the property as the sun was setting at 6:40ish, I felt such a moving sensation. I knew I was about to experience something special.

There are so many trivia facts and anecdotes (sad, funny, and just plain interesting) to tell. Well, first of all, the building is enormous. There are numerous "corridors" and "rings" to the layout. It is way too easy to get lost. The tour guides said they change everything around so often that once you train your brain to a track, you need to relearn another path. We never really walked a path twice during the entire tour. One of the members of our group actually remarked with confidence, "We have definitely been here before!" And the tour guides jokingly retorted with quick speed, "Nope!"

It was also interesting to see how closed in the building is. The windows are very small and the hallways are so wide. Therefore, you could not tell that a plane would be coming to the building and smoke can easily clog up the hallways. They actually added doors that can come down in case of an emergency after the tragedy. Then, the building is so huge and compartmentalized that something so violent as 9/11 that took place on one side of the building did not even register to some people on the other side. The tour guide jokingly described his shock, "I was wondering why so many people were sending pizza. I knew that something must have been wrong. Whenever you see pizza being sent in heaps, you know that something happened somewhere that affects this building." There is actually a case that holds some of the most prized donations that the Pentagon received from September 11. I never realized that people sent so many meaningful gifts to the Pentagon, although it seems so obvious now. It is so nice to see how much the people at the Pentagon appreciate the gifts like the various homemade quilts.

We also were able to see two memorials --- a private one inside and an absolutely beautiful one that is open to the public outside. The one inside was moving enough, as it was constructed in a small area in order to give a more intimate tone. The outdoor memorial, however, was just breathtaking in such an exquisite way. Words cannot truly capture the essence, especially since we saw it at night. It is something that I recommend everyone to go and see. The unique design and its symbolism is just so moving. The one that really settled with me is that the moving water is symbolic for the whispers. I did not take any photos because I just wanted to absorb it all, but I would if I went back.

A just very awesome attraction to the tour was going into the IEOC, the Integrated Emergency Operations Center. The tour guides had to go in first to tell them we wanted to enter, so that they can remove screens that we are not allowed to see. Then, a green light turned on outside and we were able to enter. The funny thing is, it looked like a newsroom or control room at my internship. Instead, the screens consisted of shots of outsides and "GoogleEarth-esque" satellite images. There is only a slight difference in substance between work and the IEOC!

The amazing aspect of the tour was that it was three hours - 180 minutes - of very personal details. It was not a generic our by any means. Everything had significant meaning to the tour guides from the architecture to the Pentagon's services (like CVS and the food court) to the 9/11 memories. It is not a script that could be replicated with the same genuineness.

The title of this post may be a joke (ha ha--- Pentagon has 5 sides), but the tour was clearly not a frivolous tourist occassion. Don't get me wrong, we joked around along the way. (For instance, when we walked by the Department of Defense - particularly Panetta's office, someone jokingly commented, "They have been extremely busy the past few weeks." Then, I sarcastically added, "They have?" For those who are confused, we were alluding to the Libya attack of the U.S. ambassador.)

In retrospect, I now realize that the headline 5x is actually quite reflective of the evening--- Moving, personable, easy-going, inspirational, and simply awesome.