In no time we sailed into the Peace x Peace offices where Rachelle was in full swing with the media training. Turns out that Barbara is a pro, and Reem is a natural. The radio interviews were a breeze.
Then we were off to do sightseeing in the city. Nira, of course, had to see the Supreme Court, and was as excited as a child in a candy shop. Reem chimed off all sorts of statistics about the Library of Congress, and Capitol Hill – things she teaches her elementary school students in Hebron. Did I learn those things in public school?

Patricia dropped some of us off in Georgetown to stroll down M Street (read: shop) and she and Reem went back to Crest Lane for some down time. We joined them later for dinner.

Reem shook her head and smiled as we busied ourselves preparing dinner together and setting the table. She had NEVER in her life eaten a meal with a group of women. At 20 she was married, a young mother and a student. I was single until I was 45 and I think of how important my female friends have been throughout my life.  Here we are on the 2nd day in Washington, 5 women from totally different backgrounds, sitting around the kitchen table, drinking tea laughing and talking about our lives, our families and our dreams, as women do all over the world.