It was a sweaty and steamy August day when I first set foot into the Beautiful ICC and propelled…read moremyself into the esteemed Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies. And yet the stuffy center, in the basement of the second most egregious architectural disaster of a building on Georgetown's campus, was refreshingly chilly.
Chilly in temperature, but not in spirit! As disagreeable as the lack of Oxford comma in the center's name may be, the center does truly bring together a robust collection of human beings. And it is these folks who craft and construct the spirit of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies.
As for amenities, you may ask, this center boasts a powerful Xerox WorkCentre 7855 printer, scanner, copier, and fax machine. This, of course, is the pinnacle of what the center offers. It is worth noting that there is also a small kitchen with running water and a voluptuous collection of cabinetry. The design of the cabinets is somewhat bland and generic--the typical white wood paneling that you might find in an office constructed between the years of 1974 and 1986. Absolutely void of style, but functional. Last I checked there is also a refrigerator, a microwave, and a Keurig. As we all know, Keurigs produce the absolute worst coffee, so expectations should be managed accordingly.
The center also boasts an absolutely REGAL mahogany dining room Table, around which The Masses can gather for a chat, meeting, or concerted study session. The Table is surrounded by several luscious bookshelves, which host books to satisfy your basic need of literature related to Eurasia, Russia, and Eastern Europe. On one side of The Table, you will find a window that looks out toward a road. There is nothing appealing about the road, but it certainly fulfills its purpose as a road.
The center also houses several offices, two of which are windowless. In the annals of Georgetown University, perhaps a driven searcher can find the answer to why anyone would construct a building with windowless offices. To me it is but a mystery, and for me a mystery it shall remain.
I recommend paying a visit to the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies for any and all of your scholarship needs.