On July 6th, 2012 I stepped out of the Dulles Airport in Virginia to the most overwhelming, body-engulfing humidity I have ever experienced. It was 6:55am. I had packed my life into two suite cases and moved across the country for a job in the corporate world. It was one of those, 'what did i get myself into this time' moments.
That's right, I now live in the DC Metro area. After graduating May 2012 and escaping to South America for 6 weeks, I made the move. No, I can;t say I haven't looked back. It i not because I dislike DC, or my job, or that I'm homesick. I just really appreciate value, adore obsess over how amazing California, more specifically, the San Francisco Bay Area is. Not many Cal graduates leave California for full-time work. For me, its a "if not now, when?" opportunity.
I live in Arlington, VA. It's right across the river from Georgetown, and driving over the bridge I get some of the most beautiful evening views of the glowing monuments overlooking the Potomac River. I've learned to really appreciate my surroundings--as I do any place, but I have to say, the melting pot of people you meet in DC has really opened my eyes to what exists in our county. I used to think I grew up in a suburb bubble in the East Bay, but really it surmounts to a California bubble.
There are many things that have struck me, surprised me, just made an impression on me. For example... I've never been around so many well dressed twenty-something boys before...Never seen so many salmon colored shorts or Sperry boat shoes. I've never met so many former veterans, current marines, or military personnel. I've definitely seen more American flags in the past 5 months than my entire lifetime living in this country. And of course, most of the people you meet will either work for the government, sell to the government, or fight the government.
DC is surprisingly beautiful. There are so many bike and running trails along the river, throughout Virginia or Rock Creek Park in DC. People are active. There is incredible amounts of green, and as I've always said, a city isn't complete without a body of water--in this case, the Potomac. The buildings are big--the national mall is just big building after big building. It's a cool place DC, its a cool place.
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