I've learned that the metro provides a very interesting perspective into the lives of working DC. The last few times I've been to DC, I've prided myself on being able to navigate the metro - always making sure to have my card ready to go through the turnstile, knowing which direction on which line I need to go, and making sure to stand to the right on the escalator for people to pass on the left. I thought I was such a pro!
Well, since Tuesday I've officially been a working resident of DC and thus feel completely justified in turning up my nose at the various school groups, families with small children, and other tourist wannabes like my old self! I'm now one of the hustling and bustling suit-wearing, badge-toting interns who rolls their eyes when someone stands on the left side of the escalator, takes their sweet time going through the turnstiles, or stands in the middle of the doorway trying to decide to get off while studying a giant map; of course, I have a secret stash of maps in my desk at the dorm. But would I ever bring one on the metro? Puh-lease. Geez...tourists!
Another thing I noticed about the metro is how much it resembles sorority rush at UGA. The past few mornings in the throng of interns waiting at the Foggy Bottom metro station, I noticed myself looking around to see what the other girl interns were wearing. Some I noticed were wearing flip flops while carrying their good shoes in a bag, which I regretted not doing when I took off my red heels yesterday to find that my heels were the same color as my shoes. Others were wearing casual dresses, some were wearing dress pants, and the really intense ones were wearing all black and white with stilettos. After about 30 seconds of surveying my fellow female interns, I noticed that they were all doing the same! It's pretty silly really - we might as well be wearing Lily Pulitzer, Tiffany's jewelry, and getting ready to walk down Milledge.
And when you actually get on the metro, the badge-scouting begins. Being interns wanting to distinguish ourselves from the tourist rabble that also rides the metro, we all attach our badges where they will be most visible to the average viewer. Thus, it's pretty easy to glance at someone and see where they're interning, which of course everyone does. The "Hill" interns, aka the ones who intern for a member of Congress or a senator, have red badges, as do the RNC interns (our Republican counterparts!). Thus, my yellow badge stood out amongst all the red...the few, the proud, the DNC interns.
In other news, out of 30 interns, only two of us are from the South! There are a few people from LA, NYC, and a few other places in New England, so needless to say my friend's Tennessee accent and my ATL lingo pretty much stand out. To top it off, almost everyone in my department is from Chic-aaaaa-go. You know how I found this out? By asking, "hey, are all of y'all from Chicago?" Which elicited quite a few laughs. As do my choice of the phrases "fixin' to," "goin' to," and "legit" (mostly because I never realized how fratty that sounded!). I've actually had quite a few people ask me how I like living in "Hot-lanta" - I didn't have the heart to tell them that no one has called it "Hot-lanta" since 2004.
At first I thought it was a strange coincidence that there were only 2 interns from the South. Then I realized that we are probably the only two Democrats south of the Mason-Dixon and that they probably brought us on to increase diversity in employment. Either that or they thought we were spies from the RNC and wanted to keep an eye on us...
Well, that post ended up being longer than I meant it to be! I'll post more about my actual job and exciting weekend plans later! Thanks for reading! While I really really do miss Athens and everyone there, I'm having such a great time living in such a great city!
PEACE.
Ps: coming up, on the next edition of "From the Classic City to the Capital City!" : my top 5 (or top 10, depending on how tomorrow goes!) greatest intern moments from my first week interning!
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