Good-Bye, Tourist…Hello, Washingtonian!

I have only been in DC for two weeks, but it feels like I have lived here my entire life. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true. The first couple of days, I felt like an impostor riding the metro and pretending to be a normal commuter. After my first two days, I got used to the metro and the walking. I know exactly where I am going, and I do not need to ask for directions. I even gave someone directions today about how to transfer trains at Metro Center, which made me feel like a true native. TWC had two days of orientation last week, and I am glad I got the confusion out of my system. Here is something I had to learn the hard way- the metro will break down if you need to be somewhere on-time. NO MATTER WHAT! So, I advise future interns to ALWAYS get on the metro early. It’s better to be super early, than 10 minutes late. It doesn’t matter if you are way too early because there is a Starbucks in every corner, so sit down, drink a coffee and relax. Another very important rule concerning the metro is you stand on the RIGHT side, and you walk on the LEFT side of the escalator. If you are standing on the left side, someone will tell you to move, or they will physically move you. The best part of orientation was visiting the Newseum. As you can probably guess, it’s a museum about news. I felt like it was the holy temple for journalists.

Media & Communication interns @ the Newseum

Besides the walking and public transportation in the city, my favorite part of DC is the “outdoorsy attitude.” Everyone is always outside! On the weekends, people are walking, running and biking all over the place. There are so many different trails and hikes to explore. I went biking my first Sunday with my cousin and friends. WOW! We biked 20 miles from Alexandria, Va. to Reagan airport. My legs are still killing me, but it was so much fun, and I totally recommend it. I also visited the National Zoo. The pandas were my favorite! It’s a great zoo and a great place to walk and camp. The best part… It’s free!

Leli’s recommendation for the week: The National Zoo located at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20008.

Until next time....Ciao!