Last night in the District
Well, technically it’s Montgomery County. It’s my last post as a DC blogger so bear with me.
It’s hard to believe that tomorrow ends my two-year excursion in our Nation’s Capital. I’ve thought about this post a lot, and there are so many things that I could say.
DC has been an incredible adventure. For me, this city will always be where I grew up and finally became an adult. Here, I fell into an awesome career and specialized in an emerging field. Learned how to survive completely on my own for the first time. Spent many sleepless nights earning a graduate degree. Realized that all the time I spent on Facebook and blogging could be used professionally. Met a group of incredible friends who became my urban family. Made some of the worst decisions of my life and some of the best. Learned how to survive the pain of having your heart broken and how that makes you a stronger, better person. Made a few people angry and/or laugh with this blog. Most importantly, however, I grew tremendously in my faith and started to understand that sometimes faith requires huge, blind leaps, such as this move.
While riding home on my last Metro ride on Wednesday, I thought back to when I first moved here, right before grad school (amazing how grad school completely changes you, isn’t it?). I was so happy to be in the District of Columbia. I mean, I was living in the same city as the President! and those awesome people that we elect to Congress! who are there to serve the good people of this country! Ok, maybe I wasn’t that naive, but I was so excited to be here.
On one of my first Metro rides, I looked around at all the bleak people on riding in the car. I couldn’t understand why they had such weary expressions. Wasn’t it just grand to be here!? I quickly tried to wear a world-weary expression in order to blend in. I didn’t want anyone to confuse me for a tourist or an intern.
At some point, that expression no longer took practice. It started coming naturally. That’s the point when I realized that I needed to move. Last spring, I remember having talking about “DC moments” with a few friends from grad school. We decided that you weren’t a jaded Washingtonian until you no longer felt awe or inspiration when gazing upon the Capitol Building or the White House. Treasure those moments. The daily grind eventually gets to you.
I admire the people who can live here decades without heeding the call to return home to be closer to family, roots or your community. These people can maintain their zest for living here. I am not one of those people. When God made me, he made a homebody who desperately loves Tennessee. It just took two years of living away from my hometown to realize that.
As sad as I am to leave my urban family here, I’m excited about the future. When you’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to do, that knowledge trumps everything else.
So long DC. It’s been fun. I’ll be back soon. I promise.
[…] Last night in the District for Girl from the South, who writes: I admire the people who can live here decades without heeding the call to return home to be closer to family, roots or your community. These people can maintain their zest for living here. I am not one of those people. […]
April 13th, 2008 • 11:02 pm
Found you via the link from DC Blogs. Great post. Best of luck to you.
April 14th, 2008 • 8:53 am
Also found you via DC Blogs. I haven’t been in DC for decades, but [knock on wood] I have yet to lose my zest for living here. It’s a marvelous place and I’m ultimately an idealist. It’s a wonderful post, best of luck in Tennessee.
April 14th, 2008 • 10:09 am
That world-weary expression generally comes from the post undergrad american grind… not necessarily just DC apathy. You’ll find a more ruthless version of it NY (on the subway) and a tanner version of it in LA (in traffic). Maybe I need Tennessee also?
Good luck to you!!
April 14th, 2008 • 12:13 pm
While I understand your longing for home, I’m sorry you couldn’t give D.C. a little more time to grow on you. Two years spent in grad school isn’t anything like living in Washington. I’ve been here since 1971 and, like many other newcomers, had a rough time getting to know people. Don’t know if it’s the transience or self-importance so many come to feel when they come here. I CAN, however, assure you that REAL friendships made here can be far more satisfying because we’re “all in the same boat.”
Having said all that, I DO have to admit that the Potomac simply doesn’t cut it for me. I miss Lake Michigan and always will! But then again, the mountains and ocean both are within easy driving distance from D.C.
Best of luck to you!!
April 14th, 2008 • 3:00 pm
Gorgeous post. DC isn’t for everyone. One quibble though:
“I admire the people who can live here decades without heeding the call to return home to be closer to family, roots or your community.”
I’m worried you’ve bought into the stereotype that people in DC are transient, not from here, and have no connection to the place. Most people who live here grew up here.
April 14th, 2008 • 3:57 pm
I grew up just outside of DC — I just started working outside DC, and I’ll be moving back to the area in June. I’m coming home! Woohoo!
April 14th, 2008 • 7:49 pm
[…] Responding to the Girl from the South’s farewell-to-DC post [see Monday’s dcblogs post], lacochran’s bloggery writes: I’m happy that Dorothy and Girl from the South found their way home. I’m not trying to get home. I am home, flying monkeys and all. post) […]
April 14th, 2008 • 11:01 pm
Good post though please keep in mind that for some us the call of home brings us back to DC.. I know that your circle probably didn’t include them as much as they actually are (education and then the political side of DC isn’t as representative). Good luck back in Chattanooga! Its always nice to return home.
April 15th, 2008 • 4:03 pm
Why are the people that grew up in DC so defensive?
She’s leaving DC and moving “home.” If you were leaving Tenn and moving “home” then your situation would apply here.
April 15th, 2008 • 6:32 pm
Thanks K! I was trying to come up with a graceful way of stating that. I never realized that people were so defensive about leaving DC.
I have nothing against the District, it was just time for me to leave and move home for at least a few years. There’s a good chance that I’ll move back in the future for another degree, but DC just isn’t home.
April 15th, 2008 • 7:21 pm
I think that for us from DC we get tired of the fact that people forget that DC is actually “home” to some people. Its reputation as a transient city maybe makes us feel a little put out.
April 17th, 2008 • 7:05 am