Favorite Things from DC

In one week we will be on the road with a big moving truck heading to Indiana. While there are obviously a lot of things I don't like about DC (too many people, too much traffic, it's always windy) and I'm happy to be leaving it, I like to end on good notes so I thought I'd round up all the things I have liked about living here. In no particular order:

- When driving to school and turning onto Virginia Ave, the novelty of seeing the Washington Monument appear out of nowhere
- Playing frisbee next to the Lincoln Memorial with GW's women's team
- During afternoons at school, walking to Georgetown, Chinatown, the White House, the National Mall, and along the Potomac in both directions
- Seeing a good number of museums
- Going to the inaugural ball
- Figuring out the best transportation and parking for Nationals Park to see the Reds play here 10 times in 2 years
- That nature is never too far away (Shenandoah, Great Falls)
- The closeness of so many other interesting places to visit near here (and there's a train to a lot of the big ones)
- Fireworks on the National Mall for the 4th of July
- Having a lot of friends in the area
- Doing things that can really only be done in DC, like going to an embassy open house or going to the top of one of the tallest buildings to see the whole city
- How it felt kind of crazy to think that we actually lived near/worked in DC, the capital of the United States, where decisions are made and things happen that affect the entire country

I can't say I will miss living out here. I think it's good that I did it for two years and found I didn't like it. And I am very happy that I have the option to leave and the timing was good. But we are moving to a college town that is known for being full of culture and never having a lack of something to do, and we will actually be able to go do these things because the barriers will be gone (drive time, mostly). My commute will be drastically improved, it will no longer take driving an hour to see friends who are only 10-15 miles away, people will be friendly again and hold doors open, we will no longer live in a giant city that is a huge target for attack, the cost of living will be so much less, and the farmer's markets will be actual farmer's markets. I am really, really excited about this next chapter.