The Nations Capital: Washington DC

In April 2010 I was contacted by an American family to au pair for them for a year. They said they lived in Springfield, VA about 30min from DC. "That's where Homer Simpson lives!" was my first thought but to my surprise, and to most of your surprise, the USA has 25 states with a city called Springfield.

So on August 4 2010 I was on my way to America. I'll admit that my knowledge was limited and what I knew was that Obama lived in DC because he was the president. My host family picked me up from Dulles International Airport and as we started driving towards our house I noticed that there were a lot of trees and I mean A LOT of trees! My Homer Simpson neighbourhood turned into Tarzan's turf. I was going to live in the woods and I didn't know if I would like that. Where I live in South Africa it's never quiet and here silence screams at you.

I quickly learned that the local football team was The Redskins and the baseball team The Nats, but no one really rooted for them because well they kinda sucked. Football is definitely a huge culture in America, maybe even bigger than the Rugby culture in South Africa. It's starts with Monday night, then again on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. My favorite is college football, I just love the whole band and cheerleader thing. It's pretty awesome.

Now for the part of town I knew one thing about: DC.

My first trip to DC was the night we went to watch a baseball game. I saw the Washington monument from a distance. Then one night we drove into town to see Mr. Lincoln, Jefferson and the White House. But it was on my trips with my new found BFF, Maria, that I really got to see DC. We went to museums, walked to the monuments and old buildings, dined out in Chinatown and explored Georgetown. We would walk from Lincoln Memorial to the Capital building. We would go into the American History museum every now and then to see the same exhibit. I have never had so much fun and learned so much. During the festive season it feels completely different as the National Christmas tree in front of the White House is decorated and a big train and town is build around it.

Another one of my favorite places is Arlington Cemetery. This is where the American soldiers who has died in battle are buried. I have seen it in every season but my favorite has to be winter. The white snow that blends in with the grey of the tombstones and then the splash of green and red from the reefs that are laid in front of each and every grave. I also got the opportunity to go into the Pentagon which was awesome.

Whenever I travel every city looks dirty compared to what I'm used to in DC. It is super clean and can even make a fairly clean city look like a pigsty. Do I love living just a stones throw from the nations capital?? Hell no!