It was a beautiful summer morning. I was half asleep with my eyes wilted beneath my glasses. My mom kept nudging me along to get my luggage into the car. We were on our way to Washington D.C., the capitol of our glorious country. Although I looked like a zombie on the outside (I’m sure) my insides were fluttering like butterflies. I had not been on a plane in years and the idea of being able to see the National Archives made my stomach do cartwheels as well. As we made it to the airport and our plane took off in to the golden sky, I knew that this trip would bring both laughs and jaw dropping experiences. And as I sit here writing this very word, I want you to experience this magical place as well. This is why I decided to create a couple of “Washington D.C’s Do’s and Don’ts”; in order for you to be prepared for all of the things this historical place has to throw at you. For all it might be worth, I suggest you follow these do’s and don’ts with the strictest discipline.
Don’t: Think you’re that strong
Have you ever tried to open an elevator door while it was closing? It opened when you pushed it back in the wall right? Well, if only the Washington D.C metro station doors were that obedient. On our way back to the hotel after a long day, my mom and I decided to take the local metro as our mode of transportation. It was around five o’ clock in the afternoon and the station was crowded with people and the metro cars were packed to the brim. The next train arrived and we made our way to the nearest door that was open. Some people were literally pressed up against the glass door windows. My mother and I knew what each other was thinking without saying a word. We knew we could squeeze ourselves in there somewhere. There is always room….or so we thought. My mother stepped in before me with ease. I on the other hand hesitated, not knowing where to fit in. Before I even made a move, the sliding door started to close shut, with my mom on the inside and me on the outside! She began to slip back out and it squished her into a metro sandwich. She pried the door open with all of her might, all the while yelling for help among hundreds of strangers. She was eventually pulled out of the train, but let’s just say; a metro door is nothing like an elevator door.
Do: Pose for pics
“One doesn’t remember the days in their lives. One remembers only moments.”
-Anonymous
The pictures that were taken on my trip to Washington D.C. are the most valuable souvenirs I took away from that experience. I now surf through my albums and am able to see all of the amazing places I once saw. I am glad that I paused and smiled for the camera when I visited the United States Capitol, the Washington Monument, Iwo Jima, and the White House. Through these pictures I can still remember the detail of the painted timeline of United States history on the inside of the dome roof in the Capitol, and the rather small rose garden to the side of the White House. So instead of shying away from the camera at those memorable moments, turn your body proudly and strike a pose with a 1000 watt smile.
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