by Jamie Elizabeth

Created on: April 01, 2009   Last Updated: April 15, 2009

Washington DC was not originally intended to be a residential city. Instead, the Founding Fathers imagined the national's capital as merely a center for government buildings, monuments, and wide recreational spaces . However, as the country grew and boundaries changed, people did begin residing in what is now the roughly 10 miles by 10 miles square that is Washington, DC. However, in many ways, it is still not first and foremost a residential city. It is a tourist city. One thing that residents of the District of Columbia must always be mindful of is that they are living in a place that many people choose as their one vacation destination for the year.

There are many Americans who save their money throughout the year in order to be able to bring their children to see the sites of the city - the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian Museums, and all of the monuments. The year-round residents of DC are consistently complaining about these tourists, especially when they crowd the Metro during peak tourist seasons such as during April Vacation, the Fourth of July, and, of course, the Cherry Blossom Festival.

However annoying these tourists may be, they are what makes the city different. Being able to be a knowledgeable local and direct a lost family towards the United States Capitol, where many in DC work, or to the Smithsonian's should bring a smile to the majority of DC-ists as they witness Americans enjoying their capital city.

The perks of living in the nation's capital, however, go far above and beyond the ability to feel a sense of pride in one's country as you walk the streets. One of the major advantages to being a resident of DC is the access to free museums and events. As the Smithsonian's are free of admission, there is never a shortage of cheap (and educational!) activities for residents to enjoy. In addition, there are constantly special events, both seasonally planned, such as the jazz concerts in the sculpture garden, and those that occur only once in awhile.

Living in Washington, DC certainly has its hassles the traffic, the crime, the tourists, but the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. Unlike some other major cities, the DC Metro system is clean and reliable and can get you nearly anywhere you want to go- so you don't have to brave the traffic if you don't want to! Also, you are never far from having something to do, never far from being able to learn something, and certainly never far from a good dose of Americana.

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