So instead of a dreadfully long 5-hour seminar today, class was held at the Holocaust Museum in DC! We were told to meet at the Vienna Metro Station and from there we'd take the metro to the museum. After we were finished with the museum we were free to leave and return to campus. A lot easier said than done when my friend Taylor and I were left to executing the navigation to and from GMU by ourselves. In order to get to DC, you must catch the Mason to Metro shuttle that takes you to the Vienna Metro Station. From there you must get a Smartrip Pass and catch the metro to whatever stop is closest to your destination. The whole "adventure" of sorts was so much fun and the museum was especially impacting. After we were finished in the museum, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at one of the numerous street hotdog stands. we then thought to ourselves,"This makes us pretty DC legit right not, right?" Wrong. Being DC legit would require some sense of DC street smarts which I would shortly realize I lacked. Walking towards the metro, I was approached by a man who gave me a trolley guide and proceeded to explain to me how he was working with a program that raised money for the local homeless in DC while holding his Driver's License or us to see the whole time he spoke. After giving him the little cash I had on me, I walked away and realized something. I got scammed. I mean, he gave me a trolley guide, not a brochure of info on this program that worked with the DC homeless. He also was holding his Driver's License as some sort of authenticity, but what did the license authorize, how was that affiliated with the program? Taylor, being from around here, informed me it was probably a scam. I like to think of it as an initiation into the city, a weird sort of welcoming. You kinda gotta fall for a scam before you can gain the "street smarts". At least, thats the way I like to think of it. You win some, and ya lose some, right? Anyways, here are some pictures from our first trip of the year to DC.
Taylor and I's first metro ride!
At the metro station!
Taylor and I outside of the museum.
Taylor's street cart lunch, woohoo!
Welcome to DC!
Hahahahaha, I love this. I have lived up here and around the DC area for 20+ years Kristina and I still get scammed by homeless people or other people who are basically just looking for a handout. I can't help myself, I can't say no. Glad you had a great time. It is so fun reading about your adventures and knowing you are so close by. Looks like you are adjusting just fine and you will have "city smarts" in no time. Love ya Bean.
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