For New Yorkers such as me, it's hard to imagine any city able to live up to New York City's grandeur. So it was a big step when I decided to venture down south of the Mason-Dixon Line for a summer in Washington D.C.To the total dismay of my 89 year-old grandma - who warned me not to end up like "that girl Monica Lewinsky"- I packed my bags and prepared to live the life of an unpaid Capitol Hill intern.

At first, it was hard to get rid of my New York pride and open myself up to the experience of a new city. Even though I had frequented all the tourist attractions on my many class trips and family vacations to D.C., I soon found out how completely different a city can be once you actually live there.

Perhaps it was the sheer excitement of living on my own in a big city or maybe it was just the general excitement that seems so pervasive in D.C., but I gradually fell in love. Now New Yorkers might oust me for saying this - and believe me it took a lot for me to admit it - but D.C. happens to be one of the most beautiful, exhilarating and intellectually challenging cities I have ever been to.

From the start of my day, as I took the "metro" to work surrounded by numerous other college interns to the end of my day, when I usually collapsed from exhaustion, I inevitably had some of the most interesting experiences I could ever imagine.

Maybe it was the thrill of working in our country's government that drew me in. Prior to this summer, I was not such a fan of government or politics in general. I have always felt the efficacy between the big-shots in government and the common people is rather low, and that always annoyed me. But seeing government work from the inside gave me a new perspective.

This is not to say that I enjoyed or even understood a lot of what I was doing, but I definitely gained a lot more respect for civil servants. Most of all, I was surprised how interested our government is in getting young people involved. Every day there was another event for interns. Not only did I get to see prominent politicians, authors and personalities, such as Senator Jon Edwards and the Reverend Al Sharpton speak, but I always got free food, as well (Yes, this is where our government's money goes).

I was also surrounded by incredibly interesting staff members who were constantly challenging me in my beliefs and exposing me to political issues I had never even considered. Unlike learning in a classroom, these issues were presented to me in real-time, as legislation was being drafted and debates were taking place on the House floor. As I quickly learned, C-Span is as important as water in a Congressional office.



Aside from loving my internship, there were also the cultural aspects of D.C. that made my experience so great. I was stunned when I first walked into a museum only to find out that it was free (as are almost all the museums in D.C.). You see, free is not part of a New Yorker's vocabulary. The freedom, if you will, did not stop there. I was able to attend countless concerts put on by the National Symphony Orchestra (among others), watch movies on the National Mall overlooking the Capitol, wander through the national monuments and tour the White House all for FREE. For an unpaid intern, this was one of the greatest perks.

Now back in home, I am trying to regain some of that New York pride, which I feel like I lost this summer. I swore I'd never find another city that could match New York, but I think I realized this summer that every city has its perks. Yes I still love New York and always will, but I think it's important to experience what different cities have to offer.

Meanwhile, my grandma's fears have changed. Now that I've come back from D.C. unscathed, she worries about me going back to school. Luckily, I was able to comfort her with the assurance that there are no Bill Clintons in Waltham.