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Published: September 4th 2007
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DC Chinatown
The archway into Chinatown, and CVS, across the street from Starbucks, next to Urban Outfitters. I woke up in bed with Claudia today which is always a good way to start the day. However it was at 6 AM. Not so great. We said our goodbyes and headed in opposite directions as she went north to Boston and I started my journey south. By 10 AM I'd been in four different states.
I finally made it into DC around 1 PM today. I met up with David R., a kid I use to work with back at Brandeis. He graduated in 2005 and has spent the last two years on the the island of Barbuda in the Caribbean with the Peace Corps. We spent the afternoon in his amazing apartment in NW DC and he let me in on all the little details, frustrations, and joys of being a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Caribbean. I was in love because he told me lots of stories about Barbuda and Antigua that you could only know if you've lived there. I'm always interested to have an insiders perspective on the place, so I was smiling most of the day.
We walked around for a bit in DC's pristine Chinatown. It's sort of funny because there are no Chinese in this Chinatown. I don't where they went, or if they were even there to begin with, but today Chinatown is just wide avenues and sidewalks with one chain store piled onto the other. The only mark that it's still Chinatown is the fact that all the store signs are in English and Chinese: Starbucks, Bed, Bath, & Beyond, etc..
We went bowling at Lucky Strike, a snazzy, retro alley with projector screens at the end of every lane displaying random images from George Bush to anime. David kicked my ass. Apparently there's a trick to the game that I've yet to realize. I'm just happy if the ball a) reaches the end of the lane and b) I don't fall over on the slippery floor. When all was said and done I was about 80 points behind David. I chalk it up to those uncoordinated-Jewish-girl-genes. But hey, at least I didn't fall over 😊
There was a lot of construction in the area where we were walking around. Everything was huge and shiny and new. There was also a fair amount of homeless people wandering amid the shoppers. David thought that where a lot of the new construction sites are that there use to be shelters. I wondered if anyone bothered to rebuild the shelters anywhere in the city after these were knocked down. I highly doubt it. The fact that our nations capitol has some of the highest poverty and murder rates in the US is visible in the details of the city. All the buildings I've been in so far have extensive security for anyone who wants to get in or out. People believe they're better off if they don't stay out late and don't walk alone anywhere. It never made sense to me how this can be the situation here of all places.
Race relations from the very little I've seen so far are interesting as well. Or maybe it's just because Boston is so segregated that it's weird for me to see a semi-integrated population.
I'm falling asleep while typing this, but just a little bit more. I met up with Lauren L. in her new apartment in Arlington and decided to crash with her for the night. It was good to see someone from school and catch up on everything and all the gossip. Her new places is huge and wonderful. She moved in three days ago so it's still very empty, but very nice nonetheless.
I've been so spoiled today between Claudia, David, and Lauren. They've all been incredible hosts and given me the red carpet treatment the entire time. I feel so honored to know such amazing people.
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