Washington, D.C

I lived in rural Pennsylvania for 23 years before moving to a big city. The culture shock was real.

Published

2 years ago

November 5, 2024

I lived in rural Pennsylvania for 23 years before moving to a big city. The culture shock was real.

I moved to Washington, DC, after living in rural Pennsylvania for 23 years.
Learning how to commute was difficult at first, but it opened up so many options for me.
The work culture was a bit intense, but I loved how much there was to do after work and on weekends.

I grew up in rural Pennsylvania, tucked away in a stretch of the Appalachian Mountains known as the Endless Mountains. It was beautiful and quiet there, and I spent many of my days reading in sunny patches of grass.

But right after college, I moved to the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Washington, DC, for work and traded mountains for monuments.

Transitioning from Amish country to hill-staffer-tech-bro culture led to immense culture shock. But in DC, I learned how to navigate city life and experienced a lot of firsts.

Here are the three biggest surprises I encountered when I moved.

Learning how to commute was difficult at first

I learned how to use the metro system in DC.

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The fast-paced nature of the city surprised me. I grew up in a one-stoplight town, and the transition to DC traffic was jarring.

In the part of Pennsylvania where I grew up, driving was my only mode of transportation. In fact, I could anticipate a nearly hourlong drive to access the nearest chain stores.

However, learning about the different ways to use public transportation in the city was exciting. On my first day of work, I figured out how to ride the bus and use the metro system. I also started riding a bike consistently for the first time since I was 12 and walked more than I ever had before.

I also discovered new challenges, like surrendering to the mercy of public transit delays and struggling to carry my groceries home. However, I gained something I didn’t previously have access to — options.

The work culture in DC was intense

My first full-time job was in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, so right out of college, I felt like I was thrown into the most competitive work culture. For better or worse, every moment felt like a networking event.

One of the most “DC experiences” I had was joining a community pickleball group and discovering that the group was made up of people who worked for ESPN, the ACLU, and the Peace Corps.

Although I loved discovering what people do for a living, work culture is often prioritized over everything else. This was a part of life in DC that I had a hard time reckoning with.

I’m still trying to ditch the habit of asking, “So what do you do?” when I meet a stranger.

I had so many more opportunities for after-work activities

There was always something to do in DC.

Olivia Bardo

After work, I rode my bike to the library and picked out brightly colored books. At night, I danced to live music at the 9:30 Club.

On Saturday mornings, I wove my way through places like the Hirshhorn Museum and Renwick Gallery, then wandered around to find a new coffee shop. Food was everywhere, and it was delicious. I indulged in tahini lattes, ube waffles, and bowls of spicy ramen.

Being in a big city also meant I could discover more of my interests, which had been patiently waiting to be found.

Although my time living in DC has concluded, I’m grateful for the many ways it has shaped me and directed my next steps.

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Washington, D.C

Storm Team4 Forecast: Near-record heat expected to start off week

Published

12 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Storm Team4 Forecast: Near-record heat expected to start off week

4 things to know about the weather:

Hot Monday
Potentially record heat Monday and Tuesday
Dry start to the week
Showers, then milder end of week

After a hot end to the weekend, the heat continues to crank up for the start of the new workweek. Highs on Monday and Tuesday will be near record levels, possibly tying or beating them. Temperatures will elevate to the mid to upper 90s.

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

Wednesday will also be hot, but a cold front will come and bring showers and storm chances, then knock temperatures down for the end of the week. Highs will be in the 60s by Friday.

QuickCast

TONIGHT:
Few clouds
Wind: S light
LOW: Mid 60s

MONDAY:
Sunny
Wind: S 5-10 mph
HIGH: Mid 90s

TUESDAY:
Mostly sunny
Wind: SW 5-10 mph
HIGH: Upper 90s

WEDNESDAY:
Shower & storm chance
Wind: W 5-10 mph
HIGH: Mid 90s

SUNRISE: 5:53 a.m. SUNSET: 8:16 p.m.
AVERAGE HIGH: 77° AVERAGE LOW: 59°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

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Washington, D.C

Man pulled from Anacostia River near Southeast DC boat club

Published

24 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Press Room

Man pulled from Anacostia River near Southeast DC boat club

WASHINGTON (7NEWS) — A man was hospitalized late Saturday night after emergency crews rescued him from the Anacostia River near a boat club in Southeast D.C.

According to the D.C. Fire and EMS Department (DCFEMS), crews were called around 10:46 p.m. May 16 to the 1300 block of Water Street, SE, for a report of a person missing in the water near a dock.

Land units and fireboats responded to the scene near the District Yacht Club.

Around 11:23 p.m., DC Fire and EMS said divers found a man and hauled him from the water.

SEE ALSO | Feds to charge parents in DC teen takeovers as US attorney steps in

He was taken to a nearby hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries, officials said.

DCFEMS said their personnel worked with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Harbor units during the rescue.

MPD confirmed its Harbor units were on scene and would take the lead on the investigation.

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This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Washington, D.C

National Moral Monday: Prophetic Witness Outside the White House | Repairers of the Breach

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

National Moral Monday: Prophetic Witness Outside the White House | Repairers of the Breach

Join us Monday, May 18, in Washington, DC and states across the nation for a Moral Monday Peace and Nonviolence Rally outside the White House.

Repairers of the Breach is organizing clergy, impacted people, faith leaders, advocates, and people of moral conscience to gather in prophetic public witness against war, systemic racism, militarism, poverty, voter suppression, environmental injustice, attacks on immigrants and LGBTQ people, and the false moral narrative of religious nationalism.

This Moral Monday action comes one day after the White House’s planned “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise, & Thanksgiving” gathering. During Monday’s action, nationally recognized clergy and moral leaders will publicly challenge the distorted theology being used to justify war, attacks on democracy, and policy violence against poor and vulnerable people.

Grounded in the prophetic traditions of justice, truth-telling, nonviolence, and solidarity with the poor, clergy leaders will preach publicly in the streets near the White House before hundreds gathered in person and thousands more joining online across more than 20 livestream and social media platforms.

Bishop William J. Barber II, President & Senior Lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, will lead the gathering alongside nationally recognized bishops, rabbis, pastors, imams, faith organizers, impacted people, and moral advocates from across the country.

We gather because our nation continues to spend billions on war while communities struggle for healthcare, housing, education, living wages, environmental protection, and voting rights. We believe faith must never be used to sanctify destruction, injustice, or extremism.

Join us for public prayer, testimony, preaching, songs, and disciplined nonviolent moral witness.

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