Things Inside of Things

By Jordan Rossitto

Like a Russian Nesting Doll, Washington D.C. is filled with things inside of things inside of other things that make the next layer so much more exciting. On the exterior, D.C. is 68 square miles of buildings upon buildings, within beltways that cross other beltways. If you remove the outermost layer, there are streets that weave in and out of those buildings that sit within those beltways. Another layer in? There are people crowding the streets and one another’s thoughts and cabbies honking, no doubt, at those people taking too long in the crosswalk or the other cabbies trying to turn right from the far left lane. Within those buildings are meetings for which those passengers riding in the cabs are late, and people working together to serve the greater good of the people. Within those people are passions, interests, pet peeves, emotions and ideas--ideas that spark action to bring about change.

But what is it that makes this D.C. nesting doll so different than any other city? Maybe nothing. Or maybe it’s the little things I’ve found between the layers that make digging one deeper that much more enticing. Between the city and its many beltways, I found the National Arboretum--a green wonderland with no buildings and no beltways where I could hear myself think for the first time since being in the city. A sanctuary for the mind and body, to walk, without bumping into another Washingtonian Transplant every three steps, to breathe in air that doesn’t smell like concrete, and to see green, more than in the stems of flowers planted outside of the Hart Senate Building. Between the streets that weave in and out of the buildings and the cabbies honking at the slow pedestrians, I found a handful of Uber drivers from Ohio that share my passion for Buckeye football, small towns and tractors. And finally, within the people, I found new friendships that are unlike any others I’ve ever had. Living with strangers for four months really makes you appreciate the ones that feel like you’ve known them forever. And within myself, I’ve found that I can be courageous, and step outside of my comfort zone to discover all of these layers there are to Washington, D.C.