you know you've been living in DC too long when...

...you're slightly frustrated during the monts of april-august when all the out-of-town tourists descend upon your hometown, doubling the current population, and making your every day life totally ridiculous.

i'm ALL about hospitality. seriously. and i'm okay with tourists. i grew up with new york city as my playground. i saw tourists ALL the time. but there is something different about tourists in DC. i think it's because the city is so small that tourists make a very noticeable difference. i think it's also because some tourists completely don't care about the fact they are visitors in someone else's city and don't care whether or not they are getting in the way of people who just want to go about their lives normally.

my biggest pet peeve right now are tourists who do not know proper Metro etiquette. yes, there's that thing about standing on the right and walking on the left. i can get over this, because most of the time, i'm not actually in a hurry when i'm riding the escalators. most tourists also take notice of the death stares they are getting and figure out that they are maybe doing something wrong. but that's just the beginning of how tourists just don't get it when it comes to the Metro. (here comes the rant...)

for goodness sake, please let people get off the train before shoving your way in. believe it or not, it's actually more efficient to let all the people who are getting off get off before you step on. that way, we're not all trying to get by each other while going at two different directions.

and when you finally get on the train, listen to the announcement and move into the middle of the car. we all hate this. we'd rather be near the door because there are better poles to hold on to and there are less people to jump over when we finally need to get off. but those of us who have ridden the metro a million times realize how miserable it is when EVERYONE wants to crowd near the door. we suck it up and step to the middle of the car. crowding near the doors is ridiculous.

and finally, please please please be aware of how much space you are taking up. i appreciate that your child is in a stroller and you're carrying a backpack of all your needs for a day out in the city. but please know that people need to get around you to get to seats or to move down to said center of the car. i know you're really excited about your day and you want to talk to your entire clan about what you're doing today, but the middle of the metro may not be the best place to hold a pow-wow.

dear tourists, i do want you to enjoy the city. but please, please don't act like just because you're on vacation, everyone else is too. not everyone is riding the Metro or walking leisurely. thanks.