14th street sign

I am constantly amazed by the fact that DC consists of more international residents than any place I have ever been. I'm not sure if the reason this is so surprising to me is because I expected our nation's capital to have well, people from our nation, or because I come from a terribly sheltered and segregated region of the Midwest and am, in fact, terribly sheltered myself.

The real answer is probably a combination of the two (with numerous other self-depreciating variables mixed in). Regardless, walking down the street on any given day, I hear more varieties of Spanish and French than of English and am more surprised to meet an American than to encounter someone from a different country.

Not only are the residents international, though, but diverse in other ways as well. In mindsets, opinions, and global viewpoints, the people of the district vary immensely. And, when compiling a population from such diverse backgrounds, how could they not?

I'm starting to think that another factor in this all is the outspoken nature of many residents of DC when it comes to their political and social ideology.

Because the city is a hub of action and a turning point for so many issues and ideas, I think one has to speak up if he or she is planning on having any impact at all. Coming from the aforementioned sheltered town, this mode of operation is all quite new to me.

Back home, I think we're more concerned with fitting in and not offending those around us than we would ever be with standing up for any sort of personal beliefs or ideologies. Granted, teenagers always think they need to be outspoken and rebellious about something - but where I'm from, with few exceptions, they all seem to be "rebellious" about the same thing.

I think that's why all of this diversity in ethnicity, mindset and manner of public behavior surprised me so much, and why it's taken me a little bit of adjustment time to feel at ease with the constant onslaught of personalities and personal opinions.

The way I see it, it's almost a sort of all-or-nothing dynamic. Either shut up entirely about all personal beliefs and try hard to offend no one (cough, Mequon, cough), or shout all of them at once and so loudly that no one person or ideology could possibly take offense.

Which is why, in Mequon (hometown), the following picture would incite more than a few angry, misdirected and probably very whiny, telephone calls, but here in DC it barely warrants a second (or first, for that matter) glance.