DC area = nice, if yo end up finding a nice apartments, unless if you live in DC, try to avoid ghettos :P Life is same, there is no difference from living here or living in New York. Too much traffic jams and too much confusion. Weather=Cold ma snow parcha, sometimes it goes crazy and dumps 1-2ft, sometimes all you see in winter could be drizzles or flakes. Summer ma goes to 80-85. Hot as hell, and HUMID as SHIT! People are...um..mostly non whites. If you live in DC, you will probably see more black. and if you are in Arlington, you will probably see more spanish and indians like dreamz said. Foods=From Sucky ass nepali resturant that sucks on food and service to some cheap indian foods to spanish to italian to whatever you like...we have it. Transportation = No problemo. Best transportation i've known so far. Metro Buses go almost every corner in DC to VA to MD. Metro Train goes from New Carrolton(MD) to Springfield (VA) to Vienna(VA) to kata kata...dherai thau jancha! ;p And even if you don't live in DC najikai, the fairfax county or arlington county have their own transportation services. Saala, DC Metro area is the best place to live.