DC XPAT refers to me, an ex-patriot, as in former Washington, DC resident, who happily transplanted to the sunny desert of Palm Springs, California. It is also my vanity license plate. Granted, California is technically not a foreign country (as the "XPAT" moniker implies and I was abruptly reminded by a Facebook friend) and in reality, I moved from Silver Spring, Maryland, not DC. For those not in the know, Silver Spring is a northern DC suburb. In fairness, I felt that selecting MD XPAT as my license plate would give the incorrect impression that I'm some quack Physician who fled the country. But having to clarify my actual address when visiting other areas has always been a pet peeve of mine for as long as I can remember.
I was raised in the New York City area. Not New York itself, mind you, but the New York Metropolitan Area. Specifically, Maplewood, New Jersey, a bedroom community approximately 15 miles due west of lower Manhattan. On many an occasion, I would be asked where I'm from. My answer would invariably be the New York City Area. When pressed for clarification, I would somewhat sheepishly admit, "Well, actually northern New Jersey." Call me vain, but I always felt that response more descriptive than just opening with "I'm from New Jersey." Between the tired "Saturday Night Live" Joe Piscopo bit "....Oh yeah?....What exit??" often echoed back to me the fact is, most of the state is either Metro New York or Metro Philadelphia. My husband of 12+ years loves to point out that the 2000 census nearly eliminated New Jersey from the counts, merely dividing the populace between those two cities' metropolitan areas. The idea was abandoned. Once, when I made my true hometown confession to a native New Yorker, my response was actually challenged with "Really? From what state were your license plates issued?!" New Yorkers really can be true urban snobs.
In 1983, I moved to Maryland, the last of my family to do so. My mother (may she rest in peace) dipped her proverbial toe in the Chesapeake when she attended the University of Maryland in the late 1930's, graduating with (and I kid you not) a Bachelor's of Science in Home Economics! Today, it's a Textile major, I believe, but hey, a BS, even in Home Ec., still ain't no BS <insert groan here>. I suppose she forged the trail for my older sister, who attended UofMd in the early 1960s, but got her "Mrs. degree" in her Freshman year, instead - oh, she just HATES that term, so if she reads this...too bad, it's my blog and I'll write what I want! Despite leaving the University at that time, she remained in Maryland and lives there to this day. By the way, much to her credit and my admiration, she returned to UofMd and earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees many years later. My mother returned to Maryland roughly a year after my Dad died in 1979. I was the last holdout, the circumstances of which would fill more than one additional blog entry. For now, suffice it to say that once again, I was not living in Washington, DC proper, but again a suburb with a different license plate than the city to which I would refer when asked about my place of residence. "No, I don't actually live in Washington, DC....it's the DC area..!!"
In March of 2011, my husband and I relocated to Palm Springs, CA. Not the neighboring desert cities of Rancho Mirage nor Cathedral City, but Palm Springs proper. Again, the circumstances and details of this major migration will appear in subsequent blog entries. For the first time in my 50+ years, when asked "Where in Palm Springs do you live?", I can answer proudly, without pause or shame, either our geographic location (South end versus North end) or our actual Palm Springs address. And, hurray! The state on our license plates match our residence. OK, they would still be California DMV-issued even if we'd opted to purchase in Cat City or Rancho (as the locals call them), but you get my point.
