Written by: Kaleigh Willie
Washington State is my home; I have struggled through Seattle traffic and looked up at the space needle more times than I can recall. I’ve won and lost too many soccer tournaments with my best friends in local sports complexes. I’ve walked down Pike Place eating french pastries while checking out bouquets enough times you’d think I belong in a romcom. However, today I saw my home from a new perspective. I saw it from the eyes of the 33 Seattle to DC riders, support staff and interns. Eyes that were revisiting and eyes that were seeing Seattle for the first time. Eyes that belong to friends who were strangers to me two days ago. At first I was jealous that everyone was starting out their trip traveling to a new place, as I am very excited to get this opportunity myself, but seeing Seattle from their perspective made me feel as if I were traveling as well. The same streets I have drove on so many times didn’t feel as familiar as they used to. The trees seemed greener, the space needle looked sleeker and from this view Seattle had never looked better. I was glad my home could measure up to the the people cycling through it today. I am also glad to know that if seeing the landmarks I’ve grown up around could be this eye opening then the trip can only go up from here.
