Locals, eh?

How long before one feels comfortable in a new state? How many years until one truly believes that they are a citizen of a country?
Could I ever be anything other than DC? I'm not sure why, but I was surprised to hear a customer tell me today that she was new to the area and already loving this city. DC doesn't feel outwardly friendly or welcoming, in my opinion. A while back, I started talking with some tourists on the Metro, and one of them told me that some newspaper or magazine ranked Washington, DC as the most difficult city in which to strike up a conversation with a stranger. Are we all so distant from each other? It does seem that most residents are people "just passing through" during some stage of their lives, constrained by the bounds of time as their jobs or internships will dictate. DC as a stepping stone is sort of a depressing idea, because what of those of us who choose to stay? Does it harden us against loss, bracing ourselves for the inevitable moments when our friends fly off, or does it make us more adept at maintaining long-distance relations?