Just call people and talk to them, then you can get a read on their inflections etc, ask if it is ok to chat for five minutes. Don't just blast out IM's.
Learn to play tennis. Take some lessons, don't worry if you are not very good. I guarantee you will meet someone, guy or girl. It is a great social activity that you can't do alone.
DC is a fantastic place to walk, especially in the spring and fall. I lived in a crystal city apartment for a year , it has a fun restaurant area on 23rd. Amazon is setting up there, it has subway and train access. They are building a pedestrian walkway to the airport, it has a great future. You are a mile from the airport but not much noise as they come over the river.
The USA is not short of labor it is short of trained labor especially in the trades and hospitality industries. Illegal immigration in the last decade decimated participation in those industries and many people turned to drugs and made themselves unemployable. College level training is excellent but hands on training especially at the community college level needs to be revamped. The USA issues over one million green cards per year far more than any where else.