Hi... I guess I am already late. But late is better than never, so here goes
I am originally from Kandy. Sri Lanka (awesome quiet place.. maybe I will write about it sometime in the future), ended up in NY, USA at the dawn of 2007. To be precise arrived here on 30th of December 2006. The moment I set foot on this wonderful...y busy city of NY I realized the need to pen down my initial reactions before I accepted this madness as the norm.
So NY - the big apple... The first view I had about this city of 8 million people was of Harlem, the biggest ghetto in the world. Now that is one extreme of NY... Maybe I shouldn't say much about it.. who knows I might be the next to end up dead tomorrow. But what the heck who's going to read my blog anyway.
Harlem - A community of a vast amount of Black people and Latin Americans. Not the most niche place that you can be. But this is where I get my train and this is the neighborhood that I have to cross everyday to get to my university. So I ain't complaining
New Yorkers
It surprises me how people can pretend this much. Don't get me wrong, but the first thing that I realized about New Yorkers is how much they try to pretend that they are busy so that they can avoid a conversation. But surprisingly if you take time to talk to one of these so called busy New Yorkers you will realize that they are very courteous and nice. And sometimes would go out of the way to help you. So why pretend to be bitchy? beats me. Maybe its the trend
Things to do in New York
Lol! You should ask "what cant you do in New York?". But everything comes with a price, and a high one at that. For some of the folks back in Sri Lanka hopefully reading this here is a rough comparison chart
Tea / coffee - min 100 Rs (Except at Starbucks it will be something between 350 Rs - 750 Rs)
bus ride (any distance in NYC) - 200 Rs
Movie Ticket - 1100 Rs
Books - absurdly expensive
(all prices assuming that the currency exchange rate is 1$ = 100 Rs)
Hmn.. what else for starters? Oh the University I attend; Wow a truly wonderful place indeed. Everyone is so focused, very career minded and busy as every other person in NY. Full of East Asian and Indian dudes (looking for better career prospect like me I guess). So many things to do. But again money talks.
In general NY is a place that anyone will fit-in, in a matter of few days. I guess it simply because there are so many things to do and everyones interest can be catered in someway. But I guess unfortunately no-one ultimately "belongs" here. For me the city lacks the definition of a what takes it to be a home. But maybe I am wrong, and maybe I will change my views in a couple of years. But as of 114 days this is what I feel
Ok... so that is good for a starter. If this becomes any longer its going to get boring
So adios for now
