I have never dreamed about this. One day you’re living in a big city in a country so small that probably 30% of the global population has never heard of - and the next day you’re living in a huge city in a country so famous but also so infamous that if you have never heard of it people would actually think you need a mental checkup.
Soon I would be in the megapolis that bears my initials, and I would be surrounded by neon lights, spectacular views, and the hustle and bustle of it. I would say for the first week that it has been pretty eye-opening for me. From the moment I touched down on Runway 31R at JFK, I still couldn’t believe it. It was until the bus passed the GW Bridge that I had myself understand that I was in New York. The city that never sleeps has been the best description I have heard of the city to date, and for now let’s still make it true.
As an explorer in the field of transportation, I couldn’t wait till the day I had a chance to hop on the Subway. The subway is the most convenient means of transport in the city, and for a little over a century it still stands its importance in the everyday commuting lives of old and young. Operating 24/7, although ridership does not exceed the record of the JR Yamanote Line in Tokyo (3.7 million ridership on a single line per day), it still carries nearly five million people on 24 services across 468 stations, which is still an enormous number. Firstcomers like me complain about the cleanliness of the system - rats to be the most common type of complaint - but cannot resist its blazing fast speed that carries customers from point A to point B in a short time. I try to ignore the disgust caused by those creatures, but I have to admit that shifting from South Street Seaport to Harlem in less than an hour is a pretty amazing feeling, since you’d have to count from 1st Street all the away above 110th street and somewhat. Subways have transformed the way people commute, and it has also given citizens a better living environment with less air pollution, which a saying goes that you’d only need a BMW to get you around New York City - B for Bus, M for Metro and W for Walking.
On the aspect of living, New York City has it’s own pros and cons. Merits? Living in the center of a megapolis is interesting, and with a well designed and complete subway system, going about places is as simple as calculating the sum of 1+1. If it feels like nature calling you - this time for food, there are about as many choices to choose from to savor every taste bud of yours. Downsides? You’d have to bear with the never-stopping sirens around the streets, for firefighters and paramedics respond to false alarms and real world accidents in a fast and responsive way. You’d have to face strangers walking around the street like they have no home and make a fake fortune by selling things on the sidewalks. If it were me to describe it, I’d give it a B grade for overall, for I can’t stand people asking for a high amount of money on a lame CD they produced and sirens waking me up dozens of times every time I’m in my dreams, but I’ll leave the rest for the readers.
Eating is never a problem in New York. Since New York is inhabited by a wide diversity of different races, there are a variety of palettes across the city. In Chinatown, Chinese cuisine can be found anywhere, and in small streets, exploring some different dishes around the world is a hobby I like to do in my free time. If you’re on a rush to catch the train, there are meal carts parked by the streets to serve a hungry stomach at anytime. I personally love the food at the Dining Hall of Kimmel Center of Student Life. It’s amazing and the salads are very well prepared. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is hungry and want to have a great meal to indulge themselves for a hard day’s work.
These are just the tip of an iceberg from all New York CIty has to offer. New York is a city that never stops growing and changing. During my three week stay, I hope to see more of the City, expand my horizons, and also to create memories that will last.
Here are just a few pictures I personally took and love of the Subway:
Nelson Yang
Thursday, July 17, 2014
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