OP-Ed


Home is Where the Heart Is!

I have, literally, stayed in places around the world, from foreign Australia, to exotic India, to beautiful Paris, to the tropical Caribbean, and, of course, San Jose, California.

However, the place I call home, the place that draws me in like a magnet, coagulating in harmony with my very soul; is none other than New York City.

Ever since the first moment I stepped onto New York ‘soil’, I was fascinated by the heartbeat of the city.

I love everything about it, even the people.

The way the buildings tower over the residents in Manhattan, creating a somewhat urban picturesque scene, drew me in.

It created a sense of closeness and cluster, which I had absolutely no problem with.

The modernity of the city is another thing I adore. The very essence of the city, its people, its attitude, its culture; are all what make it great.

My favorite part of New York City is Manhattan, by far.

Sure, the bourgeoisie attitude and feel of the richer parts is what most people like, but I am partial to the real Manhattan, the street side; where people know who they are and what the world is really like.

To me, this is where the pulse of the city lies, where people from all over the world come together to rush to work on time, or to catch a flight to a meeting.

I think New York City holds the entire world in one big ‘apple’, so to speak. In other words, ideas from across the globe come together in New York City.

You can find anyone or anything you need on one island. For example, when I was in Manhattan in winter of 2007, I stayed there for one week.

During the course of that week, we had the opportunity to eat or way across the world, with such cuisines as Thai, Afghan, Moroccan, Nigerian, and, obviously, a traditional New York City diner.

Another aspect of New York that I truly enjoy is its people. A one week stint in Brooklyn is enough to make anyone reshape their image of the world.

The people in New York City are varied greatly, from the hard working single-moms who struggle to make ends meet, to the upper-class Cadillac-drivers who don’t give two hoots about the people around them.

It is interesting how both of these extremes somehow coexist in one city.

The people of New York City are unlike any other, in that most of them have mainly one goal: to get through the day.

I like the New York folk because they are a hard-headed bunch, but they know their ideals and they know the difference between right and wrong.

Additionally, the design of the city is another detail I admire. New York City is composed of five districts: Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Staten Island.

These districts are interconnected by various highways and bridges, making travel from one island to another easy. Knowing these roads is the key to getting around.

The varied architecture of New York is an interesting concept.

On one island, you have sprawling areas of gargantuan skyscrapers reaching out up to the heavens;

While on a neighboring island, you have domestic areas like houses and apartments, similar to the kind you might picture when you hear the word ‘suburb’.

The architecture of New York City is yet another example of polar opposite coexisting in one amazing city.

New York City is definitely the place I call home. The heartbeat of the city echoes my own, and I wish to live there one day, at least for a few years, to satisfy my craving for the ‘Concrete Jungle’.

Thank you.

Kanish Arhant-Sudhir