Past the pollution that fills the streets and the skies, the stagnant economy that’s struggling to survive, the poor and homeless trying hard to stay alive, and the noisy masses scurrying from nine to five, there’s a small garden of Eden where hope can be derived. The flames of New York City caution us to move away, but there’s a large amount of us drawn to the warmth and the light the city portrays. I am of these people drawn to the flames. I do not refer to the flame of the destructive inferno- those two flames are anything but one and the same-  rather, I refer to the flame of Lady Liberty’s welcoming torch. Such is the symbol of my hope and my dreams. New York City, despite all of its problems, is my home.

Growing up in New York, specifically, Queens, the city had always been a dreamy environment for me. The skyscrapers, overlooking every street and river, towered magnificently; the night lights shined brighter than anywhere else I’ve been to; and famous locations were always close by. Much of what I thought about the city still carries on today. The excitement was never lost. Like everyone before me has been saying, new things happens everyday in New York, no matter where you go. If you want variety, the city is the place to go. Oh and if you want opportunity, the city is the place to go! Also, I’ve always been amazed by how everyone gets along. Sure there are communities within New York that have large concentrations of specific ethnic groups, but they all mesh together quite nicely despite racial tensions such as what is seen in Spike Lee’s film, Do the Right Thing. Nowadays, racism has died down, or at least found a way to stay behind closed doors, and New York developed more into a “safe” melting pot of different cultures. It’s almost hard to find anywhere else where almost every nationality can be represented in a public high school. What I love about all this diversity is that it comes from the fact that we’re all New Yorkers. This unity that I feel as a New Yorker further roots me in its grasp. I belong to New York.

All the glorifying aside, New York is no where near perfect. So many problems exist in the city. I’m not talking about minor, subtle problems either. I’m talking about problems every New Yorker can tell you about. Pollution is a big one. You want nature? You want the smell of pine as you walk through your streets? Or what about some nice looking meado- okay you already know what I’m about to say. The city is an industrial place. There’s no room for nature, save Central Park and maybe a select few locations unbeknownst to me. The city air is anything but pure, and the stars aren’t visible in the night. Not to mention that all the pollution contributes to large environmental damage. Ouch. Oh and pollution isn’t as big a concern as say the stark economic differences between wealthy upper class New York and anyone underneath. Heck, just take a look at the Occupy Wall Street movement happening in the city as we speak. Everyone who’s not rich is having a hard time making it through the current recession. Unemployment is high, and homelessness has become a growing issue. Many more issues lay spread out through the city streets. They’re not so hard to find.

New York is a destructive place in the eyes of some people; however, I’m fortunate enough to be able to see New York in a different light. Much of my life, I’ve been able to witness the good, the glamorous, and the fantasy of New York. Such experiences, which can never be forgotten, have shaped my view of New York immensely as well as the fact that New York is my home. Here, I have all my friends, my family, a great education, lots of opportunity, and most importantly, my life. Sure I live every day inside this burning inferno that is the city, but I am relatively safe from the scorching heat of the fires, as I sit here in this pocket of my personal New York, my Eden.

Living in New York for my entire life has had a huge effect on my perspective of life. The sad truth is that some people in this world are living in conditions that I could honestly say would probably be just as bad as Hell, if not worse. For others, I wouldn’t say that they are living in Heaven, but they are definitely living the life that some people could only dream about. So why is it that New York City has bestowed such profound knowledge upon me? Incredibly, it’s that these two worlds, Heaven and Hell, are able to coexist within the confines of this amazing city.

Simply surviving in New York City is a challenge. The rents are higher, merchandise is more expensive, the people are more aggressive, and the pollution takes some getting used too. Despite the challenges us New Yorkers face in persevering, the rewards are invaluable. Exploring just a small fraction of the city will reveal numerous opportunities that wouldn’t be found anywhere else in the world. People have been traveling to America, specifically New York, for hundreds of years with the hope of reaping the benefits found on the streets made of gold, and continue to do so to this day. However some must heed to this very important warning; those who cannot face the challenges of surviving in New York City will be roaming the depths of a ruthless inferno. New York City will not hesitate to eat you up alive.

Regardless of how bad New York City can be, I don’t think I could live anywhere else. Growing up with the natural beauties of the parks, the man-made beauties of the skyscrapers towering above me, the mix of cultures, the fast-pace, and a city that never sleeps has basically spoiled me. Heck, I’d even stay just for the twenty-four hour transit system, regardless of how much I hate it sometimes. Living in a city that doesn’t run at night would kill me. Last weekend I visited Philadelphia and I was going insane. Every restaurant closed before 10 P.M. and all I wanted to do was sit down to a nice dinner with some old friends. Not to mention that the transit system is nowhere near as efficient as it is in New York despite how the buses are always late. Even the mere pace of Philadelphia was getting on my nerves. Living in such a slow paced city for a weekend made me very lethargic. All of my diligence and willingness to work disappeared until I was dropped back into the wonderful, disgusting streets of New York City I call home.

Personally, I have experienced a taste of both the heavenly and hellish aspects that lives within New York City. When I was born, my life couldn’t be better. I had a happy, healthy family, my father had a great job that supported all five us, we had a beautiful house, and money was never really a factor that afflicted us. Unfortunately, happy families don’t always stay happy… When I was about thirteen years old, my parents went through a heartrending divorce that led to the loss of my home, broken family ties, and a lot of financial issues due to five years of lawyer fees. Not to mention that the loss of my father’s job did make things much better. I saw my life falling apart before my eyes and for good couple of years I was scared. I was scared we weren’t going to make it. New York was beginning to show how tough it could be to live in and we were hanging on for dear life trying not to be devoured alive. However, being the strong-hearted New Yorkers that we are, my father and I did not give up. My dad was able to find a job that could support us and I was able to do my part by obtaining a scholarship that allowed me to attend college for free (thanks to Macaulay)! When it comes down to it, true New Yorkers know that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

I have to admit, I’ve never lived in slums, begged for money on the streets, or scavenged for food through dumpsters; nor have I lived in the beautiful pent houses, had all the most expensive merchandise, or had my own personal limo driver to take me across the city. Even though I have never truly experienced the full potential of the Heaven and Hell found within New York City, I have had a taste of how hard and how wonderful it could be to live in the greatest city in the world. No matter what happens, New York City will always be my Eden.

I don’t have that strong of an attachment to call New York my eden nor do I fear it so much as to call it my inferno. When I think of New York I don’t think of a dream city that would be so amazing to live in. I think of it in a more practical point of view. Instead of thinking of the attachment people have with the glamorous city lifestyle, I see more of the physical attachments that one can have with New York City. I see my city for what it is and nothing more.

What is New York City for me? It’s a location. It’s where I’ve lived my whole life. (I have lived in Queens my whole life. All five boroughs count!) It’s where my family is. When I think of why my family and I have lived in New York City for so long I can only think of one reason. It’s where we all started our journey. My parents immigrated with their family and later my brother and I were born. We always lived here and if family moves away they move nearby. New York remains the center of our family. New York will always be home because it’s where family is.

I can understand why people are mesmerized with New York. Immigrants are mesmerized by the diversity that might provide an easy transition from their country to the United States. Businessmen and capitalists see money, money, and more money to be made in Manhattan’s financial district. Artists find their home in New York because it feeds their ambition to pursue their dream of becoming a professional artist. These examples all have something in common: the ambition and desire for success. Ambition is something that is felt all around the city by all types of people. This is why I think New York is a great city. It brings all type of people together that all have the same goal of success. These people will go to great lengths to be successful and this is the city to do it

With that said, being a New Yorker is hard work. If you come here for the first time the lights and the taxis might thrill you for only so long. If one doesn’t come to New York with a strong purpose they will definitely fail. If someone comes to New York without realizing what it is they might think it’s their eden only to realize that it’s their inferno. When the time comes for me to live on my own I would only choose to live in New York if I had a purpose being here. If I do decide to stay in New York I would know exactly what I am getting into. I don’t see a dreamy place or an evil place. I see a huge group of hardworking people all in one place. I can easily become one of the crowd, but if choose to move somewhere else I think I’ll begin to appreciate New York City even more.

Despite knowing the evils of New York City, my dreams and fantasies have always situated themselves in its great eclectic environment. In fact, the character of New York City has been drilled into my persona so powerfully, that it plays a dominant role in shaping my greatly aspired future dreams. Unlike most of the nation, my American Dream resides in the busy metropolitan streets of NYC and hence, NYC is definitely my Eden.

The urban and fast paced nature of NYC has raised me into a human that cannot survive without its unique atmosphere moving me through life everyday. NYC’s lively and moving personality can very well be my shot of caffeine, because if my town were to be quiet and asleep at 8am, you can expect me to stay in bed as well. I speak from dreadful experience and confidently know that I cannot survive in unbearably dreary ambience that exists in rural areas or even other cities. I truthfully reveal that even my decision to stay in New York for college was heavily driven by my personal zeal for the city itself. Thus, although the city sinks in garbage, rodents, and poverty at many areas and intersections, the life of NYC blows life into me. I am willingly to, and presently do swallow the flaws of New York to make my Utopia come to life in this bustling city that does take pride in making so many dreams come true.

To add onto the homely and needy feeling I get from NYC, I must confess that I’m a true tourist painted in a dweller’s costume. The physical beauty of NYC still forces my jaw to drop and my eyes to widen today. I gaze at the city’s skyscrapers as if I’ve never seen such wonders. The bright splendor of Times Square still leaves me speechless, running around taking pictures. I get goose bumps when I see the annual Independence Day fireworks or the New Year’s Big Apple. I love staring at NYC’s skyline from the bridge and the water that runs by it. I can taste, smell, and see the cultures of the world in this small yet, diversely gifted city. I am so amazed at times, that I can’t come to believe I’ve been born and raised by the very city that inspires such awe within myself as well the entire world.  Of course, just like all humans aren’t perfect, my home city does not claim to stand immune to flaws. However, there obviously is a lot that NYC has and offers for which tourists, commuters, and even dwellers are enticed to it. Unlike so many cities, NYC gives opportunities to rise from poverty and this fact alone should be capable of changing many ‘Inferno New York’ viewpoints into those of ‘New York, the utopia’.

Realistically speaking, why would so many ethnic people chose to stay in New York City, if the city was indeed inferno? Aside from its countless luxuries, New York City provides basic necessitates in the most convenient way. Subways and buses run daily so you can get to work without needing a car. Schools and colleges pack the city so you can afford and attend with having to travel too far. Ethnic shops and restaurants occupy the streets so you can feel like you’re home despite being in a foreign country. All sorts of stores, brands, shows, and events take place in NYC so you don’t miss out on anything. NYC is not the dream of millions for no reason. Considering all of this, I’d be a fool to call NYC my inferno. Although I say that I’m still in the process of reaching my life goals and thus reaching Eden in that sense, I am already in Eden seeing that NYC gives me so much. Perhaps the character of New York City clicks with mine too well or I talk from complete ignorance of the supposed peace that exists in rural towns, I confidently label NYC as my Eden because it is a place that gives me peace.

Eden? Inferno? What about a middle ground? Something like purgatory. Okay, maybe not that drastic either. In all seriousness I don’t think this a fair question. For someone like me, who has never really left New York for long, judging the place I’ve lived my life thus far isn’t easy. Especially when the choices are so…is strong even the right word?

Eden- New York could be my Eden because it’s so beautiful. Beautifully physically, filled with beautiful people and beautiful opportunities. The amount of people it is possible to bump into in the city is amazing. You can be walking down 5th avenue and trip into Lady Gaga, or even Will Smith. The opportunities is probably my favorite part of New York. There’s always something to do. You can volunteer somewhere or go see art somewhere else. It’s seriously impressive. Also, Macaulay would fit into this rant on opportunities. Without Macaulay I would not have seen half or any of the shows I was allowed to see (for free) through Arts in New York City. The opera, Intringulis, and even meeting Jesse Eisenberg can not compare to the cultural isolation I would have felt had I actually went to Geneseo.

Inferno- The thing about New York is that it’s a perpetual loop of desire. Every one of it’s inhabitants are always wanting more from its already large pool of opportunities. No one here is ever entirely happy with their success or drive for it. Also, this desire also leaks over to the fact that no one ever wishes to leave. If we’re forced to, our desire to return is so strong it almost can’t be overcome. I know that every single time I leave New York for more than a week I miss it’s face paced streets and constant bustle, but when I’m here I can’t stand it.

My feelings are so completely mixed as to whether New York would be my Eden of Inferno. The facts are strong in either direction. I can get lost in the crowd and hate it, or dwell in the crowd and relish the moment. At the moment, I’d consider New York my Eden, but I know that can change in a second.

Do I consider New York as my eden? or my inferno? That’s a good question, one I’ve never really thought about even though I’ve lived in this city my whole life. I attempted to write this blog a few times but did not know how to address this question. After pondering over this question throughout the whole week, and keeping my eyes open in terms of what this city has to offer, I would definitely consider New York as my eden.

One of the things that makes it  an eden for me is definitely the diversity that NYC has to offer. Everywhere I go, I come across people of so many different backgrounds and religions; something that I can’t imagine living without. Some people prefer to stick with their own communities so they feel as if they’re in their own country while others like to associate with people of other cultures. My parents are friendly people and have become friendly with our neighbors of Italian descent, but at the end of the day they prefer to stick with their own communities because they know what the culture is like and feel more comfortable in it. I, on the other hand have learned so much about people because of the diversity and come to be a more open and accepting person, as a result. The diversity found in NYC can’t be found anywhere else. If I were living somewhere in Utah, I would definitely condemn homosexuality and I would probably be a homophobe. But because I live in NYC. I’ve met and become friends with people who are gay or bisexual and honestly, I couldn’t care less. I’ve gotten to know who they are as people and learned that their sexual orientation doesn’t define them. I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet these people if it weren’t for NYC and I’m not ashamed to call them my friends.

Another reason I find NYC to be a very desirable place is the transportation system. It makes it so easy for people to get from one place to another especially for those who lack a car, permit or license. It’s a fairly cheap system of transportation with so many different trains and buses, and the ferry. I have no idea how I would get to my friend’s house or to school if it wasn’t for the MTA. My dad would want to kill me if I asked him to drive me somewhere everyday. NYC definitely provides me with the opportunity of being independent in the sense that I can go anywhere and not have to rely on anyone for a ride. Independence is something that is very attractive to a lot of people.

Most importantly, what makes NYC my eden is the opportunities that can be found. I know the reason my dad came to the United States was because he felt it was the best place to be successful, support a family, and have a decent living especially for someone without a very strong academic background. My dad’s traveled to many different countries like Turkey, Germany, and London to name a few and he chose to live in this city. He realized this city has so much to offer and that’s why he chose to stay here.I’ve asked him a few times why he chose NYC and he always shrugs his shoulders and says it’s just better. I appreciate this city so much more after having been to Pakistan and seeing the living conditions there. It’s so much worse off there and I’m glad I live in such a city that offers people so many opportunities to make it big and be successful. People always dream of coming to New York City to earn fame and fortune because this city presents people with so many different possibilities to be prosperous.

For me, NYC will always be my eden because there’s something about this city that makes me love it so much. I can never get bored of this city; there’s always so much to do and see – something that will hopefully never change. I definitely plan on traveling and visiting other countries but I can’t imagine calling another city home.

Hmmm, is New York my Eden? Or my Inferno? I have never really thought about this question, maybe because of the fact that I have never had a permanent residence anywhere else other than New York. I’ve visited and stayed for brief periods in many other locations. I occasionally visit my cousin’s house in Long Island and in Canada but I only go there for them. I don’t mind visiting places such as these but would not want to live in such place because I find it too boring. There are only a couple of houses on each block and there isn’t much life after five or six o’ clock. I really can’t imagine myself living in a quiet rural town in North Dakota where the population of the town is only five hundred people. New York is simply, unique. It is different than any other city or place in the world; it is a cultural melting pot, and a place of vast opportunity that you won’t find anywhere else.

Although New York can be Eden to many, it can also be an Inferno. Frank Sinatra famously sang in his song, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere”. I believe in this because it can get really rough in New York when you first arrive and have nowhere to go to. Many people have to start from the bottom of the ladder, with no job, no money, and no place to live, similar to the situation of Maria in Maria Full of Grace. This city will eat you up in a second if you don’t embrace it with passion and vigor. Fortunately for me, my parents had to endure through all that when I was little, and didn’t understand what was going on around me. I am really grateful to my parents for all that they have done to survive in New York, and all the opportunities they have provided me, so hopefully when the time comes, I will be able to repay them.

One aspect of New York, that I really do appreciate, as others have mentioned, would be the public transportation system. Sure, at times I get angry when there are train delays and when it takes thirty minutes just for one bus to arrive but, I’ve learned that I really should appreciate the public transportation system because only in New York will you be able to take, at most, a one and a half hour train/bus ride to heaven. Public transportation pretty much makes cars obsolete. You can go anywhere you want, Times Square, the World Trade Center, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, or one of the most grand train stations in the world, Penn station. Who wouldn’t love having the opportunity to visit all these places without the use of a car and getting stuck in miles of New York City traffic?

I never really appreciated New York for what it is until this semester of college. I took for granted everything we have but now, I’ve realized that New York truly is unique because of it’s ability to sustain everything. It’s ability to accompany, and thrive off of all of the cultural diversity. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the world, other than New York. Call me a dreamer but n ten years from now, I imagine myself living in a luxurious apartment on Fifth Avenue. I would undoubtedly say that New York is my Eden.

One night I had a dream my parents picked up all our belongings and moved us upstate. We relocated to a small town surrounded by miles and miles of trees. In this town there was one big supermarket, one high school, and everyone knew everybody else’s name and everybody else’s business. I cried and fought and begged with my parents to move back. I wanted to move back to Queens where it’s scary to walk alone at night. To Queens where the buses don’t come on time, but run on sporadic schedules put together by bored drivers. And most importantly I wanted to simply be in New York City, I wanted to be back in the loudness, back in the smelliness of it all.

I finally awoke from my nightmare, and my misery quickly dissipated. I was in Queens, it was five in the morning, and I could hear the low, heavy hum of the Q84 as it chugged past my bedroom window. Perfect.

As you can tell, New York City is easily my Eden. I love this place. I love visiting Times Square and watching the tourists “ooh” and “ahh” over the buildings I’ve seen a bajillion times. I love visiting Central Park and watching the classy Manhattan residents picking up after their dogs. I even appreciate the homeless and the guilt they must instill in us in order to get through the days.

I love you New York.

I love your potholes. I love your streetlights, I love your trains and your buses. I love your yellow cabs, your dollar cabs, and all your other shady cabs. I love your brightly lit plazas and your dark side streets. I love your cute convenient delis, and the foreign, friendly owners who work inside. I love your bold, obnoxious teenagers. Even the way they heckle and jeer on the buses, I especially love the way they jeer. Because they’re careless, because they’re fearless.

I love you New York.

I love your market places. I love the way your venders argue non-stop on the price of mangoes: “two for five dollars.” I love the colorful scarves for sale on the streets of Brooklyn, and the hats from the carts in Flushing, and the gloves outside Queens Center. I love the books sold by the friendly old men outside the Metropolitan Museum. I love the fact that delicious shish kebabs are available almost anywhere.

And honestly New York, don’t mind what I said earlier. I really don’t mind walking alone at night that much, mace should solve mishaps that could happen in the dark. And if I ever miss a bus, another one will surely come no matter how late. Loudness is preferred. Smell pass. Because really…

I love you New York. <3

I’ve lived in New York my entire life, so I really can’t imagine living anywhere else. Some may associate New York as a very dangerous or frustrating place (with all the rude people and traffic), but I personally think it’s one of the greatest places to live in. New York is fun, lively, convenient, cultural, diverse, and full of opportunities… The list just goes on and on. How can you ever get bored in a city like this? There is so much to do! For the past decade or so, I’ve lived in Queens. Compared to the city, it’s a lot less crowded (except in Flushing). I love living in Queens though. Living in a quiet neighborhood allows me to appreciate the city more, since I was only able to go on occasion.

My favorite part of New York City is definitely the Broadway shows. I saw my first show when I was about thirteen. My family and I watched Beauty and the Beast and I was completely fascinated with the incredible setting, costumes, acting, and of course, the singing. Ever since that show, I became a Broadway fanatic, always looking for opportunities to persuade my mother to buy me tickets to another show. There is such a variety in theater and other forms of entertainment in New York. There are works of art everywhere in our city, from the skyscrapers to the random street performances. New York also has so many famous landmarks such as Rockefeller Center, Columbus Circle and Central Park. There are a ton of places to explore and learn from.

Another great thing about New York is the FOOD. There are restaurants here from practically every culture in the world. French, Russian, Indian, Chinese restaurants can all be found on the same block! Where else can you find such variety? In Chinatown, there is an endless supply of Chinese food. Walk a few blocks down, and you’re in Little Italy, where you can have an elaborate Italian feast. I don’t know about you, but I find this pretty amazing.

Other than its cultural diversity, New York is also known for its convenient public transportation system. The MTA service is usually pretty reliable for me. I’m able to get to wherever I need to go quite easily. I could literally go anywhere I desire with the swipe of a MetroCard. The trains and buses come so frequently; I barely have to wait! The only negative outcome from this is that I rely a bit too much on public transportation and have no motivation to get my driver’s license. But on the other hand, why would I want to drive and deal with all that traffic when I can just step onto a bus or train and let MTA do the work? (and gas is EXPENSIVE these days!)

I know New York may be a bit overcrowded and dirty sometimes, but I think the qualities above make up for these flaws. I still can’t imagine living anywhere other than New York. There is so much to experience here, and so much more I have to learn about this city…and that’s why I’m in Macaulay!