Hello everybody, my name is Steven Sklyarevskiy and I was born and raised in NewYork. I spent my early years growing up in Brooklyn and then moved to Staten Island. I always hesitate before I tell someone I’m from Staten Island because I have noticed that people seem to have certain preconceived notions regarding it (thank you Jersey Shore). The island is mainly comprised of Italians and Russians, myself being the latter I might add, and it’s a strange place to say the least. I’ve always thought of Staten Island as its own microcosm; anytime you step out of your house you are more than likely to see someone you know, one train and a few buses connect the entire island, and it is covered with forests that although have more than their fair share of garbage can almost be described as serene. There are very few things to do when you want to hang out with your friends so Manhattan is frequented often. Going to school in the city is strange because even though I’ve been to Manhattan plenty, being a part of a gigantic beehive is much different than just soliciting it for its honey every once in a while. I walk down the streets bright-eyed like a tourist and take it all in every single day. I don’t know if eventually I’ll end up walking around, headphones in my ears, hands in my pockets, and staring at my shoes like the majority of commuting New Yorkers but I hope that through this class I’ll be able to keep that spark going as long as possible.