Fast paced environment, a lot of stress, tons of people which include tourists, tall buildings, numerous train lines and yellow taxi cabs are just a few of the things that come to mind when I think of New York City. All of these things are what make it up.
I used to go to Manhattan a lot when I was a small kid with my parents with my older and two younger sisters. I remember always being afraid because my mom would always tell me if I let go of her hand, I would never see her and I never did. I remember on Sundays we would go to Chinatown and feeling claustrophobic being surrounded by so many people and by these tall, tall, buildings. I didn’t like it.
During this time, I used to live on a busy street, right where the 7 train line ran, on Roosevelt Ave. And I remember hating it because my apartment was so close to the train, that when it passed by I felt the apartment rattle. It was the summer of 1998 and I was 8 years old when I moved to what is still my current home in Elmhurst. And I still love living here. Elmhurst is so tranquil compared to my previous home which was always so noisy and extremely crowded. I love it not only because it’s a nice and quiet neighborhood but also because everything is so close by such as the malls, restaurants and most of all my family.
It wasn’t until recently that I worked in the city and I still think that it’s a fast paced environment, with tons of people and a lot of stress. At first it was a lot to take in but it was also a great way to meet all these different people every day. It was always hectic at work but after a while I found my relaxing spot which is pretty obvious: Central Park. Seems a bit crazy, but sometimes I would go and sit for a little while during the winter. Surprisingly I wasn’t the only “crazy” person there. Tourists enjoy going to Central Park even in the winter. It was better during the summer where after work I would go to the park to just sit and relax after a long stressful day of being there.
The city is something you have to get adjusted too, that’s the way I see it. I still love the peace and tranquility and I found that in the Central Park. Regardless of all the noise from cars honking, people always rushing to be somewhere, hundreds of tourists all the time, I love New York City. This is New York City, the city that never sleeps.
