Josiah Valcarcel

If you were to ask me where I’m from I would tell you “ Corona, by citi field, you know where the Mets play.” This is the only way I can think of to describe my area. Everyone knows where the Mets play right baseball is Americas sport, easy enough to describe don’t you think? Well not really, Corona is so much more than Citi Field we have such a wide range of things to do in Queens like Flushing Meadows Park, and we host the annual U.S Open, all in practically the same vicinity. There is diversity in Queens unlike any other borough, walking up and down a street in Astoria one could find a variety of multi-cultural restaurants from around the globe.

Having easy access to many of the boroughs like 45 minutes from Manhattan and an even shorter distance from Brooklyn. Anywhere you want to go in the city is just a train ride away. This is special for New York City specifically because this Transit system is the one of the biggest. I love every part of my city and getting to see everything that happens in this crazy wacky place I call home.

I enjoy the subway rides filled with many different types of people coming home from work; school whatever their day brought each with their own special story. Everything in this city from its architecture to the history of it is just so intriguing to me. I never want to stop learning about where I come from and every part of this city. This city is so small but bigger than anything you’d expect. What I consider the capital of the world is only on 3 or so small islands. There is something for anyone; this is considered the city that never sleeps and that is truth. Anything that needs to be done can usually happen with the right determination and enough fares on a metro card.

There is an entire world here in these five boroughs and that’s what I love about the place I live in. I would never be ashamed to tell anyone where I’m from because us New Yorkers are like no others, we adapt in different ways. I feel in some ways we are stronger than most. We don’t shy away from danger and we come together when we are need. New York City is and will always hold a special place in my heart no matter where life takes me.