The people

While touring some of the must-see tourist locations in New York, I got a pretty good feel for the wide variety of people that really do live on this small island. Little Italy and Chinatown get their name for the primary population living in those neighborhoods. The areas also accommodate the population as if they were actually Chinese or Italian cities stuck right in the middle of New York City. Each store in Chinatown displays Chinese writing for prices and products. Even the Chase bank sign has Chinese writing for the locals to read.

The markets and restaurants are also native to the population of these areas. There are fish markets selling raw fish and clothing stores selling kimonos. Little Italy also houses Italian restaurants and bakeries with gelato and every variety of traditional Italian cooking you can imagine. This will definitely be the area I go to when I’m looking to splurge on real pizza!

Not only are the people diverse, but they are plenty! I learned this when attending the Macy’s fireworks show on the Hudson River. Thousands of people flocked to the event to catch a glimpse of the over-the-top fireworks for Independence Day, and I got a true feeling as to how only around 2 percent of all apartments in New York City are unoccupied at any given time. I kept my patience, and aside from a little subway mix up, it took Alex and me only about an hour to get home from the event.

A big misconception is that people in the city are rude and pushy. While I’m sure the city gives way to people of all types, those whom I have come into contact with have been very nice and more than willing to help a Midwesterner. Aside from the one girl that rode by the crowd of firework-watchers on her bike yelling “F*** everyone”, (I hope she was drunk), I have really met some genuinely nice people. For example the nice man in the building next door could have scoffed at our attempt to rid our apartment of our moving trash in one bin, disregarding the New York state law that requires recycling, but instead he helped us separate our trash and explained thoroughly the process to us.

Learning every day to know the way of a big city girl.