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Writer's pictureReginald Bharath

Not Quite Home

As a child, New York City was the place my parents would take me for pure pleasure and excitement. From Broadway to baseball games, New York City always felt like a vacation to me even though it only required a 30-minute train ride from my town. I will always remember how the train ride on the Long Island Rail Road was always my favorite. Going, I was always so eager to finally arrive into the city, and coming back, I would always be fast asleep on the train after a long day of fun.


However, now that I am all grown up, my view of the city has drastically changed. What once was an outlet for me to explore the many attractions of New York City, has now transitioned into the destination of my work experience. These days during the summer, I travel into the city every day to work like so many others.


While my reasons for traveling into the city are now different, I find solace knowing that my transportation will never change. The Long Island Rail Road is still just as peaceful as it was when I was a child. To me, the ride is a time when I can relax and prepare myself before I pull into the bustling and crowded Penn Station. From there, my world changes as my quiet and calm town has now been replaced by the loud and rushed city life.


Unlike my hometown, I was always amazed as a child at the cultural diversity that was present within New York City. However, the atmosphere in New York City no longer feels the same now that I am working in the city. When I exit Penn Station, I find that I am no longer surrounded by people that look more like me. Instead, once I put on my suit for work, it seems as if all the diversity has vanished again with just one article of clothing.


Nonetheless, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, I keep myself completely engaged with what my New York City experience has to offer and make the most of my temporary stay in the heart of Midtown. So, for those 10 hours per day that I am walking around the streets of the city, it is the place where I live. But at the end of the day, New York City is not the place I call home. For me, home still lies outside the city, where I hop on the Long Island Rail Road and take my 30-minute train back to the suburbs.



The building where I worked

Source: David Sundberg


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