For all of my life, north Jersey has been my home, specifically Union City. It’s the same place where I took my first steps, learned how to drive, managed to somehow ride a bike with no training wheels, had my first kiss, and graduated high school. At almost any hour of the day, one could walk down any street or avenue and would be able to listen to local businesses playing vibrant music such as merengue or bachata which could lift anyone’s spirits despite how their day may be going. In addition to the bustling music throughout the day, there would be several buses or wawa (a word coined by the Puerto Ricans) that would frequently pass through the city taking passengers directly to the Port Authority in Manhattan.
One of the busiest avenues of Union City at 3 PM
The bus ride from my apartment to New York City would be less than a six minute drive, granted there’s no traffic at that time otherwise it turns into a twenty to thirty minute ride which is about the same length of time as an episode from the Office. Living in such close proximity to the Lincoln Tunnel had me conflicted for many years on whether or not I was from New Jersey or New York, especially with the recent urbanization of Union City. In the past few years, the number of inhabitants in the area has skyrocketed along with the price of rent since now most of the people who work in New York City commute from New Jersey. Traffic has only gotten worse to the point where it has become nearly impossible to distinguish which side of the Lincoln Tunnel I’m in.
The New York City skyline seen from Union City
Even when attempting to explain to others where I’m from, it takes a bit of effort because Union City is only recognized as the place that people have to drive through in order to get to Midtown Manhattan. Most of the time I just imply that I’m from New York to save people the headache of trying to understand the geography of northern New Jersey. Union City unfortunately does not get the attention it deserves in comparison to other neighboring cities such as Hoboken or Jersey City but it is still very vibrant and rich in culture since many people from Latin America reside here. This diverse and inclusive community has allowed me to somehow find my own identity by not basing it entirely on where I am living but more so where I feel the most at home. Despite being hundreds of miles away from home at the moment and not spending as much time with my family, Union City will always be my home, however close it may be to New York City.
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