I realize this this much. I stick out like the last stray eyebrow hair that cannot be plucked; like a drop of my morning double espresso on my crisp white shirt; like a hangnail catching the fibers of my wool sweater. Sorry I sound like an Alanis Morissette song, just trying to illustrate a point. For the first time in my life, I am completely conscious of my whiteness. I am a minority here in Harlem.
It's official!
Perhaps those looks that linger are just due to my obvious newbie New York status. So how you can one point out a non native? 1. Slow walkers. Everyone here walks super fast. I think it is the nature of commuting; a lot of walking involved. 2. Superfluous talkers. New Yorkers are direct and confident while communicating. Mostly they want you to get to the point. 3. Waiting to cross. No one waits at the cross walk. They will creep out into the street with the cars rushing by so they can sneak across quickly. Cut to – me nearly getting hit by a careless taxi driver last week. Although, I was looking the wrong way on a one way. Ha Ha. I can laugh now but boy was it a close one.
View from window at work.
Natural History Museum Subway stop
2 responses so far ↓
Gudrun // July 9, 2009 at 6:40 pm |
Hi Laurel – I just read your blogs and seems like you are really having a great time so far. How’s the internship? Write something about that..your dad was telling me about Australia and I looked up the designer – what a fantastic thing. That will be interesting. GO FOR IT. I’m really excited to follow what you’re doing!!
I love Manhattan too – I’ve only been a couple of times but since I am a native New Yorker (about 0 to 6 mos. old) I should visit more often. It’s full of creative people and is a visual treasure trove…your apt. looks really cute too. 15′ ceilings? Yeah!
Take care and hope your eyes are huge, or at least the part of your brain that stores visual images is. Experiences, too.
Warm wishes, Gudrun
laurelbybee // July 14, 2009 at 2:40 am |
The internship was mostly research the first week so there wasn’t too much info for blogging. But now I have some exciting projects that will soon be described, documented and photographed. Thanks for following my blog! I am hopping to post sketched soon : )