It had been a while since I had been in New York City. I forgot the fast-paced world, the capricious j-walking, the unique styles, everything really. Even though i grew up in the area, it seemed so distant, as if it molded around itself and evolved into a world that could not be identified.
Upon being accepted into an Urban Case Studies summer program from Columbia University, I packed my luggage, boarded on the plane from SAN to JFK Airport. What i experienced during my month in New York City is something so extraordinary, that will not soon be erased from my memory.
I commuted to Columbia every morning from a friend’s house in New Jersey. I was scheduled to take the lightrail to Exchange Place, Exchange Place to the Path to New York, 1 …show more content…
This bronze statue, standing 34 feet tall, boldly in frontal view of the Manhattan Skyline, portrays a soldier gagged and bound, impaled in the back by a bayoneted rifle. Its purpose is to commemorate the massacre of Polish prisoners in April and May 1940 after Soviet Union’s invasion in eastern Poland. I had a different experience than many upon my first time seeing the statue. From the glaring sun, I perceived the bayoneted rifle piercing through the back as the soldier’s arms winding back to give him speed, and the legs that were running away from an enemy as legs that were running to opportunity and aspirations. Simply put, I viewed the statue as an eagerly skipping human who had one thing on his mind: prosperity. As a walked closer to the statue, I noticed the bayonet for what represented and the supposed ambitiously running legs as ones that were in shock from being struck to his death. While waiting for the PATH to New York, I stood and analyzed this masterpiece and found that in many ways, we were …show more content…
I realized that I am in control of my life and that the majority of my battles. I learned how to take responsibility for my actions and learn from my mistakes. Yes, I could have chosen to view this soldier as one that is defeated, but that is not who I am. I am optimistic and can see beauty in battles, because they are often inspirational.
The Summer program for Urban Case Studies had come to an end, and I can say that it had helped me appreciate small details and their significance. From reading and actually walking the same path to CUNY as Langston Hughes “Theme for English B” to having a trial of holding Robert Moses responsible for the destruction of SOuth Bronx, I had experienced Columbia University and New York City. It was such a thing to realize how much I grew during the summer.
On my last subway ride back to the PATH Station, a woman with her son looked very unsettled. After two minutes, they looked for an approachable, friendly face. They saw mine and were desperate for directions to Staten Island. I gladly gave them directions and sprung into a conversation with them. I could tell they were
Upon being accepted into an Urban Case Studies summer program from Columbia University, I packed my luggage, boarded on the plane from SAN to JFK Airport. What i experienced during my month in New York City is something so extraordinary, that will not soon be erased from my memory.
I commuted to Columbia every morning from a friend’s house in New Jersey. I was scheduled to take the lightrail to Exchange Place, Exchange Place to the Path to New York, 1 …show more content…
This bronze statue, standing 34 feet tall, boldly in frontal view of the Manhattan Skyline, portrays a soldier gagged and bound, impaled in the back by a bayoneted rifle. Its purpose is to commemorate the massacre of Polish prisoners in April and May 1940 after Soviet Union’s invasion in eastern Poland. I had a different experience than many upon my first time seeing the statue. From the glaring sun, I perceived the bayoneted rifle piercing through the back as the soldier’s arms winding back to give him speed, and the legs that were running away from an enemy as legs that were running to opportunity and aspirations. Simply put, I viewed the statue as an eagerly skipping human who had one thing on his mind: prosperity. As a walked closer to the statue, I noticed the bayonet for what represented and the supposed ambitiously running legs as ones that were in shock from being struck to his death. While waiting for the PATH to New York, I stood and analyzed this masterpiece and found that in many ways, we were …show more content…
I realized that I am in control of my life and that the majority of my battles. I learned how to take responsibility for my actions and learn from my mistakes. Yes, I could have chosen to view this soldier as one that is defeated, but that is not who I am. I am optimistic and can see beauty in battles, because they are often inspirational.
The Summer program for Urban Case Studies had come to an end, and I can say that it had helped me appreciate small details and their significance. From reading and actually walking the same path to CUNY as Langston Hughes “Theme for English B” to having a trial of holding Robert Moses responsible for the destruction of SOuth Bronx, I had experienced Columbia University and New York City. It was such a thing to realize how much I grew during the summer.
On my last subway ride back to the PATH Station, a woman with her son looked very unsettled. After two minutes, they looked for an approachable, friendly face. They saw mine and were desperate for directions to Staten Island. I gladly gave them directions and sprung into a conversation with them. I could tell they were