A Visit to the Big Apple

Unlike many people who consider America just one of the places they have often vacationed in, I had never been there until I was given the opportunity as the Grand Prize for winning the ‘My American Dream Contest’. As mentioned in my article “the Real America”, it was a country I had taught about for many years in my Geography lessons. Because of my tight work schedule, pleasure tours were a luxury to me, both in terms of the cost and time. And when I did go on vacation, America was never in my itinerary as my option had always been a nearby country, one that was less time consuming and more economical. My New York trip in April was, therefore, a long-cherished dream come true. During my brief week there, I had amazing experiences, and the happy memories will keep me upbeat for a very long time to come.

I was particularly delighted to discover things that matched my descriptions in the article. I wrote, for example, “The American people are also well liked for their open mindedness and friendliness in many parts of the world disregarding racial variations.” And my encounters with the locals were good evidence. As individual travelers without a tour guide, my partner and I had to ask for directions from time to time, especially when trying to board the right subway train. And, fortunately, everyone we approached offered his best help. A few instantly took out their iPhone and started Google searching for the place. And they looked sincerely regretful when they failed to provide the needed information.

In my article, I also mention my daily reading of the Bible with reference to “the online site of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops”. I had thus been prepared for evidence of early Christianity in the city. And, imagine my delight when I got the chance to visit several Catholic churches and even attended the Sunday Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral. The grandeur and magnificence of the churches were proof of the great attention and efforts of the early settlers who had “overcome challenges and obstacles before they finally settled down to a life of peace and freedom,” as stated in my article.

Of course, Ellis Island, being the theme of my article, was the most treasured high light of our tour. Viewed from afar, the island looked somehow like a fairyland with those fantastic yet classical houses, not at all like a place that served the purpose of an immigration center. The park surrounding it added to its attraction as a tourist sight. But the Immigration Museum made all the difference. I spent a long time there viewing the display boards, each presenting articles related to the Story of Immigration in America. In my article I wrote about people who found themselves oppressed and abused in their homeland, thus determined to look for a place to start their new life. To this I found a parallel from a displayed article entitled “A Godly Society”, which started with this sentence: “When Puritan preachers convinced their flocks to leave England, they launched one of the first large-scale trans Atlantic migrations to the land that would become the United States” , thus explaining how America gave hope to those striving for religious freedom. On the other hand, I also came to know about some other reasons behind the Story of Immigration.” One article, for example, began with this statement: ‘Economic Pressures in their home countries sparked the desire to emigrate for most.”

Later, I went to the Great Hall upstairs, where immigrants years ago were processed before being admitted. Though merely an empty hall now, it was reminiscent of those days when thousands of immigrants were waiting for inspections, sometimes obliged to stay overnight in case of need for resolution of medical or legal matters. It may not be a place of interest but there is definitely a lot to learn from the museum. And on the day of our visit, we saw a group of students apparently on a guided educational tour.

Before I left the island, I recorded a short video expressing my joy and gratitude for the opportunity of visiting the island. It has been rightly called a place of dreams to the immigrants, who were ancestors of many who are now doing so well in America. And without doubt, I had chosen the right place for my article.

Of course, those were not all; there were other delights out of our expectation! The weather was intriguing and delightful. On our arrival at the Newark Airport that April afternoon, we were welcomed with great warmth that could have passed for our temperature in early summer. I could not help frowning at my trunk containing my thick warm clothes. But when we went out that very evening in Manhattan, a strong cold wind was blowing, almost sending us flying across the pavement. On the days that followed, the temperature range remained at a steady level but whenever the wind rose, it was often accompanied by cold rain. I still remember how we struggled down Wall Street one afternoon with our umbrellas battered, almost hopeless of ever reaching a subway station. But when it was not raining, the sky was beautiful beyond words, with the heart melting blue that I had missed for a long, long time! The blue sky, indeed, topped the list of attractions that sparked my camera urge.

Then we could not help but giggle at the sight of quite a few New Yorkers, including young kids, practically in summer wear when the rest of us were so thickly clad as to leave only the eyes exposed. At a temperature of only 9 degrees Celsius, wouldn’t they even shiver a bit? Well, this may not have raised the eyebrows among the locals. In an open and accepting society like New York, nothing seems strange. And this is perhaps what makes it a lovely city.

Yes, New York is a lovely city. I am even more convinced of this after the visit. There may be less attractive areas that we have not explored. And our stay may have been too brief to give us a thorough understanding of the actual situation. But I am content with what I have experienced, and I will treasure the memories of those joyous days for the rest of my life.

There are people I would very much like to thank for this amazing trip. And, most of all, I am grateful for God’s loving care on the trip and for blessing my retirement with pleasant surprises.