Indeed there is culture all around us in New York City; it is what this city was founded on of course. It just so happens that every possible thing I did this week had some sort of culture, and it was purely by accessibility to all of these things. On Wednesday, we went out for crêpes at a small family-owned restaurant in the east village. It was delicious: freshly imported Brie, tomatoes, and arugula all wrapped up in a bronzed crêpe. Yet oddly enough, there was Indian rap music playing in the background. Alright, so not everything was authentic…but cultural nonetheless. And after a long dinner of girl-talk we walked further down the street to a bar named Grassroots for a pint (cheapest in the city- $3), where old southern charm is appreciated. I felt like I was in some highway bar on my way to Alabama…but cultural nonetheless. And then on Friday night, we went to a German bar, where all they served were German beers for a moderate price. It was an eclectic mix of German music and American 80s…but cultural nonetheless. And finally on the beautiful Saturday afternoon we had here, I spent my time in the park where I observed the many languages that were being spoken around me. I cannot tell you what some of them were, but it was amazing to hear the diversity around me. All while I was in France, I couldn't wait for the moment when I got home to the U.S., and I could fully understand people without having to think twice or just getting the gist of what they were saying. However, coming to NYC, I feel just as much a foreigner as I did in France because everywhere I go people have accents and a piece of their culture wrapped around them. It's not so disappointing that I still feel foreign, but quite incredible being in this hodgepodge of a city.
