New York City Analysis

Take a walk through New York City and we will find a plethora, a melting pot, of cultures and experiences. On the corner, we encounter an Italian Deli followed by a Chinese Dim Sum place. Two blocks after, we smell the fragrance from a Mexican grill, and next to it, a South Asian fusion restaurant. Down in the subway, we can hear rhythmic beats of drums played by a Jamaican band. The ability to find tens of ethnicities and cultures within a mile or so each other is such a unique feature of this city.

For me, one of the amazing things about New York City is its diversity of people and what they bring, especially their food. As one of the world’s most visited places, we are also one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. People come from all over to work, play, and live around its lively atmosphere. Essentially, New York City is like having a world at our fingertips. We can learn, eat, and do almost anything. Sometimes we take this convenience for granted. One can find it completely normal to have Halal for lunch and then eat at a Japanese ramen restaurant for dinner. The next day, one might head to Little Italy to enjoy their cheesecake and then take Tai Chi lessons around Central Park. There are not many people that have the luxury to experience all these things without the cost of time and money. But here, it isn’t that hard.

It makes New York a familiar place, a community for every type of ethnicity. For immigrants, the communities alleviate some of the unease and challenges of living in a new country. At the same time, they can conveniently integrate with American culture and partake in the American dream. It is one of the reasons why my parents have come to live here. They easily found their own niche in New York City. For my mother, it was Chinatown. The familiar sightings and products sold there comforted and reminded my mother of her