Growing up in New Jersey is not what it is stereotyped to be. When I tell people I'm from New Jersey, they think of filth and the all-too-famous MTV hit, Jersey Shore. The misconception of atmosphere of where I'm from is absurd. Where I'm from is the heart of New Jersey's beauty, Shamong, New Jersey. I grew up practically in the middle of the woods. I lived between a horse farm and the entrance to Wharton State Forest. The entire atmosphere - from the sight of the sun rising over the trees every morning to it setting over the lake every night - was beautiful. Summers were particularly a blast. Whether a day was spent riding horses through the trails of the forest or cooling off in one of the lakes, there was never a dull moment.
People from all over came to see the beauty of Wharton State Forest. Many came to trail ride, fish, or take their canoe out for the day. For a town with one gas station and a pizza shop, there was always something going on. I no longer live in my hometown but I go back often. Where I grew up is a place that one can never forget or leave behind. Everytime I drive by the house I grew up in, my heart gets filled with warmth. No matter where I go, Shamong will always be my home at heart.
Growing up in New Jersey as an Italian must be quite difficult as you are known...
I grew up along the beaches and in the woods of Long Island Sound. This was the country. And from then on I was terribly busy hitching up all the dogs I could find to pull me around on my sled in the snow, and picking cherries high up in cherry trees, chasing butterflies, and burning leaves, and picking up shells on the beach, and watching the new flowers come up in the woods as the seasons passed (Days Before Now)
I grew up in Hemet, California in a neighborhood filled with friends that I grew up with. I remembered a lot about my home that I grew up in mostly because I remember details better than most people. I may remember details, but I love looking back on memories I had with my family and friends.
I grew up in Harlem as well and when I returned earlier this year after my contract ended with Disney in December I was completely floored. Although, most of the changes made have been positive and no one complains about our new healthier food options or the renovations. Still, it makes you question why it took so long for the city to care. Is it because we have young professionals moving to the area for convenience or is it because our demands and protest were finally heard? In an area known for gang violence and most young men of color don't anticipate their 18th birthday. All of a sudden I walk down 125th and there's heavy police presence with multiple vehicles on each side of the street. I fear waking up one Saturday morning and no one's
Being out in the woods is meaningful to me because, of the excitement I get out of observing deer in their habitat and the challenges that are presented by the sport of hunting. Once that deer is close enough that I can see it my adrenaline starts to pump and my heart starts to beat a little faster. The excitement that comes with seeing a deer is great, but it is even better if the deer is in shooting range. I have been bow hunting for two years and am already hooked on it because of the anticipation of getting a shot off at a big buck, but watching the deer and how they react in their own habitat is ne...
The bus rolled into the parking lot. Then it parked and the doors cranked open. One by one in a single file we exited the vehicle. We had arrived-we had arrived at Thompson Park. On any other day Thompson Park isn’t that big of a deal to me usually. But today Thompson Park was the place where the Central Jersey State Sectional Meet was being held, and that was a huge deal. The Central Jersey State Sectional Meet is a Cross Country meet is the first of two qualifying meets to get into the State Championship Meet. When I stepped off of the bus the sound of cheering and cow bells erupted into my ears. This was a very large meet so the races had already begun. Along with the noise came the smell of the fresh and crisp fall air, as well as the food from the food vendors. You could smell french fries, hotdogs, and other fatty foods, all of which we couldn’t eat before our race because it would slow
I was in Ohio when I first came to America as an Chinese exchange student, I live in a little town surrounded by endless corn fields, basically in the middle of nowhere. I went to a small public high school, which has only 2 Chinese students, including me. All of a sudden my world is completely changed, nothing from my old days is left, and I’m totally not ready for that. I got so homesick, I began to miss everything about China, people, food, and of course, language. That’s probably the reason why I was so eager to speak Chinese every time I meet the other Chinese girl.
My brother and I were at the Bronx Public Library with a few of my brother’s friends. The library was located right in the heart of the town, overlooking The Coachman’s Inn, which happened to be my mother’s workplace. The dirty, graffitied, cream bricks of the library gave off a sketchy vibe. The librarians were the meanest people you could meet. They were always yelling at us for making too much noise, even when we weren't making a sound. I was wearing my white polo shirt and my navy blue skirt; my brother wearing his light blue polo shirt and his creme khaki pants.
The gleaming sun caressed my squinting face as I glanced up at the magnificent blue sky decorated with white, fluffy clouds that resembled white cotton candy. I was outside exploring the vast backyard. It was only my first morning in the United States. My stepfather, my siblings, and I had just arrived from the Philippines to our new home in Rhode Island seven hours ago from the T. F. Green Airport at around midnight. Last night, was my first time seeing my mother after a year has gone. I was finally able to live with my parents! Since I was two years old, my grandparents had raised my siblings and I. When my biological father had divorced my mother, my mother and stepfather later sought work in the Middle East to support our private education.
Coney Island is a fun place for friends and family. There is no way to ever get bored You have many things to do for example spend time at the beach, taking a walk on the board walk, play games, and watch people play musical instruments to grab the attention of those walking by. This is a place you would want to go visit again and wouldn’t want to leave at the end of the day.
Maturing in Northeast Florida, religion substantially impacted my life. I learned everyone was equal and deserved to be treated so. Conversely, I learned only heterosexual relationships were accepted into the Kingdom of God and discrimination toward homosexual individuals was present. As I advanced through my adolescent years, I discovered I was unique from my male peers; I felt attracted to my female and male classmates. With my knowledge of the discrimination and non-existing acceptance of homosexuality, at age fourteen, I faced my greatest challenge. To be a Christian, I felt I must repress my feelings toward males and to not be my true self. Throughout middle school, I strongly struggled internally and externally with my sexuality. Internally,
"We are going to California!" Shouted my father. Me, my sister, and 2 of my brothers were all excited to go. We got all packed up and on our way. Then we realized how long it was going to take.
While growing up in a small urban city in Mississippi, one of the ways society afforded me privileges was through the support of the community churches. I can remember when the local community center provided toys from Santa Claus for all the children in the neighborhood annually. The Holy Rosary Church, a Catholic organization had a party for the children and allowed us to dance the evening away. However, I felt this was a privilege because many of families were single, poor, and needed supplement things to fulfill the Christmas holidays. Every family received a big box as well with clothes which consisted of a turkey, canned goods, rice, vegetable, and etc. This was an opportunity for me to connect with friends. This annually event
The Relief trip to New Jersey was my first volunteer trip. It ensued from the 2nd of August to the 10th of August 2013, barely two months after I arrived in the United States. However, it was a terrific experience for me. This trip created a wonderful opportunity for me to meet forty incredible people who had the same objective as I did: helping people. These people were more than willing to work cooperatively with strangers in order to achieve this goal. During the nine days spent in New Jersey, we became more than a team, we became a family. We went to the beach, took pictures, played games, talked, laughed and prayed together.
This area of the world is so foreign to my Oklahoma life; it infuses me with awe, and with an eerie feeling of being strongly enclosed by huge mountains, and the mass of tall trees. However, when my foot first steps onto the dusty trail it feels crazily magical. The clean, crisp air, the new smell of evergreen trees and freshly fallen rain is mixed with fragrances I can only guess at. It is like the world has just taken a steroid of enchantment! I take it all in, and embrace this new place before it leaves like a dream and reality robs the moment. As I turn and look at my family, I was caught by my reflection in their impressions. The hair raising mischief in the car was forgotten and now it was time to be caught up in this newness of life. It was as if the whole world around us had changed and everyone was ready to engulf themselves in it. The trickling of water somewhere in the distance and the faint noise of animals all brought the mountains to