Whilst I could tell you more about New York than the average American can tell you about South Africa, visiting America ranked low on my list of places to visit in the world. Why would anyone want to go to a country where some people are so clueless that they tweeted pictures of Morgan Freeman with the Hastag #RIPMandela... at least get the picture right.
It was only when I was awarded the humbling task of walking my childhood friend Marcia Wells down the aisle that it dawned on me that I was about to see New York before seeing Turkey, Fiji or Bali, ranked as one of my Top 10 destinations to experience before I hit the bucket.
I arrived in New Yawk and the immigration officer questioned if I was African 3 times, with Ebola keeping most Americans' in Hysterics I thought perhaps he was checking so he could "save his people" but it seems he just thought I looked more... American than African. Well, good for me because when I was in South East Asia being South African meant security checks at every immigration checkpoint.
I am lucky enough to have friends in different area codes including Brooklyn, we last saw each other 9 years ago in South Africa making this a perfect timing for a reunion. The one thing I can say is she is a worldly and highly informed individual. No brain cells die from having a conversation with her in fact you are more likely to develop a 6-pack from laughing whilst in her company.
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| On the train with Emma heading to Coney Island and learning about the history of Graffiti. |
We walked Brooklyn down doing a food tour, visiting different communities and having the specialty meal from their native country. I even had dinner with Eula Biss the author of On Immunity courtesy of Emma. I stuck my feet in the ocean at Coney Island and had a piragua to cool me down, all experiences that as a regular tourist I would have never had.
I do love meeting people, having conversations that make me think, laugh and learn. I like history, knowing how a place has changed and what the impact has been on the community. What I have learnt from spending the past few days with Emma is just incredible. I have gotten so much more than a visit, I have been able to appreciate New Yawk for the amazing woman she is. It's so huge with so many communities living here, the diversity is inconceivable. I cannot think of any where in the world where there are so many people, from different walks of life living in 1 city.
There is something to be said about New York, the people to me have been helpful and friendly and I'm pretty sure they have plenty tourist asking them for directions on the regular, perhaps the French could learn a thing or 2 from New Yawkers. The city truly never sleeps, I played chess at 11pm at Union Square with Barry a brilliant chess teacher by far the best I have ever had. I walked the streets till late at night to see if its as dangerous as CSI NY makes it out to be. Can I just say that because of CSI I was convinced that I would be safer in Hillbrow than in New York. These shows can ruin your perception with ideas of being picked up in a dumpster after a chance meeting with some stranger who ends up killing you.
I have even had random conversations with people on the streets as I would in South Africa. They are people, good solid people who are doing their best, some have never left New York and the furthest out they have been is Atlantic City but they have the grace to ask "what's it like where you come from" and I can respect that over being asked if I have ebola. I like this city, for all the elements that make it New Yawk; the hustle here is real and as meaty as a 300g rump steak. I cannot speak for the rest of North America as I haven't been there yet but I can say visit New Yawk it is truly worth the experience, at least once in a lifetime. Sadly for you, you will have to find your own Emma.
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| Lover's dancing at midnight in the Subway to a guy playing the flute. |
