Absorbing NY life

I’ve finally got my internet access and I’m now absorbing myself in New York culture, although not too fully because my relatives are filling me up on Bajan cuisines. I’ve already indulged in salt fish and dumplings, and the day before that I ate banana cuckoo (basically green banana mashed) with fish.

I’m currently staying in what I think is called Mid Town Manhattan, between Broadway and Amsterdam. The apartment block I live in looks far pleasing to the eye in terms of the colours (red bricks with strips of black), the cleanliness and the natural brightness, a complete change to London’s typical flats which are usually infested with the smell of piss and rubbish. I’m comparing the area to East London because it looks similar in terms of the string of shops lined down the streets, the busy traffic and everyday working class people going about their usual chores. Much of the local shops are owned by Hispanics which is actually reflective of the area because the majority who live around here are Hispanic followed by Black, Chinese and Asian.

Right now I’m getting myself out and about, learning what is Up Town, Down Town – still working out which is which. So far I’m finding people to be quite approachable, not that I’m approaching random people but generally when I’m going to the supermarket ‘C-Town’ or just walking in general stores.

I’m not within the political circle yet, should be by next week, but what I’ve seen from the news at the moment there’s been a particular concern regarding the lack of young voters between the ages of 18 to 29. One reporter claimed that there were more youth voter engagement initiatives than there were young voters.

Oh and the only annoying thing at the moment is my new mobile (the cell as they call it), either I’m making too many calls or T-mobile are ripping me off, my credit goes down in a flash – I definitely need to sort that out!