This summer, CHI invited its USA Work & Travel participants to take part in a contest to help show off their program spirit. Participants were asked to submit an essay, video or photo slideshow that best demonstrated their personal ‘American Experience’. In their own words and images, here is what this year’s CHI USA Work & Travel alumni have experienced during their summer in America.
Essay by Andrii Pogorielov, Ukraine, worked in Grand Vienna, VA
Wild Big Apple
Who is New York City (NYC)? I would say “What is NYC?”. This is a huge metropolis, where I want to wake up every morning. A lot of people would not agree – “NYC – is the noise,” “NYC is dirty,” “NYC is permanent traffic” … But I think differently – I would love to become a part of this enormous machine! During those few days in NYC, we made a glorious feat. The name of this feat should be “persistence” Because not everyone has strength to stay awake 60 hours. Not only “stay awake” but also to pass dozens of miles =) Here we go ..
We went from a glorious DC. Arrived on Manhattan “as expected”, two hours later. 5 in the morning… On the streets of the concrete jungle starts movement … Although, why starts? Right, in this city it never ends! Accelerates (the correct word) and gains its stable speed. The action that occurs after long nights on the cool, morning streets of the elegant city. Early in the morning we visited still closed for tourists Empire State Building (ESB) – one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world – the business card of the former “New Amsterdam”. That’s how NYC was called during the half-century, because it’s built by the Dutch, which are not seen on the streets nowadays.
ESB. An entrance. A concierge. Her words make me think and give motivation not to stand still and move only forward. After she heard that major of my studying is International Business, this lady said that I should start my own career in a couple of years in this superb business center =]
Leaving sociable concierge we headed to the Downtown. Deciding to take the subway, in whom we have 15 minutes to disassemble, me and my friend Alex went to the City Hall. From there went our way to 9/11 and WFC. Only in passing to the memorial, we had imbued with all the tragedy happened. Boundless respect for the authorities of the city and country for the construction of this memorial – cozy park with two waterfalls on a place of the two “fallen” buildings. Now the place is steeped in appeasement, regardless of the speed, the noise of the city, long queues of tourists and the ongoing construction of new towers.
Then we spend some time resting in Battery Park City and enjoying views on the Statue of Liberty, after which we reached the BrooklynBridge. After making a series of obligatory photos on the bridge, the idea was to go through the “local” streets. One of them was the Wall Street. Due to that fact that my education connected with finance, I felt myself in the line next to the native NY Stock Exchange, and throughout Financial District,a d back then the no credit check loans from nation21 didn’t exist so I had no options.
Admired – and that’s enough. Then walk to the City Hall, and again in the local underground vaporarium. So we called a local subway. And all thanks to the absence air condensation. Even at night, the subway unbearably hot.
Looks like projectors gave saved hu-u-u-u-ge amount of money on its construction. Though which way you look. Saved on comfort, but not on the effectiveness of “underground system” – dozens of lines, hundreds of stations… All this makes it possible to reach as quickly as possible from point A to point B. In fact it is not always possible to use the “asphalt option” – too saturated traffic, so anyone can take a train of subway easily.
Growing up as a manager, I’ve planned a stay in NYC to increase the use of the resource “time”, which results in more profit “opportunities to see more interesting things.” In simpler, from the City Hall we went to the place of our “overnight” – to buy tickets for the premiere night of the Dark Knight. Cinema is located on Lincoln Square. Over there we went a bit of shopping (after all, our company has increased be females, so its shopping, shopping ONLY). After sending Alex to Yankees Stadium (for soccer match between PSG and Chelsea), we ourselves went to conquer the bench in such a small “little park” – Central Park. Photos, walks, lakes, paths .. Went down by streets closer to Times Square, caught Alex and went directly to Times SQ. Again, the very unknown place =)
Continuous delight displayed on the photographs, but time has limits so we went to the “overnight”. Just event deserves an essay just about it. But the requirements are the requirements so I’ll try to describe it by theses: USA, NY, Lincoln Square, AMC, Dark Knight Rises, around 2:00 am, the screen 23*30 meters, hundreds of people, enthusiastic roar when a main character appears… Delight!!
We go further so the next stop is morning view from BrooklynBridge and a series of regular mandatory photo. Later we had morning cruise: Manhattan – StateIsland – Manhattan plus the ability to sail around the most known Frédéric Bartholdi’s creation. Next stop again ESB – breathtaking view from observation place! Crap! Something amazing! Everyone should “try” it! It costs a lot of effort! People from there are like grains of sand, freight tracks similar to ants and streets lay down at the foot of ESB like a cobweb! It was exciting! Especially when leans out over the fence =)
A couple of photos and the descent down to earth mortals. Purchase of the souvenirs, walking by 5th avenue up to Bryant Park and the Public Library. On the approach to the building, to this masterpiece, I immediately thought of rolls on a wave of “The Day After Tomorrow” … Three blocks and here we are in Grand Central Terminal discussing further plans. Another four blocks and here we photographed near the Ukrainian flag nearing United Nations Office. Ran back to the subway and check whether such a good Central Park by day as at night. Sure it is! Only the rain prevented the job of photographer =
Stop for a snack – metro – Rector station – a little walk by the Broadway – Bull in the Downtown – The Buttery – CastleClintonNational Monument – view (photographed) on the statue – snack – metro – Times Square – Port Authority Bus Terminal … Fast Times flew by. But as we say, to be continued, we will be back with new ideas and fresh energy!
P.S. during our stay we walked about 44 miles and did not sleep for 63 hours.
P.S.S. sat on the bus, we immediately went to sleep =)
P.S.S.S. all photos are made by myself, all rights reserved and do not even try to steal them! 😉
