The rather awkward story that brought me to NY at this point I might tell one day, but the fact is that here I am and I feel like sharing some of my notes in this lovely rainy morning!
I can still, again and again, admire americans for their care with the public spaces! In the NY Public Library, I was yesterday, it’s not only that the building is so so beautiful, but it’s fully and detailed cared for. The many and very large and beautiful chandeliers hanging along the big rooms had not one single missing or broken lamp, for example! Everything works as it has to when you need. So people make good use of it!
There are so many public spaces for people to simply enjoy life. They are cleaned, organized, beautiful and free. Must be awesome to live in a country where people matter and the government is there to serve. (yes, I know there are some trumps in the middle of the way, but that’s exception not the rule).
Things just work. Simple. Transport, schools, parks, information channels…
Art is everywhere. Outside and inside. Paid and free.
Technology is definitely used at most of possibilities to make life easier. Two simple examples from the many I could list: 1- when you land at JFK-NYC, as soon as you get off the plane you can see a screen with all departure flights so you can check connections, status, gates… When you land at GRU-SP, you get off the plane, you walk, you go through immigration, you get your bags, you get out in the terminal hall and you have to go up the escalator or elevator to have access to the first screen possible so you can check your connecting flight. Whaaaatttt??
2-Internet. You can have a WhatsApp call from anywhere you are, with you cel phone connection. My friend calls me when she is walking at Central Park, I have weekly Skype video sessions with someone in New York even if she is late and is in the car…. in Brazil, sometimes you don’t get good calls even if you have a very expensive wi-fi at home or office!
On the other hand…
As you do your morning walk at Central Park, there will always be a stressed and rude new yorker to shout behind you ‘excuse me, excuse me’, so you give them free passage as they believe they deserve… ‘I’m a new yorker, I run!’. Afeee it’s quite annoying, specially if you already are on the wright hand side where you belong if you are walking…
Their eating habits are still so so bad! Even if they could do better. My feeling is that they eat only to keep them going, not really for pleasure or nurturing body and soul.
They still believe in capitalism as a good economic model! And they act as it’s going to last forever. They are competitive and proud in a very not nice way. They believe they are entitled too much! Sad!
Anyway, it’s really good to be here and be able to see the beauty about them I had already forgotten! So to remind myself that light and shadow is everywhere, after all. We cannot escape!
