New York City: A Beautiful Mess

By Student Blogger Raska from Indonesia

I have always loved big cities. Growing up in the largest city in Indonesia (Jakarta), I've been accustomed to seeing all the tall buildings. I love being in a crowd, seeing the city lights and all the other little things you can only find in a big city. The abundance of people, the many shops and restaurants -- I love it all. I might not even mind being in city traffic. I love the overall big-city vibe, one thing that I've been missing for the past few months living in a small town in rural Minnesota.

That specific vibe you find only in a big city is one that I have only felt while visiting two cities in the United States: Chicago and New York City.

There is something about NYC that keeps me wanting to return. Maybe it's the bright lights, tall buildings, the abundance of things you could ever want to do in a city, or maybe it could just be the overall beauty of the metropolis.

The tall skyscrapers all point towards the sky, piercing through it like giant needles. And like needles, they create marks not only on the sky, but also to the international community. They all contribute to making NYC one of the most influential major cities not only in the Western Hemisphere, but also to the whole world.

Like many other things, the city is better enjoyed with friends. The whole atmosphere is better to sink in with people that matter a whole lot to you.

The people you are with changes your perspective on what the metropolis looks and feels like. The concrete jungle can look like a beautiful garden if seen through a different looking glass.

The people of New York City are crazy, as they always are in all major cities of the world. The city can show you anything from bikini-clad middle aged men riding scooters to people in all different kinds of costumes you could ever imagine. The diversity one can encounter in NYC is absolutely staggering. Only in this city can you share a cab with people from six different nationalities (this particular experience happened to me). But even though all of these people are so different and so diverse, you can always have a conversation with a New Yorker, be it a Wall Street businessman or a West Village hipster.

New York City was and will always be spectacular in my eyes. The whole city radiates this amazing atmosphere, one you can only feel as you walk along the wide sidewalks of NYC. As I meandered through its alleys and boulevards, the city kept me looking up to the sky, towards the tall skyscrapers. The many buildings, separated only by streets packed with cars and people, all contribute to the mighty show of power that is New York City.

It’s as if the tiny island of Manhattan and all its surroundings, all the things contributing to the beautiful mess that is NYC, are standing up in front of all the other major cities of the world, showing everybody how great and powerful they are.

And they truly are.