6/7/09

I considered writing the instant we got to NYC, but then decided sleep was more important. Sorry. In return, you get a much more coherent blog entry to read.
Yesterday morning the six of us (Caroline, Virginia, Chris and myself of Washington and Lee, Ato of Morehouse, and M’Ballu of Spelman) woke up in Berea, KY. We traveled by bus to Lexington, VA then van to Washington, DC, and the Greyhound bus to New York City, arriving at our dorms at 4:00 in the morning.
This morning, I went with another intern and explored the city before we went as a group out to lunch (Chipolte!), our first meal since lunch the previous day.
Once we were full, four of us decided to travel up to Harlem to see the Harlem Children’s Zone, where two out of our group will be working, starting tomorrow. Ato and M’Ballu wanted to map their commute for tomorrow; Chris and I just wanted to see Harlem. It was a neat experience, to see such a famously tough area. I didn’t really feel super-unsafe, mainly because it was a bright day and I was in a group. We found the Harlem Children’s Zone and kept walking the surrounding neighborhood, including the Jackie Robinson Housing Projects. We walked past all sorts of people espousing religious and political views- lots of people shouting about the Back to Africa movement and brandishing large pictures of Marcus Garvey.
I got off the southbound train at 72nd street and walked the 60 blocks back to our 14th street dorms, passing through Times Square, Chelsea, the Theater District (Tony Awards tonight!), and into the Village. I passed lots of restaurants that looked both delicious and way out of the $11 a day budget. The long walk helped me counterbalance the previous day’s inactivity and mentally prepare for work at Camp Interactive tomorrow.
Well, off to find dinner and maybe check out the red carpet for the Tonys.