From Desert Land to a Sea of Skyscrapers
As a child of migrant and seasonal farm working parents, I’ve moved among several different places. However, that traveling has been limited to the borders of the state of Idaho. My parents used to move between towns, chasing the crops to work in whatever was available. For reference, the town I grew up in has a population of roughly 15,000 inhabitants. The other towns are so small that their populations don’t even add up to 2,000 inhabitants, combined. In fact, they’re so small that none of them have any real grocery stores. As my siblings and I got older, the closest thing to a family vacation my parents could afford was a weekend trip to visit relatives in Warden, Washington – yet another small town with less than 3,000 inhabitants. Although it wasn’t some grand city, it was a place where we made incredible memories.
Landing in Washington D.C. was like stepping into an alternate, and very humid reality. I admired the beautifully detailed architecture in every direction and the breathtaking monuments illuminated under the night sky. I fell in love with the diversity the city had to offer, from its people to its food. Initially, I was overwhelmed at the thought of how difficult it would be to adjust myself in the course of a single week. That overwhelming feeling only expanded when we arrived in New York City. Then somehow, while walking through Time Square, that feeling faded. I couldn’t help but think how bizarre it was that a small-town girl like me had ended up in the largest city in America. I walked so much to the point where my legs felt like they’d fall off because trying to understand the metro system was like solving a puzzle with no real solution. I woke up and fell asleep to the constant buzz of the busy streets that consisted of food vendors and street artists at every corner. It was an indescribable experience; I didn’t know I’d ever be surrounded by so many cultures in a single location. Between New York City and Washington D.C., it’s easy to feel small. The way I see it, you can choose to be big. In these cities, there is potential for anyone who wants to be someone. There is an opportunity at every corner. I still don’t know when, but I’ll be back soon.