I found quiet.

Already on the first day, I found quiet. I arrived on the East coast a couple of days early and stayed with a friend in Brooklyn. Walking around Bushwick in the early morning made New York feel like a home. Seeing parents out on the sidewalks walking carefully while holding their toddler’s hands, dogs barking and birds chirping. This is when I realized that it was acceptable to smile at strangers. Whoever told me that I shouldn’t smile at strangers must’ve stayed in Manhattan, because Brooklyn is a community filled with people who have stories and smiles to share. I am so grateful that I got to experience that side of New York, along with Manhattan.

Grace Gandolfo 5/5/18