Summer 2012 Newsletter - LaGuardia Community College - CUNY

Veterans Upward Bound, LaGuardia Community College
Veterans Upward Bound Newsletter
August 16, 2012 * Summer Edition
From the
Director’s Corner
The theme for this edition is
“change.” Many students discussed
specific or gradual
changes in their lives, while
one student looked at change
from a more sociological
standpoint, while yet another
considered the New York
City transit system as a lens
for change. Regardless, students
had a lot to say.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
John Borjas...2
Muhammad Shah...2
Jason Ortiz...3
Gladys Perez….5
Anonymous...6
William Benefield...9
Anthony Cortes...9
Suad Hadzijic ...10
Jose Ortiz...11
Virginia Goodno...12
Eylul Akpinar...12
Jesse Torres...14
Dane Antoine...15
August 15, 2012
By Samuel E. Farrell, II
First – congratulations to you, student veterans, who just completed our summer cycle and a special
thank-you to all who were involved in this newsletter edition. We were also very fortunate in having
a cadre of people who raised our level of services this cycle. The group includes our VUB teachers
(Josh Goldblatt, Language Arts and Older Vera, Math), tutor/mentors (Vicki Bello, Natasha
Benjamin, Alejandro Herrera, Garry Israel, Jason Ortiz, Magnardo Tavarez and
Kevon Vaughn), office interns (Vielka Arzu and Jonathan Trinidad) and Summer Youth
workers (Stephanie Almonte and Diego Vega). Garry should be mentioned twice because of
his work with the newsletter and the list must include Dino Garcia who serves in multiple capacities:
Data and Technology Specialist/Fiscal Monitor/Video Coordinator.
About half of our VUB students experienced problems with LaGuardia’s admissions process for the
fall session. We overcame a number of obstacles - thanks to such advocates as Erika M. Correa,
Mimi Blaber, Daniel Diaz, Rene Sarmiento and LaVora Desvigne. Over time, we expect
that VUB students’ access to LaGuardia and other CUNY colleges will get more and more difficult.
If only CUNY could be more “veterans friendly” by mandating admissions/registration preference
policies for veterans.
On August 8, LaGuardia submitted our proposal application. If successful, we will continue our VUB
services for the next five-(5) years. Our proposal writing was a collaborative effort with major editing
assistance coming from Wendy Nicholson (Employment and Career Services Center) and
Mary Bill (Grants Office) with some input from Bertha Fountain (Project PROVE). We expect
to hear from the US Department of Education on the status of our VUB funding by early October.
Without this grant, we cannot maintain our Veteran Services Office.
We are already feeling the collateral damage from our insecure funding status: the lost of our Case
Manager/Coordinator, Edith Segovia, and Leopoldina Cueva, our Program Assistant, who will
be moving on. With or without funding, our office will remain open –at least through this September.
We will continue to provide benefits and other counseling services and to maintain a waiting
list. We look forward to a close partnership with Project PROVE in welcoming veterans at the New
Student Orientations on September 5 th and 7 th .
Will this be our last VUB cycle? Will comprehensive services for veterans at LaGuardia continue?
My role in responding to these questions will dwindle. After my hiring in December 1971 to serve
LaGuardia’s military veterans, I plan to retire in June, 2013. This road in my long journey will be
finally over.
1

“Love, School, and Experience”
John Michael D. Borja
It is called the city that never sleeps. Public transportation is open 24 hours. The City has a population
of 8 million and counting, with 36% of its current population born outside the United States. It
has one of the lowest crime rates of U.S. cities and is the safest city overall. It was the fashion capital
of the world (thanks to the recession, it no longer is.) From hot dogs to pirated DVDs, thousands
of vendors grace its streets. Its nickname is “The Big Apple”, New York City. No other city can
compare. Recently discharged from military service, in the summer of 2012, I loaded the U-haul
truck and drove to New York City for love, school, and experience.
I met her while I was stationed in Las Vegas, Nevada in the summer of 2009. She was from New
York City. It was just another weekend, another party, and another new face. I wouldn’t call it love
at first sight. We laid eyes on each other and being the courageous man that I am, I walked up to
her and simply asked for her name. We had an exciting conversation and realized how much we had
in common. I, of course, asked to see her again. The party ended, and even though she was moving
back to NYC two weeks later, we knew we had a connection. We took a chance and created a long
distance relationship. Three years later we were still together.
I graduated from John F. Kennedy, class of 2007, in Guam, USA. Ever since high school I wanted to
get into the medical field. To pay for college and to serve my country, I decided to enlist in the U.S.
Air Force as a medical technician. After being discharged from the military, I had three places where
I could attend college. The first was to stay in Las Vegas, NV. The second was with my girlfriend in
New York City. Lastly, I could go back home to Guam. I needed a refresher course to get into college
without taking remedial classes. All the knowledge I had been taught in high school had diminished.
Basic math problems and even thinking of the structure of an essay had proven to be a challenge.
I needed to find the right school with a program that I could benefit from in a short time. I
found the LaGuardia Community College Veteran Upward Bound program. It was the perfect fit. I
couldn’t qualify for Upward Bound programs in colleges in Las Vegas and Guam. Worse, a course
like this would cost hundreds of dollars. I did more research and found LaGuardia had the classes I
needed for the career that I wanted. It’s a win-win.
Welcome to the small island in the middle of the pacific, Guam, the place where I grew up. The perfect
picture of paradise, tropical weather year round, ocean the color of blue skies, half an hour
drive to white sand beaches, and a “chill” attitude way of life. Why trade a “chill” way of life for
New York City? Growing up, I was very sheltered. I was always told to come home at a very early
time, I would even be home to practice penmanship, and I was not allowed to participate in pretty
much anything unless chores were accomplished daily. I always wanted to live life to the fullest. I
wanted to experience and see different cultures and different lifestyles. With the love of my life and
school in place in NYC, it all made sense.
In conclusion, I moved to the great city of New York for love, school, and experience. I moved to
NYC in the end of the may, 2012. My girlfriend and I took a road trip on a little over 2,500 miles
drive from Las Vegas to New York City, which took about five days. It was my first and longest road
trip. My relationship continues to be going strong, along with its ups and downs. (What relationship
doesn’t.) I have been accepted to LaGuardia as a freshman and awaiting to start the fall semester. So
far, I see life in NY as “straight to business” and I am quite enjoying the rush.
Muhammad Shah
I still remember when someone asked me in high school what I wanted to be: I replied “dentist.” But
due to my family`s economic condition I took maritime studies, became Chief Mate in the merchant
marines and moved all across the world. Meanwhile, I completed a master in Information Technology.
I also worked as a software designer. I always say that working on shore is far better than working
off shore.
I began to reconsider my life's course when my grandmother succumbed to the grips of renal failure.
Usually I was with her at the dialysis center. I felt powerless by my inability to alleviate her suffering
2

so I aggressively researched her condition to understand its cause. I became increasingly fascinated
with the medical literature I had been exploring. The health-affirming, regulatory mechanisms between
organ systems reminded me of the cooperative algorithmic relationships essential to the
functioning of computer software. My grandmother ultimately passed away, but this loss personalized
my developing interest in medicine. Over time, the fascination I derived from the study of living
beings outweighed my prior interest in manipulating inanimate software. I`m determined to help
out my friends and family members in a better way and don’t want to feel again that I am in a state
of powerlessness.
My father had already spent a lot of his money to build up my career in the computer engineering
field and so I decided to make my life in medicine using my own money. I talked to different recruiters
from different branches of the military but only Navy recruiter James Kawne showed me
the way to get on the path in the field of medicine. I joined the military as a hospital corpsman dental
assistant. The best thing in my life happened when I took an oath to solemnly serve the country
in the United States Navy as a military hospital corpsman. The Star-Spangled Banner has given me a
lot of respect across the world. Now this is the time to pay back that trust. The navy gave me a
great opportunity and a new way of life. I can start a Postbaccalaureate program by the Montgomery
GI Bill; when I will get admission in a dental college they will start a stipend for 48 months along
with full college tuition.
While in military training I tested my aptitude for medical study in the classroom. I completed an
intensive Hospital corpsman (EMT, nursing) and dental assistant course. Armed with a clear sense
of purpose and maturity, I now had the academic confidence to be a more focused and improved
student than I had been in college years ago. Indeed, superior study habits and passion for the material
propelled me to the top 10% of my EMT class and a superior performance in the Navy Dental
Assistant Program. My path now leads in one direction, and I go forth resolute and self-assured.
My initial ventures into a computer science career underscored my affinity for scientific reasoning,
but a firsthand exploration of a physician's work have taught me how to apply such reasoning to
directly benefit the lives and wellness of human beings. Although I haven't taken a traditional route
to medicine, I consider every twist and turn of my life's post-collegiate course a funnel. This journey
has matured me with a well-rounded perspective of my inner motivations that now fuels a
strong work ethic. I am confident that I have the intellectual potential, intention, focus, and readiness
to commit my life to medicine. Endurance and tenacity power the inertia to overcome the
future challenges of medical school, while passion and dedication energize the gravity accelerating
me toward my goal. I ask for the education – the tools – to empower me with the knowledge and
skill-set necessary to use my life toward the betterment of others.
Jason Ortiz
Every person goes through some type of change in his or her life, whether it
is through a certain age being attained, life being birthed, death being
wrought, or a number of different things. I am no exception to this. I have
not had what would be called a steady and good life thus far. I have had to
go through many changes, some good, and some bad. Overall, despite the
events that unfurled, how I changed to become who I am now is better than
what could have possibly been in a different life had I allowed some events
to fully engulf me.
I initially had a normal life (or at least what I perceived as normal at the
time) and knew of nothing wrong going on. Upon my sixth birthday passing, I
thought I was older so I wouldn’t go to sleep when I was supposed to. Most kids do that for whatever
reason anyway. Upon sneaking out of my room, I saw something that changed how I saw everything.
What I saw was what I would call now “the truth behind the scenes.” What it was I will not
say, but regardless, for the rest of my “childhood,” I had to be wary of my father, whom I harbor a
deep hatred for to this day. Further into my childhood, at age nine to be exact, I had the unfortunate
event of going into foster care . Upon choking back any strong emotions I had about leaving, I
came to reality that now I had to be the protector of my sisters through these hard times. Months
after that, we were taken in by our grandmother, and I feel as if we would have fared better with
3

our previous foster family. I despise in many ways my supposed “childhood” and wish it was different.
I had changed from a completely innocent boy to carrying the weight of responsibility
onto my young shoulders. Those changes prevented me from being susceptible to most other
negative influential changes like joining a gang or doing drugs. Other than few good memories, I
remember playing Sonic the Hedgehog and only then did I actually feel like a kid. I became fond
of him and it became my outlet for stress. Fast forwarding from there I came to my teen years.
Upon entering my teenage years, I was met with a multitude of events which led to not only
changes within myself, but also the change of my surroundings. I left my grandmother’s and was
reunited with my mother. Although it was a much wanted reunion, the ensuing events deemed
to be not so wanted. Upon living with my mother, not only did I need to change my school once
more, but also the area we were living in was a lot less favorable than the one I departed. Upon
my first night there, I awoke to gun shots outside. I learned to get used to them quickly. The
school I was to attend was a good school, but the students were under different influences. This
included, but was not limited to, drugs, gangs, sex, violence, and some instances of racism. I
adapted quickly to these surroundings as well. I slowly began to change into something I wasn’t. I
attained the nickname “quick fingers” because there wasn’t anything I couldn’t steal whether it
was in a store, or right in front of someone’s eyes. Through the many fights I was involved in
(almost all of them in self-defense), I also carried over my nickname from my previous school,
“Grim”. I was changing in a negative way and quickly. I then met a person and was going to lift
something. I was cocky and knew it was easy, but another person ratted me out. I was caught,
but they let me go with no charges. I was taught a lesson and was able to reflect. I no longer
wanted to live like that. I stopped ‘lifting’ things and became more passive in terms of fighting,
but in that environment, they see that as weakness. Around that time my mother was also diagnosed
with breast cancer. I went into a yearlong depression upon finding out. It got to the point
where the few ‘emo’ kids kept away from me because, from what they said, I was “too emo” for
them. I slowly withdrew myself from people and even withdrew from light or anything that wasn’t
dark and cold. I found strength in solitude and complete silence. I found a slightly odd comfort
from the cold, uncaring darkness. When the chemo was successful and the doctors said
there was no more traces of the cancer anymore, it was relieving, but I was still cold, lost and
withdrawn. I slowly worked out of that and came to be close to what I once was, but I had
changed much too drastically for that. Near the end of my teen years to the beginning of my
adult years were the next, and possibly the biggest, changes to my life.
Upon my sixteenth birthday, I was still trying to get used to life, for lack of a better word. School
had become troublesome because of the other students. I was really good in English, math and
even better in science. It was to the point where I would only go in during test days, take the,
and pass with extra credit if possible. The problem was actually with the school I was in. It is a
school that has been in the news before for violence. That was one of many reasons I kept cutting
classes. When nearing my eighteenth birthday, a day came where I walked out of my English
class and was in the middle of two pistols, one held by a ‘blood’, the other held by a ‘crip’, both
aiming at each other and me in the middle: I knew I couldn’t stay in that school. I proceeded in
getting my GED after my eighteenth birthday to actually have some type of education diploma
under my belt. Upon completion of that, I was working odd jobs for about a year. During this
time, I was also dating someone (her significance comes in after I get my GED). I worked odd
jobs and I was with her for a total of 4 years. I really did care about her. I was a responsible person
and knew when I needed to take responsibility for my actions. She ended up saying she was
pregnant. I knew I couldn’t support a family on odd jobs, and I barely had any work experience
as well. I had wanted to join the military for quite a while, so I decided it was the best course of
action. I chose the Marine Corps because of my late Uncle Nelson. It was also the hardest
branch of service in terms of training. No one said I could do it, and I wanted to prove them
wrong. This was going to prove to be one of the biggest changes of my life. A month after my
nineteenth birthday I was slated to be shipped out to basic training. I knew what I needed to do,
I was prepared as best I could be, and my mind was set in stone. Unlike everyone else, I didn’t
have a mother and father to see me off. Instead, my uncle and his wife saw me swear in and saw
me off instead. The travel was long and added to the stress that was growing by the second. Diving
into the unknown abyss is what it felt like. Upon arrival to the base, everyone with me started
having second thoughts about their decision. I really do mean everyone who was in that bus
other than the bus driver. I, on the other hand, had complete determination. I was a very skinny
4

person and could have been perceived as the weakest there, and yet mentally I was the strongest.
Upon being introduced to our Drill Instructors, everyone in the platoon was caught off
guard. It was like culture shock on steroids. I kept my cool because in reality, I been through a
lot of situations like this.
Unlike the other recruits, I started seeing the positives that we were getting three square meals
a day; we were getting to shower every day; we were learning military tactics; we were exercising
often; we had full medical benefits given to us; we were getting paid for it all. I had gotten
used to the yelling really quick as well. I went from being skinny beyond all reason to being huge
and muscular. It was an uplifting experience for me! I had the strength I wanted and I had everything
I needed to provide for a family and to better myself! I went from being poor; skinny; and
weak; to being having a bank account and being financially stable; muscular; and strong! I felt that
I had changed for the better not just financially, but physically and mentally as well. I saw what I
had been given and had planned on not ruining this opportunity given to me.
Not everything was good, however. I planned on getting married and being a father. The girl I
was with lied about the first pregnancy and then a whole sequence of events came forth where
she was pregnant with twins, and I was actually prepared to be a father. Unfortunately, nothing
can ever be perfect, so I found out she was doing drugs and drinking, thus she lost them. After
much other drama where her family still speaks to me, but disowned her for the many screw ups
she had done, the big reason I joined was no longer a factor to me. I had to move on and keep
the positive flow going on everything else. I changed though in not trusting women while I was in
the military. Many said they would wait, but as soon as training or something else would happen,
they were with another guy. I refused to be played again. Regardless, I then concentrated on my
Marine Corps career and worked my ass off to attain Corporal and upon doing so, I was given a
Sergeant’s billet and was in charge of an entire platoon. I was at the top of my game. I was in
great physical shape, great in completing tasks given to me, great in managing Marines. I really
was feeling amazing! Time passed and then came the time to re-enlist or EAS. I weighed my options.
I was tempted to stay. Everything I could want or need was there. My Staff Sergeant who
was going to be promoted to Gunnery Sergeant soon was my mentor to being a better Non-
Commissioned Officer, and was going to see me pick up Sergeant. I weighed my options, but
ultimately chose to EAS with the hopes of another huge change for the better by going through
college.
There have been many different things to happen to me during my life that I could only write
into a book because that is the only way to keep all the detail in there. Every event had a significant
change to how I thought, how I reacted, and who I was becoming. Regardless of what was
bad and what was good, it all had a hand in what I became. I definitely am grateful I did not become
a usual stereo type of where I was growing up. I had an open mind and planned on using it.
I have had to go through a lot to develop it, but now I know anything could happen at any time,
whether good or bad. The world we live in is consistently changing around us whether we
choose to accept it or not. It is how we change to adapt to it that determines if we improve and
come out on top.
Gladys Perez
Life can be a learning experience. Some people learn from life, others do not. What really
changed my life was when I hit rock bottom. I felt very vulnerable, and was taken for granted. I
was a trustful person. I guess I was naïve thinking that everyone was honest and believed their
stories.
It was February 6, 2001, on a snowy day. I was going to work, suddenly I slipped and fell on ice
and could not get up when I saw my bone out of place I was so surprised the way I reacted. First
I saw a man and a woman coming towards me asking me if I needed an ambulance. I asked the
man to go to my house and carefully tell my father to come over. Then I realized that I was not
going to be able to go to work. As I saw my dad coming over his face was very pale. I asked him
to get me the phone, and a camera. He tried to get what I had asked for but he got so nervous, I
5

guess by seeing his daughter lying on the side walk with her left leg broken. I made the phone call
to the Post Office (as a Letter Carrier) and told my supervisor that I had an accident and would
not be coming in.
I got to the hospital and they took x-rays. The doctor said that I had an open wound fracture.
Then he explained that I broke my fibular and tibia. It took a few days to get surgery. My son
came over from the military on emergency leave to see me. I felt very vulnerable. Being a very
independent person I did not feel good about myself.
Meanwhile, I had been renting my first floor apartment to a lady with her two sons when she
decided not to pay rent. She told me that she was having financial problems. I tried to explain to
her that I was not working because of the accident and needed her income for my mortgage.
This went on for several months until I realized that she was not going to pay the rent. I had to
take her to court. It took a good nine months to get her evicted.
After all this I had to live on credit cards; I was so discouraged. I went to see the doctor on September
2001 thinking that he was going to remove the cast when he told me that I would need
another surgery because my bone shifted. I was so devastated with that news that my dad decided
to leave to Puerto Rico because he felt overwhelmed with what was happening to me. The
doctor performed the other surgery; this time he put two metal plates with 14 screws. It took
me one year and six months to heal from that awful fall.
This experience changed my life by making me more sensitive to disabled and elderly people. It
gives me a different approach on how to see life. Some people take life for granted and others
take advantage of it. In today’s society we need to be careful about who we can trust and not be
naïve because there are lots of wolves.
“That Student” (Anonymous)
The boy scouts taught me how to be an individual, in the Army I developed into a leader, and I
learned how to be a team player from my rugby coach. Unfortunately no one prepared me for
the most challenging and life changing role I am faced with. When it was announced that I was
going to be a parent, a mixture of emotions swept over me. Although the thoughts of having a
"daddy's little girl" or "that’s my boy" moments were so exciting, I struggled with the idea of raising
a child at that current stage in my life; I was practically still raising myself.
Tu Vakarau ena Vei Gauna “Always Prepared” ― Motto of the Fiji Boy Scouts Association
I didn't have the typical 9 to 5 job or was anywhere remotely close to living an American dream.
I was a 25 year old part time soldier who travelled a lot for either training or real world missions.
On the civilian side I worked in the private sector of the security industry as a tactical
firearm instructor, which consisted of its own time consuming agenda. Obviously this was going
to call for some serious time management skills once a child was added to my life's equation, it
became apparent that some serious decision making was going to have to take place. As the
months began to add up pulling the due date closer, like a chain reaction my anxiety levels increased,
pushing me closer to that red panic button. My short and long-term goals, even my routine
day dreams didn't seem practical anymore when I factored in a child; my views on nearly
everything I did or planned to do instantly change. Going forward I would have to consider my
family and how it will impact their lives. Unfortunately because my experiences and skill sets
were very specific, many options of having an alternative lifestyle were not available to me. So
the decision was made to remain in uniform a bit longer, until I figured out a winning game plan. I
was not prepared for this new chapter in my life.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the
one most responsive to change.” ― Charles Darwin an English Naturalist (1809 -
1882)
Many people will state that they have experienced change in their lives, one way or another due
to a defining moment. I simply like to view change in one’s life as a form of evolutionary adapted-
6

The boy scouts taught me how to be an individual, in the Army I was developed into a leader,
and I learned how to be a team player from my rugby coach. Unfortunately no one prepared me
for the most challenging and life changing role I am faced with. When it was announced that I
was going to be a parent, a mixture of emotions swept over me. Although the thoughts of having
a "daddy's little girl" or "that’s my boy" moments were so exciting, I struggled with the idea of
raising a child at that current stage in my life; I was practically still raising myself.
Tu Vakarau ena Vei Gauna “Always Prepared” ― Motto of the Fiji Boy Scouts Association
I didn't have the typical 9 to 5 job or was anywhere remotely close to living an American dream.
I was a 25 year old part time soldier who travelled a lot for either training or real world missions.
On the civilian side I worked in the private sector of the security industry as a tactical
firearm instructor, which consisted of its own time consuming agenda. Obviously this was going
to call for some serious time management skills once a child was added to my life's equation, it
became apparent that some serious decision making was going to have to take place. As the
months began to add up pulling the due date closer, like a chain reaction my anxiety levels increased,
pushing me closer to that red panic button. My short and long-term goals, even my routine
day dreams didn't seem practical anymore when I factored in a child; my views on nearly
everything I did or planned to do instantly change. Going forward I would have to consider my
family and how it will impact their lives. Unfortunately because my experiences and skill sets
were very specific, many options of having an alternative lifestyle were not available to me. So
the decision was made to remain in uniform a bit longer, until I figured out a winning game plan. I
was not prepared for this new chapter in my life.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the
one most responsive to change.” ― Charles Darwin an English Naturalist (1809 -
1882)
Many people will state that they have experienced change in their lives, one way or another due
to a defining moment. I simply like to view change in one’s life as a form of evolutionary adaptedness.
The term "evolutionary adaptedness" was coined by John Bowlby (26 February 1907 – 2
September 1990) a British psychologist, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst as part of attachment
theory to human evolution. It refers to the environment to which a particular evolved mechanism
is adapted. Adaptation is the evolutionary process whereby an organism becomes better
able to live in its habitat or habitats. Throughout my entire life as far back as I can remember, I
have been adapting to ever changing environments and circumstances. Starting with growing up
as a child deprived of motherly love and a positive father figure. Than from a teen that surfed
and played rugby for my high school into an adult that represented a country on various expeditionary
missions. These life experiences were strong influences that molded and evolved me into
the person that I am now. Evolutionary adaptation continues to be an ongoing process, which
suggests constant psychological adjustment on my part.
In May of 2000, I became a father of a beautiful little girl named Jadzia (jahd ze ah). Unfortunately
this joyful occasion was quickly followed up with a traumatic turn of events. I received orders to
attend six weeks of training in Key West, Florida and then deploy directly to South of Sudan in
Africa for a six month Foreign Internal Defense Operation. I heard about these types of missions
by senior members so I knew it wasn't going to be a walk in Central Park.
The early years of my daughter's life weren't filled with witnessing her first steps or hearing her
first word. Due to my constant deployments quality time with my daughter consisted of photos,
along with the occasional phone conversation when the opportunity presented itself. It was very
difficult to spend so much time away from her. When home I made every effort to spend the
much needed quality time with her. I wanted to be everything I felt a parent should be. Growing
up I never knew my dad or anyone from his side of the family; all my life I was plague with the
"what if" syndrome. What if he would have stuck around? What if this and what if that? To add
to the growing pains of my childhood, my mother never stuck around much. She had her own
agenda which didn't include being there for my sister and I. Thankfully my grandmother and uncles
were willing to contribute to raising of my younger sister and me. Being in the situation that
I have been since a child, enduring challenges on a daily basis, has molded me into a person that
7

has learned the softer side of perseverance. With all the failures that have occurred in my life,
whenever I succeeded it was as sweet as that first bite of the ripest mango. Throughout the majority
of my life I pushed on past obstacles without fully understanding why I didn't want to give
up; passion may have been the reason from time to time. But with raising a child I found out it
takes more than that, it takes true compassion. A virtue I thought would come naturally, giving
the father-daughter bond. Unfortunately the inner frustrations that I had toward myself had been
like a cancer spreading throughout my life and affected those closest to me. I needed to learn
how to appreciate who I am, and what I have in order to feel confidence and unconditional love
for others; mainly my daughter.
“There are three types of people in the world, those who make things happen, those
who watch things happen and those who wonder what’s happening!” ― Anonymous
Years from now I don't want to wonder what had happened to my daughter and the relationship
that we share. This brings to mind one of the Bruce Willis Die Hard films "Live Free or Die
Hard”. The film displays Bruce Willis as a father along with his estranged daughter. What pulled
me into this particular movie is that throughout the whole film Bruce Willis struggles with his
relationship with his daughter. She grew up to have all of his tough and challenging attributes.
They seem more like twins then father and daughter, bumping heads whenever they were together.
The funny aspect of this relationship is that I wouldn't mind my daughter growing up to
be this tough feminine woman. But on the other hand I don't want to be in Bruce Willis's shoes
where he mostly fights with her, just to make up for the lost time he wasn't able to spend with
her due to work. Now she has sort of rebelled against him and challenges him on everything. On
a daily basis I continue to learn something new about myself and how to be better parent and
person. I steadily collect advice and information from various resources, learn from the mistakes
and experiences of others parents. I always thought that things would be so much easier if there
was some sort of field manual or a How to be A Daddy Book for Dummies, with plenty of illustrative
photos, until I came across a Jim Henson quote where he once said that “Kids don't remember
what you try to teach them. They remember what you are”. Since leaving the military in
2010, I decided to do just that. By adjusting my mentality and allowing my daughter to be a typical
kid, and not prematurely prepping her for the approach of some sort of apocalypse while
most parents are teaching their kids to ride bikes. Allow her to make mistakes without transforming
into Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey as I’ve been told on numerous occasions.
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create
many ripples.” ― Mother Teresa
While growing up on an island in the South Pacific, I always found old wise sayings spoken by the
elders really cool. One saying in particular which stuck with me was told to me by my greatuncle.
"If you drop a pebble into the ocean and the ripples radiate outwards they will touch and
affect everything.” As a child you would never believe that tossing something as simple as a pebble
in the ocean would create a small ripple that could eventually turn into 30 foot swells 500
miles away, waves that would either provide an anxious surfer with that championship wave he
or she has been waiting for, or either a catastrophic one that all coastlines fear. Regardless of
which of the two would develop, it is safe to say that both would potentially create a change. A
change whether modest or traumatic, good or bad; definitely one significant enough to affect
those that would come in contact with it. Obviously there's a hidden lesson to be learned from
this old proverb; or either this old guy's mind had been sun baked a little too long. The lesson is
that decisions we make no matter how small will result in changes of various proportions. The
ripples in my life began in my grandfather's childhood long before I was born which affected my
mother's upbringing and then mines; now it threatens my daughter's childhood.
Twelve years have sprinted by since Jadzia’s birth, and nearly five of those years were spent away
from home on deployments and that’s not even counting the trainings schools I had to attend
that fell in between. Seems like I’m now, finally getting the hang of this “regular guy” persona. At
times I find myself tapping into that warrior ethos mindset, in order to negotiate past the Olympic
styled obstacles life set out in front of me. Who knew that all the years of absent affections
that I never came to experience would later submerge to effect the next generation of relationships
I would be involved in? Will the same be true for my daughter and her kids? I need to
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eak this cycle, by following through with my objectives. Azimuth has been shot and the course
is plotted; failure is not an option.
William Benefield
What is change? It is when you’re placed in a certain situation that requires you to work the
hardest to continue to live. Most people believe that change can be determined by financial circumstances
or losing someone significant in your life who was close to you. In my situation I
have been through both of these and it hasn’t been easy.
Transitioning from the military can be difficult. The changes that you will be faced with can bring
the best out of you and the worst. In a time where the economy isn’t in the best shape, finding
work can be difficult. Many veterans in my age group, ranging from 24-27, can be faced with a
whole new lifestyle change because of the economic status in the United States. It’s hard for
everyone to get work in this day and age, but the changes for a veteran go unnoticed sometimes.
For me when I first got discharged, “honorably,” it was a little exciting and scary. When time
wasn’t something I had on my side, finding another opportunity to show my strengths in my
work became unreachable. The more time went on I began to get depressed, unable to realize
that my time I had invested in the military meant so much. Making time for the job force was
overlooked by me at the time I was just enjoying military life. Everything was on me: my
strengths and weaknesses were seen throughout this time period. Family was supportive at first
but eventually they were not able to offer a “keep your head up” type of motivation. Most of my
family had their own issues. This was when my eyes were wide open to the fact that this wasn’t
a time to just wait for things to get better.
Adjusting to changes I was faced with came with some hard decisions. My now ex-wife wasn’t
just going to wait around. She wasn’t the type to adjust to the circumstances. So she left with my
daughter. There went my motivation to strive harder; now it was just me, and time moves so
slow when you’re unemployed and financially unstable. But I found something deep in myself that
got me to the place that I wanted to be. Now I wasn’t thinking about the “how it was” or “how
it could’ve been.” I worked harder and it took its toll on me. My lifestyle changed for the better:
all the things I learned in the military helped but some of it was patience, “I had to learn to be
patient.” I believe if I never went through this change I would have been a weaker person.
Now my life is finally getting back on track. For a while I felt like this would never end. Now I am
beginning to be much more positive. Patiently waiting for things to happen that take time. My
long and short term goals are happening productively. I am back in school where I belong and
looking forward to the semester to start. Now I realize that even if the change isn’t good at first
there is always a positive that comes from it.
Anthony Cortes
Who the f*ck is calling this late? That is what I asked myself as I hear my mother
answering the phone. “Lo balasiaron a Edwin” (Spanish for “they shot Edwin”). That is what
my mom shouted as she began to cry and dropped the phone. I quickly got up and found out
what hospital they were taking him to. Against my father’s word I quickly got dressed and was
headed out the door. My mother knew how close my bond was with Edwin and came along
instead of trying to stop me. When I got to the hospital, all of my aunts and uncles were
already there in the emergency waiting room, praying that Edwin was going to make it. I
stepped out to gather my emotions and pinched myself to wake up from this nightmare. As I
stepped in, I already felt the emptiness in my heart and a few seconds later the doctor came in
and made the news official. My cousin Edwin was killed by a drive-by shooting after leaving a
family party on April 9, 2000 at the age of 14.
As I see my aunts, uncles, and my mom crying while we were all around my cousin’s
deathbed, many questions came to mind. Why did this happen? Who did this? Are they out
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celebrating right now? I was the older of the two by 22 days but he was the one who always
looked out for me. I never experienced a death in the family and the fact that I was so close to
him only made my emotions worse. Everyone watches gangster movies and our favorites were
“Blood in Blood out Bound by Honor” and “American Me” so we already knew what we had to
do, right? Needless to say this was the start of me being involved in gang violence but it wasn’t
due to drug wars or even to “represent my hood.” For me it was simple revenge. I was filled
with nothing but hate and I was out for blood. At first I got involved in street fights and I made
sure they knew who I was. From there we used graffiti art to let them know we were watching
them to keep them on their toes.
All these things were done to us by them because of our uncles who were involved in
gang war with their family, and so the cycle continues. I didn’t care too much about the gang
stuff before because I wanted to be better and rise above all of that. It all changed when they
took my best friend/cousin. As I got deeper involved I was also messing up big time. My grades
dropped dramatically, my relationship with my parents was so distant they didn’t know what to
do with me, and I missed so many days of school I was kicked out. I also realized that everyone
in the gang weren’t all into it as I was. The same guys that were the first to start
problems were the same ones to be nowhere in sight when fights happened. They also did it
for personal gain i.e. get girls and because they were cowards. I also saw my uncles who lived
their whole lives watching their back and never being able to fully go out in public with their
family because the rival gang knew who they were.
In the end I did what my cousin and I always wanted to do and that was to join the
military. We always talked about military school and what guns we wanted and even went as far
as to examine every war movie just to learn the movements so when we joined the military we
would have a head start. So the same event that made me hit rock bottom was the same that
smartened me up. My cousin and I never wanted to be in any gang even if it was “in our
blood”. We wanted to see the world and when I did I’d be lying to you if I didn’t say that I felt
my cousin’s presence next to me.
Suad Hadzijic
Change is to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from
what it is or from what it would be if left alone: to change one's name; to change one's opinion;
to change the course of history. If it wasn't for our abilities to adapt and overcome, we as humans
wouldn't be where we are to this day. Change is an important and powerful verb. It’s all
around us and is happening right before our eyes.
We as humans are known for our exceptional abilities for adapting to any environment and or
situation. During our earths’ gravitational journey around our sun, we here in the United States
experience 4 seasons: Fall, Winter, Spring , and Summer. During this change in our weather, we
feel the change in the temperature and we then change our clothes to adjust to the varying temperature
and weather conditions. In this case we change in order to survive. You would be considered
crazy if you went out for a stroll in 10 degree weather with a T-shirt, flip flops, and booty
shorts.
Then come other circumstances of why we might make a change. One place where we might
make a change is in a social situation. We would change our behavior in order to fit in and make
sure everything goes smoothly socially. An example of someone changing their behavior is when,
lets say Joe is out for a night on the town, Joe wants to make some new friends outside of his
normal social circle. He’s a very loud, sarcastic, and blunt individual who never sugar coats anything.
He happens to run into a bunch of people at an art show who are all for the most part
intelligent but sensitive people who enjoy discussing the deepness of a good masterpiece. In order
for him to successfully make a social interaction and connection he will need to adjust his
behavior accordingly. In this case we are making a change for acceptance.
You see the weather is getting warmer and it’s gonna be beach season soon. You want to make
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sure you look fantastic without a shirt on so you can turn some heads and perhaps find yourself
a future wife or husband. You look at yourself in the mirror and realize you could cut a couple
of pounds. So you have now decided to make a change in your diet and your daily routine for an
exercise regiment in order for you to achieve a goal you set for yourself. In this case we had
made a change for personal gain.
Change has a huge impact on people, in general. It’s truly an action word. Change sometimes
requires so much energy, determination, effort, and willpower in order for change to settle in
and become the new norm. When a new idea or change is first introduced there will always be
a debate on whether it is better or worse than what people are doing or believing at the moment.
Galileo was an astronomer who proved that the sun doesn't revolve around the earth but the
other way around. When he first proved the church went mad and had the man put under
house arrest. The church loved always being right but Galileo proved the church wrong. The
Church did what they did because they weren't prepared for a change and they did not want to
accept it. Change can definitely strike fear into hearts. With change comes uncertainty. That's
why some people are afraid of it.
All in all, change is a very important thing that we all must know how to do and not be afraid of.
Change is used to make us better, smarter, and even for survival. Also some changes are easier
than others, If the change will make your life better or societies lives better it’s totally worth the
time and effort in order for the change to become the new norm.
Jose Ortiz
Having been married two times gives me an inside look on the subject of marriage - the ultimate
change .Matrimony is the ultimate rush. You will be given the opportunity to share at a different
level. The concept of individuality that you have will be erased. The ideas about sex - well, there
will be a challenge. Matrimony is a part of life that no one can prepare you for.
When you are sharing with another person at a romantic level not only his or her thoughts but
also emotions, the results depend on the amount of understanding (love) that you have for each
other. Sharing after you get married becomes a game of probability; in this order: will it benefit
both or one, will it benefit the relation or just the ego, and the items on this list can only be determined
by the knowledge one has on the other person. Yes it is a tricky subject but remember
my ideas on the subject come from personal experience.
What is the ultimate rush? According to the dictionary, the phrase is used to describe the feeling
of climax. I am given to the institution of matrimony because there will be times physically and
emotionally, always more emotionally, that you will be on the extreme of goodness and badness.
Example: your spouse wants money for a coat , but the challenge is, the money is not asked for
but demanded. One has to get his or her mind out of the equation and just let your heart guide
you. If this is not the ultimate rush, let your heart guide you in the matters of your mind when it
comes to the issues of your matrimony. Imagine what could happen at the end. Remember
when I said I was married twice. Perception is out when it comes to matrimony: the issue here is
your heart has to be more committed than your mind.
The change from single to married means losing your individuality for the good of the marriage.
There will be house chores that you will do like sweeping, mopping, doing dishes, laundry, cooking,
buying groceries. Buying clothes sharing bills and, this one is a good one, explaining bills.
Your mind is not taking decisions anymore based on one person but on two - that’s why matrimony
involves losing you for the us.
All this brings me to the topic of sex. Matrimony means exploring new territory when it comes
to sex because now you are making love not only having sex. The amount of power needed for
this depends on the fuel you use. If it is love go for it; if it is attraction only, sex only, it is destined
to fail. Explore with the other half what is sex when love as a commitment is involved.
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After more than twelve years of trying marriage, I can say that the person who loves the most is
the one who always asks for the contract of matrimony as proof of commitment.
Virginia Goodno
What does "Motherhood" mean? To me "motherhood" means constant adjustment to several
changes. During my early twenty’s, I disregarded the idea of being a wife and getting pregnant.
My plan on living single and adopting children changed when I fell in love and got married. I became
pregnant four months after my wedding day. The feeling of being a mother became very
important for me as soon as I found out about my pregnancy. Major changes happened to me by
the beginning of motherhood life. I experienced intense physical, spiritual and emotional changes.
Pregnancy as what almost every adult knows changes most physical parts of a woman’s body.
The physical changes that happen to me during pregnancy, I consider a torture. For nine months,
aside from adjusting to an expanding stomach and changes happening with other parts of the
body, my crown of curly hair also gradually became wavy. The physical changes that happened
was also accompanied with constant heartburn, nausea, dizziness, morning sickness, and other
uncomfortable feelings. Vanity was not as important to me anymore. Finding ways in making myself
feeling comfortable all the time and making sure the health of my baby in my womb was
monitored became my priority. Somehow, motherhood led me to become more spiritual.
I remember, for the very first time in my life that I felt an intense unconditional love for my unborn
child. I prayed more than I usually have done before pregnancy. I was always praying for the
baby I was carrying to be okay, healthy and protected all through pregnancy. When I held my
first child right after a very exhausting birth delivery. I had a moment when I contemplated about
the selfless love of Christ for humanity while I was still in the hospital. Motherhood gave me the
opportunity to discover unconditonal love. I developed patience, endurance, care, and thoughtfulness
at a higher degree with no expectations but health and comfort for my child and constant
connection with God. The state of my spiritual being became more as my family grew. Aside
from my spiritual changes, I also became more emotional.
There were several situations where my emotions were hard for me to control whenever my I
saw any of my three children and even other children in pain. I remember how I became emotional
whenever I saw any of my children cry when they needed to get their immunization shots.
One of the hardest adjustment for me was separating from my children every beginning of their
school years during their early elementary years. I was always happy when they did not have to
be away from me. I was very attached to my children. Motherhood was fun for me whenever my
children were with me.
The changes that I have experienced during motherhood was a transition that was hard to forget.
Although I honestly do not like the physical changes that took place after marriage, the emotional
changes was easier to accept. However, I always felt very grateful about the spiritual development
that I experienced.
Eylul Akpinar
As a person grows and gains more life experience his or her personality changes. It is the accumulation
of time, pain, joy, and encountering different ideas and different people. The life experience
that had a colossal impact on my life was my Marine Corps career. The 3 years I have
spent in the Marine Corps, observing everything that was going around me, changed me, my
views on society and showed me how harmful herd mentality and tyranny can be. It gave me an
idea of what civil life is supposed to be like, and how a human being is supposed to be treated. I
learned about hypocrisy and how brainwashing of teenagers can poison an entire community. It
showed me the true meaning of freedom and the importance of education, intellect and the need
to speak out against immorality. The years I wasted in the military was absolutely nothing but a
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compilation of mental abuse, unjustified oppression, and constant shameful punishments.
One of the definitions of tyranny is “the arbitrary, unreasonable, or despotic behavior or use of
authority.” To me this is also the definition of the Marine Corps. The obsession with power and
the need to swallow the smaller fish is very common among marines. As a matter of fact it is
encouraged. I have seen many incidents where a staff-non commissioned officer, even officers
would encourage his non commissioned officers to haze, belittle, and torment lower rank marines.
I remember playing fetch with my non commissioned officer in the middle of the desert,
just because he could make me do it. I also remember him making a game out of throwing rocks
at me because he was bored. I was humiliated and degraded. At the time I was stupid enough to
not do something about it. The saddest part is a lot of other marines saw this and did absolutely
nothing but sit there and laugh because they thought it was funny. The lower rank marines all
want power and all the ones that have power do nothing but abuse it. It was all over the news
not too long ago that Lance Corporal Harry Lew committed suicide in Afghanistan because he
was hazed by his “fellow” marines. He was threatened, physically and mentally abused, singled
out, and humiliated. What did the “men” in charge do about this? Absolutely nothing. As a result
this nation lost a marine to suicide and Harry Lew’s blood is on the hands of the marines that
hazed him and the high ranked staff and officers that let this happen. It is claimed by the hierarchy
of this institution, that this type of behavior is not condoned. But what are they doing about
it? Once again… Absolutely nothing. By not doing anything about a problem such as abuse
among their ranks they are in fact condoning these actions. I constantly asked why hazing was so
popular in the Marine Corps and not in other branches. The answer I would get is “because the
Navy and the Airforce are pussies”. It seems that the other branches of the service are doing
just fine without primitive conduct. This type of harmful and disgraceful behavior cannot be tolerated
in an organization that is supposed to defend the nation from harm.
The Marine Corps claims to go by their 14 leadership traits. These traits are Justice, Judgment,
Dependability, Initiative, Decisiveness, Tact, Integrity, Enthusiasm, Bearing, Unselfishness, Courage,
Knowledge, Loyalty, and Endurance. Unfortunately the majority of these characteristics are
limited to being just claims. This organization makes a lot of claims and show little to no evidence
at all. In one of their recruiting videos a drill instructor states that he inspires recruits to
do the best they can. I can’t remember being inspired to do my best in boot camp, in fact I was
revolted by their ways. I assume they consider hazing, mass punishment, or to ostracize people
to humiliate them to be inspiration. The Marine Corps also claims they take care of their fellow
brothers. I was expected to work on tanks and lift heavy equipment only weeks after a major
knee reconstruction surgery I ended up injuring myself right after a surgery. They use words like
honor, courage, and commitment. I don’t understand what is so honorable about how they treat
people. I don’t understand what is so courageous about making an injured man work. I especially
do not understand their commitment to make my life as miserable as possible. I could never find
happiness in the Marine Corps. I was severely depressed, hated life, and couldn’t do anything
about it. I was married and my relationship with my wife at the time was slowly coming to an
end because of my career. Unfortunately I was never allowed to take some time off to possibly
save my marriage. Once my wife left me I attempted to take my own life. To me that was the
final straw. I started doing drugs and in a matter of couple weeks I was hospitalized, staring death
directly in the face. Once I got out of the hospital I hung myself. Fortunately I was stopped. Instead
of giving me proper care my command thought it was a good idea to send me to prison
until I had a court date. I was suffering from severe depression and anxiety. They did not help me
or provide me with effective care. Apparently their idea of taking care of their brothers is to
send someone to prison when they need help the most. I could have saved my marriage only if
they let me but it was more important for them to punish me for doing drugs and attempting to
end my life. They still maintain this image that they are the better branch of service, the best of
the best, the few the proud when statistics show that they have the highest suicide rate, alcoholism,
drug addiction and are very well known to be the least educated people in American society.
I often wonder how these people are even crowned as heroes in our country. It’s a shame.
As a 17 year old I didn’t know much about the opportunities and the variety of options I had in
life. I was sometimes ignorant, impulsive, and apathetic. What did I know? After all I was only
17. I started showing interest in the military because of this false image that society has of marines
and joined. The Marine Corps is almost deified by the public and television. Many others
have joined because of how the Marine Corps portray themselves on television commercials.
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They try very hard to cover up their truth and brainwash teenagers into becoming one of them.
Once I joined I was indoctrinated to their way of thinking but it didn’t last very long because I
wasn’t blind to see what was going on around me. Unfortunately marines are oppressed and
cannot share their negative views publicly therefore allowing the Marine Corps to keep brainwashing
the public.
Through these experiences I have changed. I understand the world and feel the need to better it.
I understand the need to fight idiocracy and educate people. Through life experiences we change
but more importantly we evolve.
Jesse Torres
When talking about character, some think of it as a “stamp” in our genetics. If you’re an asshole
that pretty much means you were born one. But life led you to situations which, whether good
or bad, made you who you truly are today. Emily bakers’ article, “How the Military Can Change
Personalities, Slightly,” brings to light that psychological characters are truly something of development.
Military life is built on breaking down and changing many soldiers’ lives and boot camp
is the beginning of that change.
Boot camp, or basic training, is not combat but by definition it is considered a traumatic event.
What is a traumatic event? It is an experience that causes physical, emotional, psychological distress
or harm. Traumatic events involve: moving to a new location, anxiety, fear, separation
from parents and pain. We can all agree that these are felt at basic training. Traumatic events
will make a person feel numb and sometimes trigger a memory from the event. A great example
that just seems to come up for me is the particular smell of morning dew on grass. The smell
evokes a memory of 5:15 am formations in tight “pt” shorts and “glow straps”, an image that
presents itself plenty and hard for me to forget. Traumatic events are a huge part of changing
ones psychological character. But even though causing traumatic events seems to be a harsh
way to create change, Boot camp does create other productive ways to change.
Boot camp is designed to place an individual through many obstacles and challenges. A key factor
in the development of our character. Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University,
states that there are two types of mindsets, a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. Many fixed
mindset individuals shy away from challenges for fear of failure. Growth mindset individuals embrace
challenges because they see it as an experience that will ultimately lead them to become
stronger in the end. As much as I wanted to believe that I was a “growth mindset individual”,
one who embraced challenges, who was not discouraged by obstacles, one who saw failure as an
opportunity to learn, I definitely was not. In basic training, like many of you, I was forced to face
challenges and obstacles. I was forced to fail or succeed. I was forced to develop and I was
forced to change. Whether it was the fact that I could not swim, shoot a gun, or terrified of
heights, boot camp seemed like a never ending episode of fear factor. But every obstacle and
challenge was completed and every experience instilled a confidence that helped me get through
and ultimately come out of it, a better man.
When recruits graduate boot camp, or basic training, many see the physical changes. Whether
its weight loss or weight gain, families are blown away at the difference boot camp has made.
But inside the change is much bigger and much more permanent. It is pride. Big name companies
have been using pride “tactically” to drive exceptional service, continued innovation and
extreme commitment for their success. Our military use these same tools and have perfected
them down to a science. Giving credit where credit is due, military advertisements are some of
the best motivating commercials out there. They can stop you right in your tracks to watch.
Whether it’s the announcers deep words or the intense imagery, those commercials create an
image that are truly awe inspiring to say the least. Commercials like the US Marines “Towards
the sounds of chaos” or “Americas’ best” get young men and women filling the recruiters office
to maximum capacity. I would know because I too was blown away by awesome explosions and
cool uniforms. Recruiters begin the stages of pride building with their poolees, a term used for
those who signed up but were not considered recruits yet till basic training. A great example
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were the black shirts given to poolees when they signed in which said “Pain is temporary, pride
is forever”. Once in boot camp your set in stages. In phase one you wear your uniform in a
ridiculous way, to show every one that you were a 1 st phase recruit. Once you reach phase 2
and 3, you then begin to earn those rights and privileges that marines have such as earning your
name tags and wearing your uniform the proper way. Here begins a sense of pride in your uniform
as well as your status. Drill instructors pound military knowledge into recruits minds to
instill pride in our history and those who came before us. Sacrafices made and the agreement to
carry on those traditions no matter what the cost instill pride in what we do. We drill for hours
on end to compete for a coveted title against other platoons and our drive to win is great because
of our pride in our platoon and drill instructors. In a business article I read a while back,
author unknown, the author stated that to instill pride, or for pride builders in companies to gain
ultimate success, one must focus on a few things. The primary concern when instilling pride is
to create a clear vision that is awe inspiring, create proper motivation, show that the work has a
purpose and have them take pride in what they do. Only then will you instill pride and create
the change needed for success.
Basic training is the beginning of the drastic changes that will occur in a soldiers life. In their
career they will begin a journey through many ups and downs that will continue to affect and
develop their character for better or worst. There is no doubt that boot camp is in the fore
front of this change. Is this change a permanent one? That’s a good question. But day in and
day out, military members have proven to accomplish tasks in an extreme manner of professionalism.
They continue to set the bar high and be the example for others to emulate, with character
traits that were clearly instilled in basic training. Many continue to possess these traits far
beyond their time of committed service. The change created in basic training may not be a permanent
one but it has shown to stand the test of time.
“Traveling the New York City Subways: A Conduit of Change,
Contrast and Diversity”
Dane Antoine
Change is everywhere! It can be seen and discovered in all aspects of life. Change is a process
that affects inanimate objects, animals, people and places. It is can be the result of many things
such as a modification in one’s behavior, or one’s environment. Change can also be expected and
very obvious or it can be unexpected and subtle. As a native New Yorker, I have seen and discovered
dramatic change, contrast, and diversity in the most unlikely and subtle ways traveling
the many subway routes of one of the world’s largest subways systems. Traveling the diverse
routes of the New York City subway system is an excellent way to discover and see dramatic
change, contrast, and diversity firsthand. Furthermore, it is also a useful way to learn about the
city’s inhabitants, standard of living and its geography.
Many people would argue that it is obvious that utilizing public transportation will provide them
with the opportunity to experience what New York City has to offer such as sightseeing and
entertainment. However, few can appreciate or will notice the subtle and dramatic changes within
the city because many people, mainly tourists, do not utilize the New York subways to venture
beyond the traditional attractions in Manhattan and explore the other areas of the city. Even
some New Yorkers themselves tend to stay within their own boundaries, neighborhoods or borough
(with the exception of work) and never explore the other boroughs by subway to fully
experience all that New York City has to offer its inhabitants. My own mother has never been or
seen the northwestern neighborhoods of Queens such as Bayside. The city subways offer people
an opportunity to explore and learn more about New York and how and when it changes its
geography, standard of living and ethnicity from place to place.
One can see dramatic change and contrast in a neighborhood’s wealth and standard of living in
New York City by riding on the subways. For example, if one were to ride the 4, 5 or 6 train
routes that travel along Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, one will find him or herself stepping off
the train and into a pinnacle of power and an epicenter of wealth known as the Upper East Side
of Manhattan or 5 th Avenue with a vast amount of expensive designer stores. The Upper East
Side was identified as one of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods by the 2010 U.S. census with a
15

median income of $170, 486 in an online blog titled Census Pinpoints City’s Wealthiest, Poorest
Neighborhoods by Arun Venugopal. Similarly, if one were to take the 1, 2 (to Wakefield, east 241
St, where I live,) the D (to East 205 street), the 4 (Mosulu Parkway), or the 5 (to Dyre Ave),
going uptown towards the Bronx he or she will find less glamorous and more poverty stricken
areas, besides the traditional attractions of the Bronx Zoo and Yankees Stadium. According to
an April 2010 report published by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,
the percent of residents living in poverty was highest in the borough of the Bronx. One
can also take the 1 (to South Ferry), 2 (to Wall Street), 4 (to Bowling Green), and 5 (to Bowling
Green), in the opposite direction to downtown Manhattan to wealthier areas such as Tribeca
and Wall Street, a center of power, wealth, and financial activity. These subway routes allow a
passenger to see and experience dramatic change and contrast in the standard of living of many
New Yorkers and educate people about how there is a growing economic disparity in many
neighborhoods in New York City.
Beyond the economic disparities in the city’s neighborhoods one can also find change, contrast
and diversity in the ethnicity of New Yorkers and its neighborhoods while traveling in and out
the subway system. On any given day in New York City, an individual will normally see a diverse
array of people from a variety of different ethic backgrounds stepping into a typical city subway
train. For instance, the 7 train is well known for providing transportation to a diverse group of
New Yorkers. It travels from Main Street in Flushing, Queens to 42 second Street-Times Square
in Manhattan. While traveling on this train, one can observe change, contrast and diversity in the
ethnic backgrounds of native New Yorkers., because the 7 train travels along Queens Neighborhoods
that have been traditionally settled by immigrants from around the globe. According to
New York Times reporter Bille Cohen, who documented different routes of the New York City
public transportation system in January 2008, the 7 train line is “ known as the international express
because it runs from Queens to Manhattan making stops in neighborhoods that are Chinese,
Irish, Italian, Greek, Turkish Romanian, Indian and Mexican, just to name a few”. As a result,
on any given stop along the 7 train, one can experience change and diversity in the ethnic
backgrounds of Native New Yorkers and their neighborhoods in Queens. Riding a subway train
such as the 7 line gives an individual a firsthand educational experience to the fact that Queens is
the most diverse county in the United States.
Another firsthand experience of change and diversity and contrast in the ethnicity of native New
Yorkers and the look of their neighborhoods can be found on the 2 train line traveling from the
North Bronx to Wall Street and the financial district in Manhattan along 7th ave. If an individual
took the 2 line from the North Bronx at 241st street- Wakefield they would notice that most of
the subway passengers are mostly from Hispanic and Caribbean backgrounds. The majority of
the ethnic composition of the 2 train line would stay constant from 241 street-Wakefield in the
North Bronx to125 street-Harlem in Manhattan; however, once the 2 train reaches 96th street,
there is a dramatic population shift in the ethnicity of most subway passengers on the 2 line. At
this stop, the 2 train cars become flooded with New Yorkers who are for the most part, Caucasian.
Many neighborhoods on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and south of the famous black
neighborhood of 125 th Street-Harlem are mostly populated by White New Yorkers. The dramatic
population shift in the ethnicity at 96 th street is one of the biggest examples of change and
contrast in New York City that can easily be witnessed by anyone riding the subways. Furthermore,
riding the 2 train line provides a firsthand learning experience about the city’s native populations
because the experience of the ride allows an individual to become more culturally aware
of the fact that the Bronx is the only borough in New York City where its white citizens are not
a majority of the population.
The most striking and prominent examples of change, contrast and diversity in New York City
can be seen throughout the city’s geographical and subway landscape. A dramatic example of
change in scenery and landscape throughout the city’s subways can occur when a passenger stepping
into a train beneath the city streets in Manhattan at one moment to eventually find himself
or herself looking at the Brooklyn Bridge while standing in one of the several trains that travels
on the Manhattan Bridge, which is adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge. The ride over the Manhattan
Bridge, which connects Manhattan to Brooklyn, could be represented by the N, Q, B or D
train lines, since they all travel on the Bridge. Many New Yorkers often travel back and forth on
the subways on a daily basis without ever realizing that most train stops are underneath the bor-
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ough of Manhattan while other train stops in the other boroughs are mainly above the ground,
which is a great example of change and contrast that can be noticed by observing train stops and
their diverse landscapes throughout the city’s subways system.
The subways also offer native New Yorkers and tourists several options to explore the diverse
geography of the city and what it was to offer. To many, New York City is often thought to be a
giant noisy metropolis with many skyscrapers and very few areas for relaxation and recreation.
For example, I know a German tourist who had visited the city for several years without ever
knowing there were many other parks besides Central Park in Manhattan until I acted as a tour
guide to show her that New York City had giant parks in every borough. The city also has several
beaches available to tourists and New Yorkers for relaxation and recreation. The subways
provide New Yorkers and tourists with the options to travel to Coney Island amusement park
and beach in southern Brooklyn, by either taking the Q, N, F, or D train. New Yorkers and tourist
also have the option to go the Rockaway Park Beach in the south eastern part of Queens by
hopping on the A train to Broad Channel , Queens and then taking a shuttle train to 116 th Street
Rockaway Park Queens. Orchard beach in the Bronx is another option for New Yorkers and
tourist by taking the 6 train line along the Southeast Bronx. The city’s subways also allow tourist
to travel to various parks in the city such as Corona Park in Queens via the 7 train or Prospect
Park in Brooklyn by taking the N train or Van Courtland Park in the Bronx by taking the 1 train
line. As one can see the subways provide New Yorkers and tourist several gateways to explore
change and to be more exposed to the geographical diversity that is all around New York City.
If a tourist or an alien from another planet were to ask me what is the best way to experience
and learn about New York City, and why New York City is unique from other cities in the
world, I would tell them New York City is unique because it is a city that is constantly evolving
in many forms from local entertainment to its diverse five boroughs and neighborhoods. Next, I
would tell the tourist or alien life form that riding the many diverse routes of the subway system
is the best way to experience New York City firsthand and learn about the city because one will
be able to see how the city changes in it inhabitants, culture, and environment from one area to
the next. Furthermore, if an individual has a natural affinity for observing change, contrast or
diversity in people, neighborhoods or the natural landscape of the city, he or she might love
traveling in and out the subways. All that is required to see how New York City changes on a
daily basis is an observant eye and a metro card.
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