The Outsiders Part Duex

This past weekend, I took a group of 15 high school students around New York. They were members of the official travel club in Oak Harbor, WA – a small navy community in the Orcas Islands. Oak Harbor is so small when they say they’re “going to the city,” they mean Burlington, because it has a Target AND a Costco.
None of the kids had been to New York and one had only been as far as Seattle – 90 miles south on the I-5. They arrived when I was still in Jacksonville. I had given Ryan, my friend and their teacher, explicit instructions upon arrival: Head to 9th and go north to find a restaurant. If you don’t see anything by 46th, turn there for what’s called “restaurant row.” There are no less than 200 options in this six-block jaunt, but alas, she did not follow these instructions. Instead, they ended up drawn to the lights of Times Square like little pubescent moths, and paid $35 for a TGIFridays’ hamburger. Their first impression of New York was one of expense and tacky glitz.
The following day they took in not one, but two museums and the Empire States Building. Needless to say, most of this time was spent standing in line or walking – both activities equally exhausting in a group of 18. That night, they ate at McDonalds, but reported back to me that the servers were rude and got most of their orders wrong. Welcome to New York! You can eat overpriced food at chain restaurants and hang out with other tourists in long lines! It’s awesome here. Really.
When I met up with the group Thursday morning, they were all interested in shopping and shopping and more shopping in New York. They were thrilled I was there to show them the “insiders perspective”, albeit only eight-weeks in the making, and I was going to do my best to get them to fall in love with the city.
The first day, we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and worked our way toward Battery Park. We took in Tammany Hall, the Woolworth Building, Ground Zero and Wall Street before arriving at the park. It was a beautiful spring day with ample sunshine so the walk was lengthy, but we made frequent stops and it was great to be outside. Once at Battery, the plan was to hop a ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, but we were waylaid by some street performers and missed the last boat. We decided to postpone the ferry ride to the following morning and made our way back to the hotel for a much needed rest. That night the kids wanted to hang out in Times Square and shop. So that’s what we did.
The following day, I picked them up after their trip to Ms. Liberty, the “welcome mat” of the free world and we went to Little Italy for some famous pizza at Lombardi’s. After lunch, we headed over to Canal where I taught the ladies how to shop for knock-offs. We let them have two hours of free time and when their time was up, they asked for two more. They loved Canal street. It was hectic, loud, with shoulder-to-shoulder people, but they couldn’t get enough. That night, the kids wanted to hang out in Times Square and shop. So that’s what we did.
The next day we rented bikes and rode around Central Park. It was a nice ride (another beautiful day) and the park was in full bloom. The kids, true to form, all went at different speeds, so it was difficult to keep track of everyone. After the ride, we had an hour of free time and dispersed in the afternoon to get Broadway tickets (me) and go to MOMA (everyone else). That night, the kids wanted to hang out in Times Square and shop, but that’s not what we did. We went to see In the Heights, a wonderful original musical that won the Tony a couple years ago. The kids’ response: “the chairs were uncomfortable.” Hmmm…well, maybe Broadway isn’t for everyone.
This group of kids were some of the nicest I’ve ever met. Granted, I don’t hang out with a lot of high school students, but I always anticipate a lot of teen angst and drama and eye rolling and a whole pile of hormones. These kids were mature, they got along, they followed instructions, and they were pleasant. It was like I was hanging out with the fictional characters from Saved by the Bell. There wasn’t a sarcastic comment or huff to be had the entire trip. They were remarkable.
The challenges came in, well, in doing anything. There was always someone who had to go to the bathroom. Always. And there was always someone who was hungry. Someone who wanted to stop and check something out. Someone who wished we were doing something different. Someone who wanted to stay somewhere longer and someone else who wanted to leave sooner. There was always someone who forgot something at the hotel– often important things like tickets or subway cards. Going six blocks took an average of 45 minutes. The way I move through the city, this pace was a tad frustrating.
At the end of the trip, I was sad at their impression of New York. I wanted to show them the city I love, and ended up showing them the city I avoid. I never go to Times Square or Canal street or Battery Park or the museums. Those places are stressful and crowded and expensive and overcome with tourists.
The last day, the group had three hours of free time. I grabbed Ryan by the hand and hopped the first subway to Union Square. We had a leisurely brunch on the plaza and meandered around the artists, discussing their work. It was sunny, it wasn’t crowded, it was perfect. “Now,” she said on our way back to the hotel, “I see why you love it here.”
I imagine a similar situation for a lot of visitors. There are so many things on the check list, it’s hard to see a New Yorkers New York your first trip here. People visit New York to see the legend from pop culture. They want to eat Breakfast at Tiffany’s and head to the Empire States Building where Tom Hanks first fell in love with Meg Ryan. This New York as you would expect, is one of complete fiction. The true soul of New York is found beneath the iconoclasts. It’s in the Italian stylist in the neighborhood or the kind gesture of a young man giving up his seat for a pregnant woman on the subway. It’s in neighborhoods not monuments. You just have to visit more than once to understand what that side of New York is all about. My fear is that after their experience of mass crowds and overpriced burgers, this group of high school kids may not want to return. But I hope I’m wrong. Incidentally, their favorite part of the trip? The street entertainers in Battery Park. That’s the thing about this city. The real jewels are found in unplanned moments. Hopefully this group will return to experience and enjoy the wonder of spontaneity that makes this city so fantastic. I think they will.