A melting pot of cultures mingling and dancing in the streets – sometimes clashing. With a thousand foods and faces, different yet one; they fluctuate in and out of the experience. In and out of the towering buildings they move; I wish I can pocket and take them with me. I love New York.

I understand the t-shirts and why people return. I don’t want to leave yet but Paris awaits me. Mingling in the explosion of people from all over the world is a fascinating experience. It reminds me once more of what my grandfather continuously drilled in my head, “we are one” I have been recording those lessons and I started to write about them here on these pages. As I turn the leaves of time I remember them and also recall the last thing he said to me before he died. But you can read about that in my book……

Anyhow, New York is a home like no home. It has so much to offer and I want to take it all because like I have said many a times, “it is better to take than to receive” forget what you have been told; take all that you can so that you may have more to give back. That is why it is better to take than to receive and at this point I want to take everything from New York City, but the giving back part would have to be from a world view. After all, NYC is a world kind of city.

Fumbling with words my limited southern perspective has suddenly expanded as the big apple has become my apple. I walk from the Malcolm x boulevard to West 58th street with a fine gentleman from Australia who enjoys discussing philosophy and religion. We head down to Time square and my goodness the trump tower is gigantic. I see the wonders and the beauty this fine city has to offer and all I can say is, “I love New York”.

Floods of unfamiliar faces searching for what life has hidden away from them. Streets full of wondering eyes and yellow taxes. It seems there is no order in life here.

I am in New York City for the first time. What does the big apple have in store for me? I walk pass St. Nicolas Avenue down to Lexington – trying to make my way up to Broadway and Washington Heights to my hostel in Manhattan.

I pass the street Vendors – selling mangos, pineapples and watermelons. It is hot in NYC in May and water is $3. The music Vendors lay cool under the shades bopping their heads to mellow jazz. They draw in their cigars and slowly blow out their smoke. The circles of smoke slowly rise up and quickly disintegrates as the M60 bus passes.

The wind carries me to the homeless guy who has no care in the world – only where to find the next meal. His friend lies down in a grocery store cart but sadly there is no food in it – no blanket for the night, no family to go home to, no place to call home, but the streets have befriended them.

No Sir I cannot give you my pocket change. I am stuck in my stereotypes from television that tell me that people get mugged or shot in New York – even when trying to do a kind act. Maybe tomorrow I will when I kill that stereotype with my own experience.

The Jamaican Lady with the accent gave me directions to 173 West street and I make it to 560 West. I paid $35 a night for 4 nights. Welcome to New York City.

Here is the dialogue between me and the hostel staff. I am staying in explorer house hostel in Manhattan at 173 West St.

I arrived at 506 West 173 – “is this explorer house hostel”? It doesn’t look like a hostel. There is no sign and David is not here. “He will be back – he just went down the street”. Okay – I will wait.

“Hey, I am Sean – and I am from South Africa”. Hostels are a great place for meeting people.”Let’s watch ‘cloverfield’ it is in first person”. Okay.”David is here”. Checking takes only a few minutes. “Let me show you to your room”. There are six bunker beds – I remember signing up for our – but oh well. And where is the linen? “Oh sorry we just did laundry – I owe you linen and a towel”. Okay thanks.

“There is free wifi and international calls are free too”. Thanks. “Let’s go downstairs to watch the movie”. There are 12 people to one bathroom. I should have researched my accommodations better. But I won’t be around much anyways so…….Welcome to New York City.