Insights from New York City
We recently featured the most multicultural cities in the world on our Social Media channels. You might wonder how it feels to live in a multicultural environment where multiple languages are spoken, and different customs and traditions are commonplace. We interviewed Marion Valladares Smith, language trainer at inlingua New York City and asked her, how the multicultural environment has shaped her way of thinking and what she values most about living in a diverse space.
1. What do you like most about living in New York City?
”I like cities and this one is bustling, bursting with life and history. I like that I can run to the corner store even late at night, have my choice of foods somewhere in the City, can take a subway or ferry to the beach, have easy access to museums, galleries and other cultural events if I am so inclined. Just having a coffee and bagel from a street cart vendor is so iconic – who needs Starbucks? Every corner has a story, every street has a character and every neighborhood an ethos.”
2. Can you feel that you live in a multicultural city? How does that manifest itself in everyday life?
”Multicultural started here: previous immigrants entering through Ellis Island have left an indelible mark on the City – visit sections of the City named after early residents: Little Italy, Chinatown, Loisaida, Curry Row, Atlantic Avenue, Harlem, Arthur Avenue, Jamaica, Flushing, and now even Little Korea and soon, maybe Quisqueya Heights!!! Most diners are run by Greek immigrants, most 24-groceries by Middle Easterners, salad bars by Koreans and the fact that City Public Notices are posted in several different languages as Russian, Haitian, Chinese, Korean, Bengali…..never let you forget that more than a 100 different ethnicities are represented here.”
3. Has multiculturalism shaped your way of thinking? If yes, how?
”One cannot but help be influenced by having to rub shoulders with all these different cultural groups: one must become more tolerant and be open to other ways of doing things. However, it is my strong belief that assimilation should be encouraged for the growth and well being of all.”
4. Have you personally faced any downsides of multiculturalism?
”No.”
5. What are the positive aspects about living in a multicultural environment?
”If anybody was so disposed, they could learn to communicate in other languages from having friends from other cultures, interacting with them during their celebrations and food events. Knowing people from other parts of the world can only deepen your curiosity about that country and may insipre travel for leisure, work or exploration. People from other cultures living in the City typically speak more than one language which can help in securing jobs in related fields (interpretation, teaching, communications…).”
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1 Comment. Leave new
Good morning, a very interesting interview,