The native New Yorkers

I feel as if I am becoming one myself! Nearly a year in this state has allowed some of my mannerisms to adapt to local culture. For example, crowd-weaving is a normal part of my day, and being the only white person on the train is no longer awkward.

As I mentioned some time ago, this is the city of everything. So many things I had never thought of before are evident everywhere. One element that I love is the small-scale economics that are on the subway and the street. On the subways you get young men who carry wholesale-sized boxes of snacks bound together by plastic wrap. They always ask to pardon the interruption, and then go on to list off their name-brand snacks, typically explaining they are doing this to raise money in a good way and keep off the streets. There are also Chinese salesmen numbers 1, 2, and 3 (numbered by my trainer) that roam the subways selling pirated movies and DVDs. In the summertime, the cry of "Ice-cold water! One dollar! One dollar!" can be heard on nearly every street corner.

It is also unique to see the theme of instant gratification. With a city operating on the New-York-Minute, there isn't much time for waiting or patience. I have seen many ads for home-delivered goods and services, and the dollar-slice joints and bodegas (corner stores) offer fast and cheap food on the go. Rarely have I seen a price that isn't rounded (even with tax), as giving change or receiving it seems too big a hassle.

The New Yorkers themselves are a fun lot as well. Street and subway performers liven up the atmosphere, and many are quite good at what they do. Yesterday, an old man playing a march-style beat on his guitar followed us through a park. There is here and there the person collecting signatures or donations or opinions for whatever cause they represent, which as missionaries we really can't become involved with, as what we do and say is representing the church.

As for the beggars of New York, we haven't been given any clear-cut counsel from on high, but generally missionaries accept the standard that the money we have is the Lord's to be used for benefiting us and us only. There have only been a couple times where people tried to use the Jesus guilt-trip, normally they just try to be humble and pitiful. If we have extra food and we see one, we sometimes give him some. Money is a bad idea because you never know which beggars are actually professional panhandlers or will use the money to feed their drug addiction. Thus, food is the safest option.

Hope y'all are doing well with the heat (Except Elder Miller (Ryan's friend Jesse, serving his mission in Brazil), who is experiencing Southern Hemisphere winter)!

Elder Ryan Turner
New York New York North Mission
American Sign Language