Hardly a week goes by without there being a new place to discover. Since I arrived last Friday at JFK airport, I have been visiting some parts of New York City and I have seen many different places. Visiting the United States is very rewarding from a cultural standpoint because it is gathering different architectural places from very old-fashioned buildings to modern ones. Therefore, at first, we can have mixed feelings about this country because it is full of contrasts. When I first arrived in New York City, I was definitely impressed by its size: indeed, everything seemed huge and impressive, especially if you compare the city to my native town, namely Paris. Besides, my first impression was that this city did not have any real soul. The height of the skyscrapers did not help making me change my mind. So I felt disappointed even if such architectural feats as the Brooklyn Bridge or the Empire State building are both impressive and amazing. Indeed, they definitely are landmarks in New York City.  However, I had the opportunity to go to different sites, and I gradually came to appreciate the town with all its diversity. On the one hand, walking near the Manhattan harbor and seeing the statue of Liberty sent shivers down my spine: actually, I recalled that the statue was meant to welcome the immigrants looking for a brighter future in America at the beginning of the XXth century. On the other hand, going to the Memorial museum was quite an experience since all the names written on the Memorial bring back the memory of all the people who pointlessly died during the terrorist attacks of September 11. Surprisingly, I was recently told that one of my friends who was living near the World Trade Center and working in one of the Twin Towers narrowly escaped. Indeed, on the day of the terrorist attacks, his daughter had a heavy bag so he decided to go with her to her school. Thanks to that, he arrived late for work and he was not in the tower during the attacks. He also told me that the following two days were a real mess and he wasn’t able to find his relatives because all the telephone lines were cut off. So, everybody in his family was worried about him until they eventually found each other again afterwards. I think this story is amazing because that man’s life was saved just because he was late for having helped his daughter. Besides, I do believe that the survivor tree that remains on that site is a sign of hope that is aimed at showing that nature can be stronger than human violence. 

Then, when I arrived on Yale’s campus, everything was different from what I had seen in New York City. As a matter of fact, I was amazed at the beauty of the place with a perfect cohesion between old-fashioned and modern buildings. At first, it seemed unreal because Yale’s campus looks like a movie set and when you enter the buildings you can see that it is real. From one room to another, there are so many different things to see. It is like reading a new page from an old manuscript. Besides, I was dazzled when I first came into the library to see how many books there were. In fact, I did not know where to look because everything was so bewitching. The ambient light coming from the stained-glass window was illuminating every single detail of this special place. This colossal building seemed at the same time cold because of its size and the cut stone but also warm thanks to its history: I stood there for a few minutes blissfully happy and thinking about the generations of students who had been studying there. I also learnt about the story of a secret group that was founded in Yale in 1832: it was called “the skull and bones”. There were rumors about their schemes and their participation in the Central Intelligence Agency. Yet, these conspiracy theories remained mysterious and nobody really knew what happened since all the students were linked by a secret pact. The other aspect of my arrival here which leaves a lasting impression is having met other students coming from different countries worldwide. Indeed, it is always fascinating to speak to people who do not have the same cultural and educational backgrounds and to be able to compare your experiences.

All in all, I have mixed feelings about my arrival in America because of its various architectural styles but, as the saying goes “don’t judge a book by its cover”; so, I am really looking forward to knowing more about America and I am sure that my stay in Yale is going to broaden my horizons.