“My Neighborhood”
I live at Thirty-five Marcy Place on a hundred and seventieth street in
The Bronx. I’ve
been living here for
a little over six years. I moved here when I was eleven years old,
to a
brand new building
that was never lived in before. My family and I were one of many
families to
move into this new
building on Marcy Place. I like living in my neighborhood and at
times I
dislike it very much.
In this essay I will try to describe to you, the reader, why I like and
dislike my neighborhood
to the best of my ability.
The things
that I like about my neighborhood are the diversity. There are many
different
races and cultures.
With all the different races and cultures, you learn more about the
different people and
the way they live. As the years pass by and as I grow older I began
to
see that even though
we are of different race and color we are all still the same and we can
all
learn from each other.
The most
that I dislike about my neighborhood is the violence and the drug dealing.
When
I first moved to Thirty-five
Marcy Place a man was shot and killed under my bedroom window
because of drugs late
at night. Fortunately since then nothing like that has ever happened
again. My neighborhood
has improved a lot. Yeah, there are still people hanging out on the
street corners, probably
doing things that they are not supposed to be doing, but, they are
respectful to those
who live in the neighborhood. They help make sure that the people
who do
not live in our neighborhood
are not doing any harm to those who do.
My neighborhood is not the safest place, but then again no one’s neighborhood
is. After
living here for many
years and getting to know my surroundings and my neighbors, even though
I
may have never said
a word to them, we all work together to make our neighborhood a pleasant
place to live in.
Because of this I can honestly say that where I am, is home.
There are many races
and faces
In my neighborhood
It would be a lot
better if we all understood.
Although we look different
They’re a lovely blend
of colors
We should all see
we are brothers
So many things we
can learn
If we open our minds
and show concern
Walk through the neighborhood
I’m sure
You’ll see
Races and faces me
and you
A rainbow of races
and faces
Like me and you
Races and faces from
near and far
We ride on trains
and drive in cars
God is a rainbow of
races and faces
We learn to live life
sometimes hard
At times I think if
we can all lend a hand
God would show us
heaven is a hand
With races and faces
From near and far
Someday we’ll make
it we should
Never give in to the
races and faces
Who refuse to blend
in
So whenever you see
a race or a face, see in your eyes
God’s colors from
on high
Journal One
As I walked to
the train station this morning on my way to school, I did something I’ve
never
done before, I stopped
to observe my surroundings and I liked what I saw and heard. It was
peaceful, the whole
block was filled with silence and all you heard were the people in their
cars
on their way to work,
school buses picking up children and the four train taking people to work
and school safely.
As people passed by each other the sound of greetings, people saying “Good
morning” as they pass
by or a nod as a way of saying hello, made me realize that everyone in
my neighborhood works
together to make the community a more pleasant place to live.
Today as I looked
threw my window, to the park at the back of my building; I saw a group
of
kids. Some were
sitting at the little tables and some where playing at the slide and monkey
bars. As I watched
them play in the cool weather I began to think back to when I was their
age and it brought back memories of when I used to play in that very park
with my brother. Even though we fight a lot and really don’t talk
much, it helped me realize that those are some
memories that I will
hold dearly and treasure. I said to myself “ I hope someday
they will look
back to this day and
value it as much as I do.”
“My Neighborhood”
While writing about my neighborhood I learned many things. I learned
how much living here has effected my upraising. I also realized that
even though we are all of different race and color we are all the same
and we can all learn from each other. Not only have I learned about my
neighborhood, but I also learned some very interesting things about the
Bronx itself.
.
Writing about my neighborhood has helped me realize that my neighborhood
has had an effect on my upraising because living here has helped me to
want to do better and to set high standards for myself.
I also learned some very interesting things about the Bronx itself.
I learned that once the Bronx was ruled by Kings andQueens and the very
same castles still remain in Cloisters Park. These castles are now
museums and open to the public. I also learned that Edgar Allen Poe’s
cottage, which was built in 1812, still stands in the same location where
it was originally built,and is also open to the public. Of all the
things that I have learned about the Bronx, this one shocked me the most.
Not too far from where my grandmother lives, just a couple of blocks away,
there’s a church named “ST. Ann’s Church” where Gouverneur Morris, who
wrote the final draft of our constitution, lies in a vault at the church.
Founded by his son, the churchwas completed in 1841. Its vaults contain
the remains of all the Morris family, including Lewis Morris, a signer
of the Declaration of Independence and Ann Cary Randolph Morris, the wife
of Gouverneur Morris and a direct descendant of Pocahontas. Ever since
I was a little girl I always passed by the church and I would look in,
but I would have never dreamed that the church holds so much history.
I never knew that the Bronx holds so much history. I also learned
that the Bronx has many mansions that are open to the public that have
been here for many, many, many years.
Learning this has inspired me to continue researching information about
my neighborhood and the Bronx itself.