scavenger hunt

oceane mercadal

activity 4 (scavenger hunt) #5

Part of the group scavenger hunt was to ride a train from beginning to end, which I did by riding the 6 local train from the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall to Pelham Bay Park. The ride took approximately 2 hours or so but it was interesting to see the different kinds of people coming on and off the train. I got on the train at around 10am on a Thursday so a lot of people where already at work but I was surprised to still see the train relatively busy.

Mostly young mothers and their baby got on the train at the Brooklyn bridge where I got on with also a large amount of young adults in their mid late twenties. This is probably due to the fact that the lower east side is mostly known for its youth population. After all that’s where all the good parties are held! Baby strollers took up a lot of the space so when this one old lady got on the train at Bleecker Street she was mad because she could not go through to the one free seat available at the end of the bench. I usually don’t pay attention as I put my ipod and start reading but everyone looks around. This one Asian guy probably in his early thirties kept on looking around to see if someone was looking at him. There was also this one girl who got on at 14^th Street, she was talk, blond, thin, with imposing breasts and botoxed lips kept checking herself out on the train windows making sure her hair was nice and that she had enough lipstick.

From 23^rd Street to 86^th it was mostly people dressed up in business suits or students. They were all pretty laid back just wanting to go where they had to be not paying attention to who was around. Everything was pretty smooth through the entire ride, people minded their own business and there was a large flow of varied passengers. However when the train hit the 125^th Street stop the environment change a little or maybe it was my anxiety. I had never been in the Bronx before but because every one I know keeps saying that it is not the safest place to go too I began to be a little scared.After a couple stops I realized that not much had changed. There was still this wide range of people from the student going home after school to the old lady who probably had to go to her favorite butcher. The only thing that I noticed to be different is that the mothers where not as young as the ones I had seen at the beginning of the ride they were older and of different ethnicity.

The ride was pretty smooth from beginning to end. I was actually lucky that the train didn’t have to be stopped due to traffic even though it would have been interesting to observe peoples reactions. I know I get frustrated when it happens because I get claustrophobic. It’s funny to see how no matter where you are in the city, who you are and how you look people will always be looking at you, they want to reassure themselves by finding the little things they dislike in your physical appearance to make themselves feel better. Through out the entire ride I actually felt I was safe besides for the homeless person that always walks by asking for money or food but that’s in every train so you sort of get used to it.

Trains go through all kinds of neighborhoods but it was interesting to see that even though the 6 train goes from the lower east side all the way up to the Bronx the atmosphere is relaxed and laid back. People observe what is going on but no one is bothered or stressed. I’m not sure if this is because it was the 6 train and brand new but that ride was definitely enjoyable, now I might be completely different on an old broken down 2 train.