One: 179th Street Station

“I hear the sound I love, the sound of the human voice. I hear all sounds running together, combined, fused or following, sounds of the city and sounds out of the city.” – “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman

Many early memories of being dragged through the boroughs seem to begin at the 179th Street F train stop. I used to loathe the humid, Manhattan-bound train as a child. But upon beginning college, the white noise of the commute from Long Island began to grow on me. Surprisingly, the incessant hum became one of the few sounds that would put me at ease when stressors from home or school became overwhelming. The ride would allow me to unplug from a world that constantly demanded participation. Over time, listening to idle chatter and conversations lacking context developed into drabbles I wrote to pass the time. As a journalism major, hearing people talk and watching them interact was always one of my favorite things to observe.

Two: Pennsylvania Station

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” – Genesis 1

In sophomore year of college I learned firsthand at Penn Station that sunrises were less romantic the more you witnessed them. Nearly every Thursday, I would miss the 3AM train home because I ended up working too late at the college’s newspaper office. Many Friday mornings were spent writing late news articles and waiting for the sunrise to signify the next LIRR train home. With sleep evading me most nights, I made it a goal to work diligently enough see both sunrise and sunset each day. At times the sun was the only thing that kept me sane as sleep-deprivation often made weeks feel like months. I cannot look back on my time as an editor at The Ticker without feeling a slight sting, as if looking directly into the rising sun.

Three: Williamsburg Bridge

“My feet strike an apex of the apices of the stairs. On every step bunches of ages, and larger bunches between the steps. All below duly travel’d, and still I mount and mount.” – “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman

By my third year at Baruch College, I had abandoned my two previous commute routes for the most part. Oddly timed obligations and heavy audio equipment forced me to frequently take the Williamsburg Bridge to and from Long Island. The change in commute over time seemed to parallel my rise in personal successes, as I have moved on from subways and railroads to the comfort of taking my moving couch to the city most days. Now whenever I am working near the bridge or trapped in gridlock, I cannot help but smile about what has changed and wonder if the strange pattern will continue.

When I arrived in the JFK Airport, it was a night, 11pm. There were not many people around, and the weather was cold. I felt lonely as well as excited that I finally got here; but I missed my mom and dad already. I felt I needed to have more confidence as I promised with myself before I left my home country. A Journey to the West reminds me my ambition I had when I left Korea, and just arrived in New York City, “Nothing in this world is difficult, but thinking makes it seem so. Where there is true will, there is always a way.”

I have worked in Korea town over seven years now for my tuition, rent and bills. This place is totally different area as compared other places in New York or Korea. I still have no idea of the reason why the community and people are so difficult. It is because of racial difference or suffering since they arrived in the U.S.? When I started to work here, and it was harsh that the thoughts and minds of people here were half Korean and half American, not their actual status. They were very mean and unkind; but I have understood them gradually, just do not want to be one of them, “There is that in me—I do not know what it is—but I know it is in me.”

Here is my sweet home where I only can relax in the city, “There is no suffering, no origination, no stopping, no path.”

Soyon Ahn

My Map

1. My Home – Nanuet, NY

This is my home; where I grew up. I lived in Nanuet all my life and I think it definitely helped me become who I am today. I say this especially because of the high school I attended: Nanuet High School. The teachers were amazing and they definitely helped me succeed. Nanuet is a suburban area so it is very quiet. Everyone mostly gets around by driving their cars and it is not as populated as the city but there is still a lot of people that live in the area.  There is a line in the Song of Myself that reminds me of my hometown; implying that this was the starting point of my life. “There was never any more inception than there is now, nor any more youth or age than there is now, and will never be any more perfection than there is now…”- Song of Myself

2. My Workplace – Monsey, NY

This is my place of work. I work for a Corporate Filing company called Vcorp Services. This company has assisted me with my growth in the Corporate world. This job began as an internship and turned into a full-time position. During my internship, it helped me find myself and find what I wanted to do in the future as my career. I can also relate The Heart Sutra with this part of my life because it gave me a sense of clarity for my future endeavors. “Therefore one should know the prajnaparamita as the great spell, the spell of great knowledge, the utmost spell, the unequalled spell, allayer of all suffering, in truth — for what could go wrong ? By the prajnaparamita has this spell been delivered.” – The Heart Sutra

3. Brooklyn Home – Brooklyn, NY

This is my home away from home. Now that I currently attend Baruch College, I reside in Brooklyn for the semester because the commute is a bit better than from my home in Nanuet. I work remotely on the days that I attend class in order to avoid the heavy traffic. It is a big change for me, but I like it so I am getting used to it day by day. The urban lifestyle as far as taking the train is definitely new to me but I see why people do it; driving is insane!

4. Baruch College – Manhattan, NY

This is where I currently attend college. I am a transfer student so this is a new experience that I am starting to love. I attended a community college and got my Associates degree in Business Administration but I am happy that I am finally attending the school I wanted to go to since I was in high school. I hope to learn many things in this class that can be applied to my life. Overall, all roads led me to Baruch College and I am glad that they did.

Zhenhua Hong

Prof. Hussey, Section KTA

“Therefore, O Sariputra, in emptiness there is no form nor feeling, nor perception, nor impulse, nor consciousness; No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind ; No forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touchables or objects of mind ; No sight-organ element, and so forth, until we come to.” Here in New York I live with my parents and feel like we are trapped in this one place. Until we travel to DR where we can finally feel free is what it feels like. Over there we go out so much and visit our family members. Meanwhile here in New York I barely see my family because we are all busy doing something. Either working, going to sleep, or just getting home tired wanting to fall asleep. We have to go away in order to even enjoy each others presence even more or “until we come to” like it says in the Heart of Sutra.

“For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you” by Whitman. Once I step onto the soil of Dominican Republic I look around and notice a big difference from New York City. Then I say to myself we are still all the same in many ways. We are all humans who breathe and talk but are just from different parts of the world. “Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same”, even though I wasn’t born in DR my parents were and as well as their parents. We all come from our parents and our parents from their own. In a way we are all the same and come from someone who was born from the Dominican Republic.

“The atmosphere is not a perfume, it has not taste of the distillation, it is odorless, it is my mouth forever, I am in love with it” by Whitman. I love this quote because it is something I always say. Here in New York people, especially kids now a days don’t enjoy the fresh outside air or even activities that can be done outside. Many kids are just busy at home playing video games or if they are outside in the park I’m pretty sure they have a cell phone in their hands. In DR you don’t see this everyone is outside, walking, talking and just enjoying what God has created. It’s so nice to just sit in front of our house and relax, have a little talk and just laugh. I just love the vibe and everything about this country.

1. The Mahayana Buddhist temple

“All those who appear as Buddhas in the three periods of time fully awake to the utmost, right and perfect Enlightenment because they have relied on the Perfection of Wisdom.” from The Heart Sutra.

The Mahayana Buddhist temple has the tallest Buddha statue in the city. Buddha represent people who have Perfection of Wisdom and the Mahayana Buddhist temple is one of the oldest temple in New York City for believers to practice to obtain true Wisdom. Many times, when I passed by the temple I could see monks meditate in front of the Buddhist statue and I always wonder what they are thinking about inside their head.

2. Central Park

“I hear bravuras of birds, bustle of growing wheat, gossip of flames, clack of sticks cooking my meals, I hear the sound I love, the sound of the human voice, I hear all sounds running together, combined, fused or following, Sounds of the city and sounds out of the city, sounds of the day and night.” from Song of Myself by Walt Whitman.

Walt Whitman, who lived in New York city enjoys the bustling sounds and the liveliness of the city and also likes the peacefulness when the out of those noises. Central Park is a ideal place for people who want to get relieve from the busy city. I often went there, rent a bike and just circle around the park, the air there are the freshest and most importantly it is quite.

3. Bronx Zoo

” And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” from Genesis.

I still remember the times when I went to Bronx Zoo, it was one of my favorite place to go to in New York when I was a little kid. I remember I like to watch the lions and the tigers the most because they are the strongest in all the animals there, but most of the time they just do nothing in their cage.

Jeff Ren

1. New York Public Library

This is a library with a long history. I can feel a sense of dignify first moment I walk in. Whitman wrote in his poem that ” I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love, If you want me again look for me under your boot-soles.” Books in there are what people left behind. We can understand who they are and what are their thoughts through their books. Words written in a book are much less than what author experienced. Besides, not everyone are qualified to publish a book. So books are not only the prove of the existence of  people but also what we can truly learn from. That’s why I like this library, a place to discover and learn.

2. Dutch Kills Playground

This is a playground I walk by everyday. I can always hear children’s laugh there. Parents watch their kids with a genuine smile.  In Song of Myself, Whitman wrote ” Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same. I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin, Hoping to cease not till death.”  These children live here through several generations. The kids are living in their golden age, happy, sprightly and colorful. What’s more, they have a good health. This is truly important to everyone but we can hardly notice when we are young. Look at the happy faces in the playground, I know they are very lucky and blessed. Just like Whitman said, hoping to cease not till death.

3. Astoria Park

In Song of Myself, Whitman wrote ” I loafe and invite soul, I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.” I can express a same feeling when I walk in Astoria Park, especially the time of sunset. The bridge above the river together with the golden clouds consist a beautiful scenery. We all know the great work of nature, but we never try to really admire and love it. Since nature is a part of our life, we start to ignore the beauty of flowers, grass and a piece of leaf. Sometimes we can just stop and learn to appreciate what nature gives us.

Zhao Wang

1. Bensonhurst Park.

This is the park where I grew up going to. I remember going to this park everyday after school to play basketball with my friends. In Walt Whitman’s poem, “Song of Myself,” he said that “The pleasures of heaven are with me and the pains of hell are with me.” This place relates to this quote because I had good and bad memories going here. One pleasurable memory of this park was the unforgettable moments that I spent with my friends in the summer. An awful memory would be the time when I broke my ankle playing basketball.

2. Manhattan Beach

In “Song of Myself”, Walt Whitman says “Knowing the perfect fitness and equanimity of things, while they discuss I am silent and go bathe and admire myself.” I try not to worry about things because all problems will eventually work itself out. Manhattan Beach is a place that I went to many times in the summer to relax and unwind. I go here to escape from all the negativity that life brings along. I like to come here to enjoy myself with friends and family.

3. Baruch College

In “Song of Myself” Walt Whitman said, “Myself moving forward then and now and forever, gathering and showing more always with velocity.” This is a place where I learn new things, meet new people, and move forward in life. Everyday, I get closer to my goals and aspirations.

-Calvin Yu

Kiara Marmolejos

Point A home- East New York. “ at home in the fleet of ice boats, sailing with the rest and tacking. At home on the hills of Vermont or in the woods of Maine or the texan ranch”

• Although East New York is my home, it may not be where I am most comfortable. I can visit my friend in Vermont at her college and feel just as cozy. This is something I have in common with Walt Whitman I presume.

Point B work- Williamsburg “- a leaner with the simplest, a teacher of the thought fullest. A novice beginning yet experient of myriads of seasons “

• I have been working since the age of 16 and have had a variety of jobs. Retail, parking services, bartender, and now I am a concierge at a building in Williamsburg. Although I have a lot of experience I am always a student in life. I am a student because I go to Baruch, I am a novice (especially in regard to my major chemistry) because I don’t have my PhD and I am even a novice at work because you can always learn something new no matter how simple things may seem.

Point C play- White Plains, NY “ I am satisfied- I see, dance, laugh sing; as the hugging and loving bed fellow sleeps at my side through the night and withdraws at the peep of the day with stealthy tread”

• I visited my boyfriend at SUNY Purchase College. I am the stealthy fellow in this quote. I left him in the morning to return back to work (Point B) on Monday afternoon. I don’t think this quote needs much more explanation. I laughed and I sang a lot with him.