When I describe what it feels like to be back in New York City after having lived in Madrid the past four years I say it's like reuniting with your ex; you feel like you know this person and yet things have definitely changed.
Last night, while I was waiting for the J train at the Myrtle stop, I got into a convo with two MTA employees that were watching me on the platform. I just finished my torta and was looking for a trash can when they asked me what I was looking for. After pointing me in the right direction, it was down the stairs by the turnstiles, I came back upstairs.
"Hey, do you mind if we ask you something? We have kind of a debate going."
"Sure, shoot."
"We wanna know if you're from New York or not."
"I am, I was born and raised in Queens, Jamaica. Wanna see my ID?"
"Nah nah nah, I believe you, it's just that you went really far to throw out your garbage and I was saying that if you were from NY you would just throw it out anywhere."
"Well, I went to throw it out because it's the right thing to do, I'm not gonna litter knowing there's a garbage can, it's no biggie, it's not like it's mad far."
"Oh, you said 'mad', you are from NY, haha, but we thought you went to the Popeye's to throw it out."
We talked a bit more about this and that and not long after the train came. I shook their hands, wished them a good night and was off on my way home.
As I sat on that J I started to reflect on what just happened. It's true that I'm a native New Yorker, I am and I always will be. I'm more than that, though. I'm also a madrileño, I'm also European in some ways, I'm no longer just a New Yorker. I'm something else, a hybrid, a product of the experiences I've had abroad.
As I walk around my city now I marvel anew and at the same time know her well, I know her intimately. I'm a native and a foreigner... and that's just fine.
