LabcabinNewYork

I swear I should get a video camera, and get sum1 to follow me around all day. Im African, 23, Live in a predominately Greek neighborhood, in Queens in New York (Astoria), I swear I make up the black population in the neighborhood!

I think they don't mind seeing black people in the neighborhood during daylight, I guess they kind freak out, when they see me, buying food and groceries. Esp the older women, its like,I can see the expression on their faces, "I don't believe he lives somewhere around here", noone says anything they never do! But u can see it in their faces, In the way they treat you, Its like they want to make it clear that I am not welcome. Even in the people that own all the little mom and pop stores (who I give business too) Its like they are afraid of helping the black kid out. I swear it took 3 months for me to build some kind of repair in the stores I go to most.
This matters, a lot to me cus I see other people getting better service, served faster, etc, I don't knw if any1 can relate. To what I am saying.......

I am one of those Africans that can speak "good English" they ask me if I'm from England! They ask me how long I've been in the country cus "you're English is so good". I can not blame them cus they don't know! Point is I built some repoir, mostly cus I think they think, this one nigga aint so bad, he wears a suit to work and he doesnt really bother any1! My girlfriend thinks that its all in my head! So things are a lil better now than when I first moved in. They let me buy chips, and soap without frowning......

I learnt recently that there was zone segragation in New york City, similar to Zimbabwe (where im from!). its not there anymore,In Zimbabwe or here in New York. But its the same thing! The majority of African Americans in Queens Live in Jamaica, The Asians, in Flushing, etc, I knw its all diffrent right now. But im pretty positive if I didnt have roomates, I wouldnt be living where I am living right now. I dont knw if my anger should be directed at the people who own the infrastructre or at the stereotype (of black people), or both.....

...... did that make sense?.....

Im not attacking any1, cus truth be told, I love N.Y,well at least most things its about! Maybe even more than my home city (Harare), To live in a place like this,I had to understand its not all butter. As multi cultural and multinational as it is there is still segregation. Segregation between the many communities, Italians,Koreans,cubans,Russians,Chinese, Puerto Ricans, Greeks, Japenese. Dominicans, Africans, etc,not to mentionthenatives who think the foreigners should get the f$%k out. Somehow it just works! The City Just works.

In my mind this is as good as it gets. New york City! Birthplace of hip hop, media capital of the world. Got two roomates, one hispanic, one white, if one of us gets a Chinese girlfriend that would be the united nations right there (okay not really- but u gotta admit its pretty diverse!)

Right now the power in my hood has been kinda Nasty, feels like im still in Zim, been having power cuts back and forth or very lil power, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/nyregion/22cope.html?_r=1&ei=5094&en=b44a17ae33fe0658&hp=&ex=1153540800&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1153548096-6Ins5e4j7UCqYj0hKMakFA&oref=slogin ... so much for as good as it gets ! At least plumbing still works..

Im loving it, I cant quite claim New York, But its an amazing place, not cus of the buildings, music or pizza , but the many diffrent kinds of people, you can meet, and speak to, the longer im here, the more I evolve, accpet more, and understand the many diffrences, between, me and people from other backgrounds, I am around .... Or maybe its just called growing up.....!