With Love From All Over The World

Dedicated to one year anniversary of ICNY Member Blog

Why do we love International Center in New York? Why do we love New York?

For 50 years The International Center in New York has been a home away from home for newcomers from other countries, providing them with a transformative experience in a community where they gain strong English language and survival skills and learn about American culture.  The Center’s friendly staff, with the help from eager and dedicated volunteers, welcomes immigrants, students, visitors, and others into a new culture and provides them with English-language training so important for newcomers’ success here.  The place is a beehive of activity, full of the energy and enthusiasm.

We love New York for a multitude of reasons.  Everything starts and happens here. This is a city different from all other cities, with all types of cultures from around the world, with your favorite people and places, with your favorite foods, with dynamism you can’t live without, with politics you can’t stop discussing, even with the things you love to hate.

Everyone who has ever attended the Center and visited New York City has a strong opinion about the essential nature of these places.  We asked our members and alumni what has captured their imagination and what appeals to them the most about the Center and about New York City… in just one tweet.  So, let’s hear our love fest!

ICNY:	I love ICNY because when I was there I got an opportunity to meet a lot of people who became my friends. Thanks to them I have improved my English skills and also have learned more about their cultures, countries, and languages. All my memories about ICNY mean a lot to me. The place and the people who work there are and always will be unforgettable.
NYC:	I love living in NYC because here I have the chance to meet people from all over the world. I like to go to a park with my friends and enjoy the beautiful weather. Here, in NYC, no matter where I go and how many times I go there, I will always see something new.

– Ronand Ovalles Solano (Dominican Republic)

ICNY:	We love ICNY because we met a lot of people there from other countries with different cultures.  It was a great experience.
NYC:	We love NYC because it is a city to fall in love with… with night lights, night life and, most importantly, with the people who shine. It is an amazing melting pot.

– Geisha Torres (Venezuela) and Noelia Noelia Román Lamas (Spain)

ICNY:	ICNY was one of my best experiences in coming to New York. So many people from different countries, speaking different languages, come together to learn English and share their cultural traditions with one another.  It helps you not to miss your home country too much.
NYC:	New York is a beautiful city where you can always find something to do and to entertain yourself with. New York is full of tourists; you can always meet new people from different countries and probably learn other languages.

– Alex Martinez (Dominican Republic)

ICNY:	The ICNY is just like a home where you will be welcomed and loved by everyone and vice versa.
NYC:	No matter what skin color you have, which language you speak, which religion you believe in, you are a real New Yorker, which makes this city diverse and exciting.

– Akie Ueda (Japan)

ICNY:	I love ICNY because it is not just about English language but also about culture and life in New York in a friendly community atmosphere.
NYC:	I love New York because it is a very open city: open to different cultures, immigrants, and ideas. The city offers an incredible number of cultural activities and sources of inspiration. I guess one definition of a Real New Yorker is to be what you want to be.

– Paul Tchamambe (Cameroon)

ICNY:	ICNY offers a great opportunity to make many friends from around the world easily! I’m a housekeeper and usually stay home. I am happy to go to ICNY where I can meet new people.  And I don’t feel lonely anymore.
NYC:	I can feel all colors of different countries in New York: white, black, red, yellow. I am proud of being Japanese and I am proud of knowing other cultures, too. I think to be a real New Yorker means to understand and respect other cultures.

– Mika Minato (Japan)

ICNY:

I love ICNY because it is the only place for improving your English skills with diverse classes and activities and unique volunteers. You have an opportunity to meet people from around the world, share experiences and cultural traditions.  It is like my second home.

NYC:

I love New York because it is the capital of the world. I have discovered a new culture every day in the city which never sleeps. The people are very social. You can find contradictions of rude and sweet, easy and fast, but you will always be in love with the city. I can’t quite explain it, but New York gives you a new experience and new feelings every day. I think a real New Yorker doesn’t exist because people come and leave all the time. You become a part of the city even if you don’t live there for a long time.

– Juanita Delvasto (Columbia)

ICNY:	I love ICNY for its family atmosphere. I not only improve my English skills, but also meet new friends. Our teachers are friendly and care about us, so I feel so warmly welcomed in the ICNY.
NYC:	I love New York; this is an amazing city. I can meet people from different countries and learn more about different cultures. I enjoy attending Broadway shows, plays, and trying new food. I can always find so many things to do and enjoy NYC. The real New Yorker is international, fun, and social.

– Wing Yao (China)

ICNY:	I love ICNY, because I can meet friends from places where I’m not able to go. I can learn a lot about other cultures. Teachers are very friendly. I have my favorite classes and I can improve my English skills. I enjoy coming to ICNY very much.
NYC:	There are many things to do that are free in New York: free theatre shows, concerts, plays, operas, and so on. Even though I don’t have enough time to enjoy all of them, I love exploring new things in the city a great deal.

– Risa Tobita (Japan)

ICNY:

ICNY is a unique community where you can socialize with other people. Thanks to volunteers for their great job.

– Ahmad El (Egypt)

ICNY:	I love ICNY because I can make new friends from all over the world and get useful information about places that are worth visiting, where to eat, and much more.
NYC:	I spent a little time in New York, but I have met very good friends and have valuable memories.  I would like to visit it again.

– Jongwoo Kim (South Korea)

ICNY:	ICNY is a great place to learn English while meeting good friends from all over the world.
NYC:	Everybody can be a New Yorker: you don’t need anything, just your intention to become one.

– Simona Florio (Italy)

ICNY:	ICNY is such a cozy place. You can meet a lot of close friends. The Center has everything for international students.
NYC:	New York is really a city of freedom, with people from different countries who make this place so colorful.

– Yunus Baran (Turkey)

ICNY:	I can see the world through ICNY which is so international and friendly!
NYC:	I love New York because I can feel positive and energetic atmosphere everywhere.

– Celeste Kang (South Korea)

ICNY:

During three months I have had a really good experience in ICNY. Here are three reasons why I love this place. Firstly, you can meet good friends. Secondly, there are a lot of fun things to do together, from attending classes with good teachers to enjoying theater performances. Thirdly, you can learn other cultures.  ICNY became my good friend and my good teacher.

– Ran Lee (South Korea)

ICNY:	I like ICNY because it’s shown me the path to explore the city and provided a harbor for me. The people in ICNY are from different countries and have different experiences. I enjoyed the diversity of languages and cultures and communicating with them.  Moreover, the nice teachers were very good guides for me. They helped me to learn more about New York and America.
NYC:	As many other visitors, I was excited to came to NY as I was attracted by its special culture and the feeling of the World Center. After living in NY for one year, I fell in love with this city as I found more charming details:  its open and fun people, street artists, fantastic museums, colorful shopping malls, and varied food…. It is an energetic city!

– Freedom Zhou (China)

ICNY:	The ICNY is the place to meet people from different countries and with different ways of thinking. It helps me to understand how Japanese may be seen by other cultures and know that “there is no accounting for taste.”
NYC:	Diversity! New York has a huge diversity, rather different from Japan, in terms of races, ways of thinking, whatever. I love it!

– Katsu Komai (Japan)

ICNY:	I love ICNY because I have met here so many kind and intelligent people with generous souls and I found a lot of great friends. I left New York last summer, but I miss ICNY very much.
NYC:	I love New York for a feeling of being free and happy all the time I’ve spent in this great city.  I think to be a real New Yorker means to be open minded, perceptive, purposeful, and to work hard.

– Tatiana Overina (Russia)

ICNY:	International Center provides me opportunities to associate with Americans and with international friends. That has broadened my outlook and deepened my understanding of different cultures.
NYC:	I love New York for its ethnic diversity. I don’t feel a sense of alienation as a foreigner. Moreover, New Yorkers are willing to promote understanding of cultural differences.

– Rie Ueda (Japan)

Photos by Yunus Baran