Snow White tasted the apple and got poisoned.

But I guess we all did, right ?

I've come to the realization that as much as most of us individuals want to be very independent and set that as a goal in our lives, we are very dependent on other things.


Sometimes I wonder what people standing by themselves in the street would do without their phone in their hands. Even if it's out of battery, it doesn't really matter. 


The way we communicate, work, organize is all done through technology, internet etc... and if one day it doesn't work, well basically it's panic. And instead of going and enjoying a little walk, without the smart phone, iPad and what not, you're pretty sure to be spending your day trying to fix the problem. Or calling your friend from your house phone, telling her how annoyed you are with the fact that something's not working.


Other times, I can tell people use it as safety. Not only to avoid something that's right in front of you, but also something that could be in front of you, but you would much rather place it behind a screen than doing it in person. 


This could sound like I'm being negative, but I'm not. I have to say, I feel pretty thankful for my iPhone that lets me take great pictures anytime and anywhere, and lets me talk to people on the other side of the planet whenever I want.


It might help be connected to the whole world, but in the end, aren't we sometimes a little too disconnected from the real world ?

time goes by

FAST

It's a small world, isn't it ?

We all have grown up with the knowledge of living in a big world. There are so many places we wish to go to, but really, we don't know if we'll end up going. The world is made of different cultures, different people , different religions, different weather... I could probably go on and on about this, but you know what I'm talking about. And all these differences show how immense this world is.
But to what extent?

For the past few days, I've been realizing how small it can be as well. Sometimes we talk about coincidence, other times about fate, and a lot of times about what a small world this is.
A few days ago, I was sitting across from this woman in the subway on the N line from Astoria to Queensboro Plaza. I noticed her because she had a grey eye brow. She got off at Queensboro Plaza like I did. Two days later, I walk into a Starbucks near Columbus Circle and here she was sitting and having coffee. The minute before walking into the Starbucks, I run into to this guy I had met 4 days earlier, at the top of a building in Times Square, where we had to record a birthday wish video for somebody (this is work related). I probably wouldn't have thought much of it if the night before if I hadn't end up sitting next to this couple at 11pm waiting for a train in Brooklyn, and whom I was sitting next to on a Manhattan train 2 weeks earlier at 3am.

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

These are just a few examples, but I can't even say how many times things like that have happened to me, or have happened to other people around me, and I'm sure to you as well.

So, in the end, I've started wondering how gigantic this place I'm living on called Earth, is. Are we meant to have those things happen to us ?

Or after all, is this just a small, small world...

Wordless Wednesday

The NY subway, a perfect way to describe the melting pot and its wonderful mix

Riding the subway in NYC has definitely been a challenge compared to what I'm used to in Toulouse, where I study. I guess you can't really compare the line A & B with 15 stops each to all the subways and trains in NY, right?

So far, every time I've taken the subway, it has taken me between half an hour and an hour to get where I wanted to. And that is either because that's how long it normally takes (or at least I'm hoping so) , or either because I got lost on the wrong subway, or just went the wrong way.

Actually, the last time I thought I went the wrong way, I realized I didn't when I was going back. I was just observing people so much that I missed my stop. Now I'm thinking I should make this waste of time and my being late to meet up with somebody worth it. So, I'm going to tell you about the human "show" that seems to be on every NY subway train.

If I were to write about the subway in Toulouse, it would be pretty boring. Everybody basically dressed the same way, either going to work or coming back from partying (depends on the time). And if a crazy person walks in, you can be sure everybody will stare at them. But that will only happen once in a while I guess.

In New York, it's a total different story.

First, you walk in and sit (if there's a place to sit, of course)....and then you watch.

The guy next to you is listening to music so loudly that you can even hear it having your earphones in and your iPod music on.

Across from you is the hippie girl reading a book that you're thinking you should buy because you've never read it but you really like the author.

A few seats away, you can see a homeless guy snoring because well, it is getting late you know.

Next stop, the Mexican woman with a stroller is trying not to be in the way of the people getting out, while making sure she doesn't lose sight of her 4 year old son in the middle of all those people.

The guy who just walked in and is holding on to the handrail next to you probably just got out of an audition for a Broadway show and is heading to the gay pride parade (which I have no problem with, by the way).

Then there's this really tall, nice looking young woman that the guy next to you is staring at, and by that I mean checking out. Let's all be honest here, it just looks like she forgot to wear pants.

The guy across from you on the right is really handsome and looks rich. Now you're wondering what he does for a living, or if he might be famous. You can't really tell though since he's wearing sunglasses.

He's not the only one wearing them. There's also the cute 18 year old Afro-American  girl a few seats from him who's very clearly mouthing the lyrics to every song she's listening to. The fact that she's wearing bright pink shiny lipstick makes it even more noticeable.

Well,  this is the last stop and everybody has to get out, including me. And if I haven't told you about the few other people, it's because they are asleep, and half of them are waking up realizing they might've missed their stop.

After all, it's been a long day.

Start spreading the news, I am leaving today, I want to be a part of it NEW YORK, NEW YORK !

It's been a week since I've arrived in New York City today. Only a week and there is so much to say.

When I arrived at JFK, I was in a line waiting for my turn to take a cab. I wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around me, because really, when you land after a 9 hour flight, all you're thinking about is taking a shower and eating some good food.

This thought would have lasted at least 20 minutes if this woman and her daughter (I really don't want to mention they were French...) hadn't tried to pass everybody in the line so they wouldn't have to wait.

I probably wouldn't have noticed either if this guy didn't start screaming at them "GET IN THE BACK OF THE LINE, GET IN THE BACK OF THE LINE". The mother was smoking a cigarette and they were both pretending they didn't understand. As the guy wouldn't calm down, a security man walked up and asked what was going on.

The guy starts explaining, and by that I mean yelling : "This woman walks up in the middle of the line, lights a cigarette and is just waiting for her turn. She LIGHTS A CIGARETTE and passes in front of everybody".

When I noticed the woman and her daughter were standing behind the guy,  I was starting to wonder if the actual problem was that they tried to pass everybody or that the mother was smoking a cigarette in the middle of everybody.

I'm really hoping this guy never goes on a trip to France, I bet he would have a hell of a time...

Before I start...

I've always wanted to write about my travels, but never did. Sometimes I would start doing it and never continue.

I can often hear in my head what I would want to write, but never write it down.

Now is time for a change and I'm hoping I will make the best out of this first "official" writing experience.

I'm Daphné, soon to be 19 years old.

My mom is American, my dad is French. I've been raised in both English and French language. People often ask me if I feel more American or more French. Well, this is what I always answer : "When I'm in France I feel more American, and when I'm in the USA I feel more French".

I've always wondered why that is, but I think it's just how people consider me here and there.

I am studying business right now, and to tell the truth, I'm not really sure what I want to do.
I've been interested in theater and cinema for a long time, but wish I had had more time to do it throughout the years (instead of making sure my history paper title was written in red, and that I skipped two "squares" on my paper before starting a sentence... oh, French high school teachers...)

The reason I decided to finally start a blog is because I've traveled so much the past few years, seen so many different people, scenes, places. I am constantly observing and having so many thoughts that I thought I could start sharing.

I am very thankful to have a family supporting everything I do, and I wouldn't be writing this if it weren't for them.

Now let's take off !