personal experience in N.Y.

Akiko Uchino
"Go back to the end of the line" a cashier said to me. No sooner did I feel both of humiliated and angry at the unfairness of the situation than I couldn't give her any back talks. A few days after my coming to N.Y. with having none of any English abilities, or knowleadge about N.Y., that incident happened. I was in a long line at the store after i'd enjoyed shopping there. When it fainally was my turn, the cashier asked me something in English. But I couldn't get anything what she said. Moments later that, she expressed her disappointment at my vacant look, and she started yelling at me. I could do nothing but put up with her order. I felt really like a nerd which I'd never felt like that at any stores in Japan. Here in N.Y., every single person speaks her/his mind. Otherwise, he/she would be considered to be a poor judge of character.