I came back to Queens for the Shavuot holiday for the first time since I left 9 months ago. And man, does
it seem different around here. Granted, it is Memorial Day weekend- I got here
on Sunday, and Monday the town seemed empty. Some stores were closed, some
people walking around, but it was very quiet. I’m staying by a friend whom I went to
Queens College with several years ago. She lives with two other roommates in a
basement apartment- I remember those days.
It’s nice to be back and see my friend and- thus far- a
family I was close to when I lived here last year. But I don’t miss Queens. In
fact, it feels kind of lonely to be back. Most of my friends don’t live here
anymore. People have moved on with their lives- friends have scattered- to
Washington Heights, to Israel, to Cambridge. Some have gotten married and have
kids; others are in law school, or just got their degrees. I certainly have
that feeling of “I’ve moved on.” I’ve had positive and negative experiences in
my seven years of living primarily in the Kew Gardens Hills area, and I’m happy
I decided to make the move to Boston. While it’s convenient to have Main Street
Bagels just a few blocks away, and other numerous Kosher restaurants and
groceries just minutes away, I feel like- in terms of people- there’s nobody
left… except for those who “made it” in the Yeshiva world and are now married
with children.
I’m not sure why I decided to come back to Queens for
Shavuos. I suppose I wanted a getaway from my busy life in Boston- I needed
some level of vacation and decided that New York was close enough, familiar
enough, and it would give me a week to re-energize before heading back to work,
and beginning classes again towards my certificate in Early Childhood. There
are not enough familiar faces in Washington Heights, the Upper West Side, or
Brooklyn- to make it worth my spending Chag there. So Queens seemed like a good
option. But all I can say is I definitely feel I've moved on. And while living in New York I never really felt there was a place I could call home, now in Boston, I’m feeling pretty happy and settled. And that's something I haven't felt in years.
