Often, when parents are considering joining us for our 10-month Equip Missionary Training program, they worry about how their kids will adjust to life in New York City. Find out what these four boys under 10 think about their time in the Big Apple. (Spoiler: it’s cute.)
Ezra (9 years old)
Q: What are your favorite memories of New York City?
A: “Well, I like going to Central Park, and there is a lot of other fun stuff…but I can’t really remember.”
What has been your most favorite part of New York City?
“Well, Central Park. Really there is a lot of stuff to do there. There is a lot of playgrounds. There are a few restaurants I think. And I like the Zoo in Central Park.”
What is your favorite food you have had in New York City?
“Well, that would probably be a Gyro. I had never tried one so when I first tried one it was delicious.”
What do you not like about New York City?
“Well, you know I just have a small apartment. I don’t have a big yard to play in. Actually I don’t have a yard at all. And there is no grass around my house. Except in a plant I have that has grass in it.”
Would you ever live in New York City again?
“Yeah. Maybe I would visit.”
Did you eat from a food cart? What did you get?
“Yeah. I have eaten from a food cart tons of times. Sometimes I get pretzels, and one time I got a gyro. If I go again I am going to get a gyro. Yeah.”
Tell me a story about your time on a subway.
“There was this time I was at the subway and it was so crowded I think I had to sit down on the floor.”
Have you been to Central Park? What did you do there?
“Well, you know I was just talking about Central Park. I have been to Central Park a ton of times and I have visited the parks a ton of times. I love the parks. And I do the parks a lot.”
Any advice for people coming to New York City
“Well, you should just… if you coming to New York City for the first time you should really try to get rid of some of your stuff you have, because if you’re going to live in an apartment you won’t have enough space for all the stuff you have.”
Owen (7 years old)
What are your favorite memories of New York City?
“Manhattan.”
What has been your most favorite part of New York City?
“What I like most about New York City is just it’s a big city and I like to be in a big city because there are museums and stuff.”
What is your favorite place?
“The Lego store.”
What is your favorite food you have had in New York City?
“Cheeseburgers. I eat them at school and here…at home.”
What is your favorite New York food?
“Pretzels and Hot dogs…and a cheeseburger, and fries.”
Would you ever live in New York City again?
“I may live in Manhattan, but maybe not in the Bronx.”
Did you eat a New York pizza? What kind?
“I ate a New York pizza and cheese at school on Fridays. Mmmmmm!”
Tell me a story about your time on a subway.
“Once we were going to Manhattan to go to Central Parks and we played games on the subway. And I like looking out the windows when we are up above the city.”
Have you been to Central Park? What did you do there?
“I climb on the rocks and play at the playgrounds.”
Any advice for people coming to New York City
“You should maybe go to the Statue of Liberty at Battery park.”
Zane (5 years old)
Do you live in an apartment or a house? Anything special about it?
“An apartment… It has a closet where Simeon sleeps.”
Have you gone to other areas of the City?
“Chuck E. Cheese. The Bronx Zoo.”
What do you like about New York City?
“Dunkin Donuts.”
Tell me a story about your time on a subway.
“It goes really fast. Going under the tunnel.”
Have you been to Central Park? What did you do there?
“Yes. I went to the Museum in Central Park. The Met which is not in Central Park…but close.”
What has been your most favorite part of New York City?
“Central Park. It has slides. The beach because it has sand and I like making sandcastles.”
What do you not like about New York City?
“I don’t like the waterfall.”
Any advice for people coming to New York City
“Go to Central Park. The museum was really fun. Make sure your friends don’t play baseball because if they whack it too hard in the place that has the waterfall where they play baseball. And if they whack it too hard it could go down there.”
Simeon (3 year old)
Where do you live in New York City?
“In the Bronx. And just in the Bronx.”
Do you live in an apartment or a house?
“Um, apartment.”
What are your favorite memories of New York City?
“Um, just a park…something else. I don’t know what it is.”
What is your favorite place?
“Um, just New York City. Um… and… ahh just New York City. I don’t have something else.”
What is your favorite food you have had in New York City?
“Ahh, chocolate and popcorn.”
Did you eat from a food cart? What did you get?
“No, I mean yes… Popcorn.”
Tell me a story about your time on a subway. Do you like the subway? Why?
“Nothing. No. It’s dark. I don’t like the tunnel.”
Have you been to Central Park? What did you do there?
“Yeah. I played in the sand.”
Any advice for people coming to New York City?
“Huh?”
Where should they go? What should they do?
“Ah, New York City. Ah, look around.”
What do you not like about New York City?
“Ah, Nothing.”
You like everything?
“Yeah.”
What about the snow?
“Yeah.”
What about the wind?
“No. I just like the snow.”
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