Dear readers,

    Some say America is a melting pot of different cultures. American culture as we know it today is a product of different cultures, languages, traditions, and lifestyles that came together, assimilated, reacted, morphed and combined with each other over the course of history. Nowadays, we can see America’s diversity clearly through the vast number of cuisines available. By looking at popular fast-food chains, for example, we can see anything from Italian pizzerias to Mexican grills.

    New York City, besides being a financial hub, is also a stunning representation of cultures in the United States. How so? For one, New York City is home to many cultural villages, including Chinatown, Little Italy and Korea-Town, or K-Town.

    Chinatown is located in downtown Manhattan. A few of the popular street names in Chinatown include Canal Street, Mott Street, and East Broadway. Are there specific streets that define the borders of Chinatown? I’m not sure. However, you’ll know you’ve arrived in Chinatown when the store signs begin appearing with Chinese characters and you start seeing dim sum and bubble teashops. The population of Chinatown in Manhattan is predominately Cantonese speaking, but you can still find Shanghainese restaurants and Fuzhou foods in the area. If you’re up for speaking some Mandarin, Queens is a good destination.

    Little Italy is close to Chinatown, but it has a very distinct style. I once walked down one of the streets. It was rather quiet, lined with Italian restaurants with outdoor seating and green and red banners hanging between the buildings.

    K-Town is located near 32nd street. If you’re craving some Korean BBQ, be sure to check out one of the many restaurants in K-town.

    Chinatown, Little Italy, and K-Town are just a few places that showcase the spectrum of cultures in the United States. Some have argued that instead of a melting pot, the United States is more like a salad bowl, where cultures come together, but remain distinct from each other. Compared to a homogenous melting pot, a salad bowl contains different ingredients that don’t really merge to become one. By examining these three neighborhoods, it seems that the cultures do indeed rest in a salad bowl. Yet, while walking down another street in Manhattan, I could easily spot an Indian-Thai fusion restaurant and an English café next to a French bakery. Of course, this isn’t the only way we can examine diversity in the United States, but it definitely gives us an interesting perspective to starting thinking about it.

    Sincerely,

    Bingyin