Like the popular folk song states, “I’m from New Jersey.” Yes, that State next to New York defined by the “Turnpike”, Tony Soprano, and Bruce Springsteen. However, and as Lee Siegel point out in an excellent Wall Street Journal article, “The Hidden State of Culture”, New Jersey often gets a bum wrap.
New Jersey has produced countless artists, academics, musicians, intellectuals, actors, and its geography goes from gritty to picturesque in a matter of miles. New Jersey is also packed full of cultural diversity from eastern European immigrants from Italy and Croatia to Asian imports from Korea and Vietnam.
New Jersey is, indeed, awesome and Mr. Gorka we are good enough and do expect much!
Being from Connecticut, New Jersey has always been a wonderful place to visit because I have so many relatives who live there there, or who lived there and have already passed on. On our way back to Connecticut my family would always stop at a bagel store in Hillsdale because you can’t find bagels like that where I am from in Connecticut. Also, I relate New Jersey with many good friends and I especially like the Southern part of the state, the beaches and the pine barrens and the cranberry bogs. I have many wonderful memories of visiting my grandparents there in Manahawkin. New Jersey is in places crowded and congested but there are many wonderful people there and, as you mention, many wonderful immigrant cultures. It is a place of opportunity for many.
is it bad that i am from new jersey and cant wait to move into the city?
Hey Rich, no you should move (NYC is just an extension of NJ anyway) ; – )