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Let's face it. Most students don't know what they
are looking for when they apply to colleges. Some
have an idea based on the size of the school, the
kind of programs available, ratings, financial aid,
and glossy college brochures. When April comes around,
and we find ourselves staring at acceptance letters
on the dining room table, the decision of where
to go becomes an overwhelming experience regardless
of how much we know.
As an international student from Venezuela, coming
to college in the United States was overwhelming
in itself. When it came time to decide I had to
set priorities and based my decision on the quality
of the school, the amount of financial aid offered,
and the proximity to relatives. It wasn't as important
that Bryn Mawr College is a small, liberal arts,
all-women institution in an affluent neighborhood.
 Three
years later, I wonder what I would do if I were
magically transported back to that dining room where
I made my decision. I like to think I would still
decide on Bryn Mawr, as I'm quite happy here. I
do know, however, that my decision would be based
on more factors than my initial three. As I have
come to realize, the community that surrounds you
is as important as the college you attend.
It is amazing what a difference seven train stops
can make. For me, the city of Philadelphia —
seven train stops away from the Bryn Mawr train
station — has been the added bonus of my college
experience. Although it was not one of the reasons
I came in the first place, it certainly is one of
the reasons I've stayed.
My first encounter with the city was on the last
day of International Student Orientation, a four-day
workshop where you fight jet-lag, meet your best
friends for the first time, and learn about taxes,
INS regulations and bank accounts. Arriving at the
train station armed with cameras it was obvious
we hadn't quite made the transition from tourists
to students. We were given three choices: art museums,
shopping at the Gallery, or South Street. My tightly
knit clan and I chose the latter, as we often do
to this day.
South Street, deemed the "hippest street in
town" is to me the closest thing to home. By
this I don't mean to say that young guys in tight
jeans, black boots, neon pink mohawks and many piercings,
are exemplary of Venezuelans. I see the similarity
to home in the energy on the street, an energy that
comes from knowing you are in the center of action.
A day in South Street can be anything you want it
to be. Whether you choose to sit at a café
and people watch, or try on glittery outfits and
leopard prints with your friends, and be one of
the people watched, it is bound to be a day of fun.
There are more expensive stores carrying DKNY and
Gucci ("the real deal" I remember telling
one of my friends on my first visit, "not like
'DKMY' and 'Mucci' available for half the price
at home").
After a long and exhausting day, leave it up to
Philly to be the only city I know capable of satisfying
every craving within a couple of blocks. Italian,
Burmese, Thai, Chinese, Colombian, Middle Eastern,
Indian, it's got it all. The Painted Parrot Café
is the best place for dessert. Art and good food,
two things for which Philadelphia is well-known,
come to fusion in every dish here. Stop in on Wednesday
nights for the $6.95 all-you-can-eat dessert and
coffee buffet — an opportunity no college student
should miss.
If you are into art don't forget to mark your calendar.
The "First Friday" of every month features
rows of art galleries where admission for college
students is free. (Again, make sure you keep track
of the week, the last time I went I was one weekend
off-- but I still had fun). If you do miss it, the
historic Philadelphia Museum of Art with its gigantic
steps are among the first things which catch your
eye as you approach Center City, and a must see
for all art lovers. (Or just go up and down the
steps if you've opted for my dessert suggestions).
Before you go, be sure to pick up one of the local
papers which list times and dates of special exhibits,
concerts, fairs, and other events at the Museum,
Penn's Landing, and other venues in Philadelphia.
For those like myself who've got unending energy,
there's the nightclub scene of Delaware Avenue.
Located walking distance from the train station,
Delaware Avenue is home to a row of clubs including
Egypt, Katmandu, Dave and Busters, Maui and Shampoo.
Although many are 21+, there are a few 18+ nights
(Egypt on Thursday nights). The clubs' waterfront
location makes for great outdoor dancing during
the summer and a spectacular view at night. A mile
from the Liberty Bell is the Camden Aquarium, easily
accessible by New Jersey transit from 30th Street
Station. It hosts Latin dance parties featuring
salsa, merengue and bachata, and is on my To Do
list for next semester.
After a day in the city, I board the train and head
back to Bryn Mawr. Talking to strangers in the Metro
is one of the things I miss most about home. In
Venezuela, everything is everybody's business, which
makes for truly entertaining conversations, whether
you're having or overhearing them. Some of my most
intriguing conversations have been on SEPTA's R5
train on my way to and from Philly. I've had my
palm read, my career path questioned, my religion
analyzed, and my identity put to test by fellow
passengers who begin conversations in Hindi and,
when I fail to respond, ask what kind of Indian
I am!
Regardless of what I buy or eat, or whom I see or
meet, Philadelphia keeps me connected and allows
me to be the person I like to be. No wonder seven
has always been my lucky number.
Rekha Matchanickal
Bryn
Mawr College
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