As a youngster growing up in
cosmopolitan Hong Kong, I developed a desire for
the finer things in life, but I soon began to
wonder what this bustling metropolis had to offer
beyond its exquisite selection of shops and restaurants.
Years later, as a boarding student in a small
New Hampshire town, I fell victim to the inevitable
lull of inactivity that harsh New England winters
bring.
But upon arriving in Swarthmore, a suburb of Philadelphia,
I found nothing to complain about. If there is
such a thing as a well-rounded city, the City
of Brotherly Love is it. Philadelphia has long
suffered from an identity crisis of sorts. Despite
its many historic landmarks, it has never been
considered a city of history. In spite of its
high concentration of colleges and universities,
it has never been considered a center of intellectual
enterprise. While many of its sports franchises
have had their glory days, it's not quite the
all-American sports town either. (Quite to the
contrary, it has been known as a notoriously cynical
sports town.)
But it is precisely because Philadelphia
is so hard to pigeonhole that makes it such an
attractive city. Philly does not define you, but
rather it allows... you to define Philly for yourself.
Everyone can find what he or she wants here, even
a city-hopping international college student like
me.
The Philly I know is culturally rich, yet diverse;
historical, yet modern; dynamic, yet unobtrusive.
From the high culture of the Academy of Music
(home to the Philadelphia Orchestra) to the urban
street culture showcased along South Street, Philly
has it all.
From La Bec Fin, one of the most prestigious French
restaurants in the country, to Penang, an expanding
Malaysian restaurant chain, Philly has found a
way to make a home away from home for sojourners
like me.
Belting out my favorite Chinese pop tunes at Dickie's
Karaoke lounge after a hearty Penang dinner, I
might as well be in Hong Kong. Walking through
the hallowed grounds of Independence Park, witnessing
landmarks such as the site of the nation's first
central bank, one is struck with a deep sense
of history. But walk into hotspots, such as Egypt
or Shampoo, on a Friday or Saturday night and
it becomes obvious that this is not a city that
dwells on its past.
While Philly is certainly a happening town, it
is never imposing. Some of my most meditative
walks have come after a late fall night on South
Street, slowly ambling towards Market Street Station,
admiring the colonial style architecture of 30th
Street Station and listening to the gentle noise
of fallen leaves brushing against the pavement
along the way.
For a student, Philly is a most hospitable environment,
without the stuffy intellectualism that characterizes
other college towns. The sheer number and variety
of universities provides many opportunities for
academic exchange and collaboration. I myself
have taken advantage of the alliances established
between Swarthmore and neighboring institutions
to supplement any major gaps in the Swarthmore
curriculum. Penn and its teaching hospital are
a popular summer destination for young Swarthmore
researchers. After years of living on the margin,
I have finally found my comfort zone. And I have
found it in Philadelphia.
Min Lee
Swarthmore
College 
