Test Padlet by Thomas Miksits

LIRR route to Jamaica, Queens

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-02-27 18:00:57 UTC

Every morning I take this train to get to Jamaica.

Bus to St. John's campus

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-02-27 18:03:22 UTC

After the train ride, I hop on this bus to get to school

Walking and waiting around in Jamaica, Queens…

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-02-27 18:17:25 UTC

Everywhere you go there are rules that everyone must follow, basic laws and documents stating what is legal and illegal. Unfortunately some people chose to break them today as I heard police sirens while I was waiting for my bus.

The best part about this area is the amount of culture that I see everyday. Whether it's murals painted on the side of buildings, or local food trucks cooking up some of the best food in the world, Jamaica does not hold back on cultural diffusion. This comes from generations of history when some of the first families settled there and established a presence in that specific area, getting lifetime jobs and opening businesses.

While I personally have my airpods in and wait for my bus alone, it is very common to overhear multiple conversations on the sidewalks. Whether it’s a group of five friends standing on the corner chatting it up, or two business men in a rush to get to work walking and talking about their work, this space does not disappoint in the conversation and interaction department.

Average day in Jamaica

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-02-27 18:26:45 UTC

Everyone should feel welcome walking around this space, because of the train station nearby, there is a police presence who oversees the safety of the community. This police presence represents how the police are to hold the most power in this specific area. I see them everyday walking the streets and observing their surroundings. Anyone could realistically walk around this area, I’ve seen cyber trucks and I’ve seen homeless people so the economic factors are non-existent. From St. John’s students waiting for the bus to pilots walking to the airtrain to get to JFK airport, people of all ages are seen in this space. There are young kids and their parents on their way to school, and there are retired people waiting for the train to take them home. Surrounding the different racial and religious identities, there are people from Japan as well as Germany, South Africa, India, Russia, basically anywhere on the planet Earth. It’s great to see how people can bring over their culture and ways of life to a place like Jamaica. Unfortunately, racism and xenophobia are diseases that will never be cured and so some people are walking around with a sense of fear and hatred mixed into one. This creates an invisible sign that is basically a barrier between people. The maintenance of Jamaica is generally polluted and dirty which reflects the negative littering values of the people that live in the city.

Reflection

thomasmiksits24 — 2025-03-10 13:52:09 UTC

My background and personal experience allow me to prosper in this space, I love the feeling of being present in this area. A factor that contributes to this could be the fact that I am not a part of a minority group that is discriminated against. The whole area is run by local businesses which is what makes it so great, everybody plays a role in making this area so great.