A Quote

“What, indeed, is a New Yorker? Is he Jew or Irish? Is he English or German? Is he Russian or Polish? He may be something of all these, and yet he is wholly none of them. Something has been added to him which he had not had before. he is endowed with a briskness and an invention often alien to his blood. He is quicker in his movement, less trammeled in his judgment...The change he undergoes is unmistakable, New York, indeed, resembles a magic cauldron. Those who are cast into it are born again.”
― Charles Whibley, American Sketches

            One of my favorite things about New York City is its willingness to open the doors to anybody. New Yorkers make anybody feel like everyone belongs (until you enter Times Square and tourists are being shoved everywhere for stopping in the middle of the sidewalk trying to read a map). When somebody from another country moves to NYC, they are treated like another person. In some countries, or even cities, an immigrant will be treated like garbage-especially if they are illegal. 

            New York City is partially known for its cultural diversity. There are restaurants from multiple countries around the world everywhere you look and there are areas that are known for being home to particular cultures. In New York City, once you learn how to move fast, cram into a subway train, and get frustrated when people stand still on an escalator, you're treated like a native New Yorker and no longer an Alien, which is exactly what the quote is saying. New York is a magical place for immigrants with no one judging or noticing and many others of your type on each and every corner.