The New England Patriots won the title of Superbowl Champions XLIX. Has a nice ring to it. Since I finished classes and these parades are usually held on weekdays, I didn't know the next time I'd get the chance to go. So I hopped on the orange line (which was completely packed) and headed towards Boylston St.
I was lucky enough to grab a spot in the front, but ended up standing in a pile of melting snow which soaked through to my socks. Overall the parade was a huge cheering session with a little bit of raving to club music and whole lot of confetti (captured a couple videos of that on my instagram @lygeetsourng). Couldn't get a good enough picture, but was able to see Malcolm Butler in all his interception-game-saving glory :D
Besides the confetti, the loud music, and just having an excuse to celebrate, my favorite part of these types of celebrations is that it unites complete and utter strangers. While on the orange line I struck up a conversation with an older woman and how we were both looking forward to the parade and she gave me tips on the best places to see the parade from her many years of experience. Usually, on the East Coast in general, people are pretty reserved about speaking with strangers, but when everyone has a reason to be excited about something and we all have a common ground, it's much easier to be a friendly person. Does anyone else find that strange? How we need excuses to be friendly?
Since my feet were soaked, I warmed up with a bowl of Vietnamese soup from in Chinatown. While eating, I met a guy who was in town for training from New Zealand. I gave him advice on how tipping works in American restaurants (is the U.S. the only country that tips waiting staff?) and recommended a few places to see while he was in town.
The parade was great, but it also got me thinking. I had forgotten how talking to complete and utter strangers can open your eyes a bit more to the world. Recently I've been in a rut and have had a bad case of wanderlust - pinning anything that looked good in pinterest. But talking to other people, seeing where they've been, listening to how they speak, and noticing slight difference in mannerisms - it hints towards how diverse the world is and lets you see a little bit of the world in them.
Of course I still want to travel, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't see what's right in front of me. While talking to the guy in New Zealand, I gave him a list of things I'd recommend to check out while he was in Boston, but ended up expanding that list only after we parted ways. It made me realize how much more of my own hometown in need to explore before trying to get away and go someplace else so easily.
Perhaps one day I can be like the woman I met on the train and know my way around Boston so well that I can recommend more to a foreigner than the Museum of Science or the Museum of Fine Arts. I need to take more advantage of my own location and cure my own wanderlust. Does anyone else feel the same way? Any recommendations from fellow Bostonians?
Hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the pride of the New England Patriots!
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Have a wonderful day!
-Chelle