|
Annoying accents. Cheesy fashions. Italian crime families. I am
sick and tired of everyone always poking fun at the Garden
State. Is it just me, or does everyone seem to have a good laugh
at New Jersey's expense? Hollywood perpetuates some of New
Jersey's false stereotypes through various movies and TV shows
such as "The Sopranos." These send the message that New Jersey
is full of shotgun-wielding mobsters and women with annoying "Joysie"
accents, stuck in the fashion clutches of the 1980s.
As anyone who has spent more
than five minutes in New Jersey can tell you, this is simply not
the case.
While living in Texas, I met
Sheila, a well-traveled, highly educated teacher from Minnesota.
About three months into our friendship, Sheila confided that I
was much different (and better) than what she thought I would be
like, coming from New Jersey and all. I couldn't believe my ears
as she continued: "I could never live in New Jersey -- it's
overcrowded and overrun by factories, highways and endless strip
malls." She wholeheartedly believed what she saw on television
and her view from Newark International Airport as she caught a
connecting flight to a more desirable location.
Poor New Jersey?
No way.
Poor Sheila! She and the many
others who view New Jersey as the "armpit of America" have it
all wrong. Try this instead: Affluent suburbs. Quality public
schools. Mild weather. Clean beaches. Cultural diversity.
Prestigious universities.
I love New Jersey because it
appeals to everyone. Beach bum? Grab your sunscreen and head to
one of New Jersey's 50 seaside re sort towns such as Atlantic
City, Long Beach Island and Cape May. Nature lover? You'll be at
home in the northwest corner of the state in the mountainous
region surrounding the Delaware Water Gap. Soccer mom? Take your
pick from one of the hundreds of safe, family-oriented
neighborhoods around the state such as Cherry Hill, Basking
Ridge or Pennington. History buff? Take a day and visit the
Revolutionary War battlefields scattered throughout the state,
or see where Washington crossed the Delaware. Corporate
executive? Land your dream job in New York City or Philadelphia
and enjoy an easy daily commute from one of the Garden State's
suburbs.
Yes, in fact, we do have our
share of highways in New Jersey. And yes, they can get a bit
crowded during rush hour. But these highways are lifelines,
providing easy access to two of the greatest cities in the world
-- New York and Philadelphia. In one hour or less (or the time
it would take Sheila to get to her nearest metropolitan center,
Minneapolis), New Jersey residents can find themselves biting
into a famous Philly cheese steak or sit ting down to an
award-winning Broadway musical. Both of these amazing cities are
literally in our back yard. The only downside is trying to
decide which professional sports teams to root for.
Did I mention that 90 percent
of high school students in New Jersey go on to college? In many
parts of the state, the quality of a public-school education is
equivalent to the private-school education that you have to pay
thou sands of dollars for elsewhere. New Jersey values
education. Our schools are on the cutting edge, and our students
outshine their peers across the nation. Divya, a middle school
student who has lived in several other states, overwhelmingly
prefers New Jersey because of its cultural diversity and
top-notch public schools. She says, "My family once tried to
move to [another state], but we moved back after just six
months!"
Speaking of cultural diversity,
did you know that there are some Americans who have never met
someone of a race or religion different than they are? This is
un heard of in New Jersey. Come visit my 8th-grade classroom in
West Windsor, and you'll see what I mean. Each day, I stand at
the front of the room and look out upon a sea of faces from
various backgrounds and ethnicities. In addition to learning
what is in the textbooks, these students are learning to embrace
each other's differences, learning to be open- minded, learning
to get along with each other.
Learning to be tolerant human
beings.
Okay, so you might be thinking
that I'm a little biased. I grew up here, attended Rutgers
University, and married someone who did the same. It wasn't
until I moved out of state, however, that New Jersey's
perfection hit me full force. Every other state was boring and
lifeless in comparison.
Sheila was right about one
thing: It is a bit crowded in New Jersey. I speculate that this
is only because more and more people are realizing what I have
known for my entire life: New Jersey is the place to be. |
