Two months in New Jersey

So Erica wanted me to update our blog while I am up here in New Jersey for the next two months doing a rotation at the University of Medicine and Dentistry at New Jersey (in Newark). I am on a Oral Maxillofacial Trauma rotation. Anyway, because I am up here and Erica and the kiddos are not, I had a chance to do a little touring of the area. I am staying in a really nice place right on the Hudson River with a balcony that overlooks the water and right across the river is the Upper Manhattan skyline. At night it is really pretty cool. The Empire State building is lit up with red lights (I guess for upcoming Valentines). I haven't ventured into the city yet, but I did go and see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (which only about 1 mile away from where I am staying). It was a fun tour, although I did it by myself, with a headset and all (I must admit that at times I felt kind of funny walking around with the headset and without anyone else with me, but it was still cool). Here are some of the pics that I took from the tour.




This is a picture of the train station that all the new immigrants would go through to reach their various destinations.


Here is the Statue of Liberty with lower Manhattan in the background.


Part of the audio tour of the Statue of Liberty and of Ellis Island spoke of the many immigrants who when they came into the New York Harbor clapped with joy and hugged and kissed one another when they saw the Statue. So many of them had been traveling for months or even longer, to come to a new country, where they didn't know the language, and where all they had was hope for a better life. The tour stated that over day, 7 days a week, in the early 1900s and late 1800s, on average 5000 immigrants came through Ellis island a day. On one day over 11,000 came through. It was amazing how so many came to this wonderful country, leaving everything behind, in hopes of freedom, peace, and a chance for a better life than what they left behind. We truly live in a wonderful country and going on this tour reminded me of all the great things that we are blest with and the great sacrifices that so many went through to help make it the great country that it is today.