The Inquiring Photographer - Culture Shock

David Goodman: “What is your name?”

Lukasz Drozda: “Lukasz Drozda.”

DG: “Where are you from?’

LD: “Warsaw, Poland.”

DG: “When did you arrive?”

LD: “Last night.”

DG: “What brings you to the High Line?”

LD: “Well, I am a scientist; an urban planner. And I am working on a thesis focusing on various types of urban spaces which are inspired by a variety of social movements.”

DG: “Interesting. How did you first learn of the High Line?”

LD: “I first read about it four or five years ago in a book by a Polish journalist.”

DG: “What is the purpose of your study?”

LD: “I want to see how this park has gentrified the neighborhood and how the people like it. Also, whether it serves the local neighborhood or if it is mainly for tourists.”

DG: “What about you? What do you think of the High Line so far?”

LD: “Well, it’s not as extremely crowded as it could be, so it’s nice to be here now [at 7:30 AM]. And my jet lag is very useful for that as it still feels like mid-afternoon for me... It looks really nice. It’s an absolutely lovely designed urban space. But I see that everything is expensive here, so my attitude as a poor Eastern European: it’s a little bit negative.”

DG: “Well, yes, in New York City, yes, it’s an expensive town. But that’s New York. The High Line itself is free. It doesn’t cost anything to come here. Surely that’s a good thing.”

DG: “Yes, that’s good.”

DG: “But if you go downstairs now for breakfast, it will cost around fifteen to twenty dollars.”

LD: “I don’t know if that’s bad for you, but for me it’s, you know… a very very… huge amount of money.”