Categories: Harlem Tourist,
Teddy Urena has been a volunteer Big Apple Greeter since 2008. Originally from the Dominican Republic, Teddy has lived in New York City on and off since 1998, always making his NYC home in the neighborhoods of northern Manhattan. As a Greeter, he gets to share his love for the neighborhoods he calls home with visitors from all over the world – visitors who are thrilled to get to see New York through the eyes of a New Yorker.
Big Apple Greeter is a not-for-profit organization that works to enhance New York City’s worldwide image and enrich the city experience by connecting visitors with knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers like Teddy. Volunteer Greeters give visitors a warm welcome, taking them to neighborhoods most visitors wouldn’t know about, showing them everything from favorite shops and hidden away parks to how to use the subway. Greeters are not tour guides; they are new friends who love to show off their favorite areas of the city in an informal, unscripted way. And Big Apple Greeter is eager to recruit more northern Manhattan residents to be Greeters.
Teddy recently introduced a group of fellow Big Apple Greeter volunteers to some of his northern Manhattan favorites. After meeting by the Mother Cabrini Shrine across from the 190th Street subway station, the Greeters took in Fort Tryon Park and the grounds of the Cloisters. Teddy says that the Cloisters is one of his favorite places to take visitors because “You feel like you’re in Europe.” The group of volunteers took in Inwood Hill Park, the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, and the Church of the Good Shepherd. Because Teddy shared his knowledge of Inwood and Washington Heights, more Greeters are ready to show the neighborhoods to visitors who want to explore NYC’s less-visited areas.
Since 1992, Big Apple Greeter’s free service has let thousands of visitors each year discover the city’s ethnically and culturally diverse neighborhoods through the eyes of those who know them best—New Yorkers. Greeters have met more than 185,000 visitors from all 50 states and more than 100 countries.
Big Apple Greeter is a small program that has a significant impact on New York City. Visitors who meet a Greeter get a great orientation to the city and become comfortable exploring off-the-beaten-tourist-path neighborhoods on their own. Armed with a Greeter’s personal recommendations—many in those less-frequented neighborhoods—most visitors will patronize shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions and institutions that they may not have known about or considered visiting before meeting a Greeter.
Adding more northern Manhattan volunteers to Big Apple Greeter will encourage more visitors to experience the area’s rich history, vibrant culture, and warm and welcoming spirit. Consider volunteering to be a Big Apple Greeter. Visit www.bigapplegreeter.org to learn more.
