In New York

This week I'm attending the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names at UN headquarters in New York. I have included a photo of the postcard for the meeting, showing New York written in different languages and scripts. The theme for the meeting is "A Map, A Name, An Identity." This theme resonates with my family history pastime, as all of these are essential to understanding the time and place of our ancestors.

I'll have more to add about the trip to NYC. Over the weekend, the family came up, and this was the first Amtrak ride for the kids & their first visit to New York. We took a lot of pictures, and hit the sights around Midtown (Central Park, the Zoo, the UN, Rockefeller Center & the Top of the Rock, MoMA, Grand Central Station, & more).

My 10th great-grandparents arrived in this place when it was called New Amsterdam in 1662, so I have an old connection to Manhattan.

As a student, my focus was on political science and international relations. Participating in this meeting at the UN hits a milestone for me. This is another reminder of how lucky I am to do what I do on a daily basis.

Photo by Patrick L Jones